Why is everything so expensive in Stockholm?

I recently visited Stockholm and paid 4 Euros for a single croissant. Just one croissant! Frankly, it’s not just the pastries that are pricey; museum tickets, food, and Uber rides are significantly more expensive here.

Photo by Linus Mimietz on Unsplash

Hi, I’m Umut. I’m a mechanical engineer, and I would like to share my thoughts on Stockholm. I recently participated in an Erasmus+ internship in Poland. Like every Erasmus student, my dream was to experience new cultures, explore Europe’s cities, and taste different foods. To me, one of the most mysterious cities in Scandinavia had to be Stockholm. I was genuinely looking forward to getting lost in its streets because I felt they were filled with history. Another pleasant surprise was how exceptionally well the locals speak English — I’ve honestly never seen such a high rate of English fluency in any other city I’ve visited. However, the romantic vibe of the city quickly met a harsh reality check the moment I stepped into a café. This cafe is located around Gamla Stan. Gamla Stan’s area is very popular by tourists and it deserved to see their cultural houses. This cafe was very crowded that we almost found an empty table. As I glanced at the menu, a sudden shock hit me: a single croissant cost 4 Euros. Just one croissant!

My friends and I wanted to travel to new countries during our Erasmus journey, and visiting Scandinavian countries had always been a dream of mine. Stockholm’s endless castles, extraordinary houses, nature, and respectful people have always been fascinating to me. We traveled to Stockholm by bus, and in the morning at the bus station, we bought sandwiches from a local market and had breakfast together. Afterward, we set off to find the hostel we had booked before our trip. We didn’t want to use any taxi apps because our hostel was very close, and I really wanted to see the streets of Stockholm on the way there. As we passed street after street, one of the most eye-catching features was how clean, safe, and quiet they were. Unfortunately, it is hard to find this combination in other European countries.

After checking into our hostel and leaving our luggage, I wanted to sit in a café first. As always, I ordered a Flat White because it is my favorite coffee. Sitting there with my friends, we created a route and searched for the closest museums, places, and areas we could visit. By the way, one thing I noticed was that Stockholm really has beautiful coffee shops — the flat white was perfect. Another thing that caught my attention while sitting in the café was how people were spending time and sitting individually. While individualism is not this popular in most parts of the world, the rate of it in Stockholm was truly high, and seeing this made me very happy. After finishing our coffee with my friends, we hit the road, and our first stop was the Gamla Stan area.

Photo by Mikael Stenberg on Unsplash

Gamla Stan is perhaps one of the most eye-catching areas of the city. But I have to confess: I have visited five different countries so far, and Stockholm was easily one of my absolute favorites. On our way to Gamla Stan, the incredibly beautiful buildings, the respectful people, and the deep respect everyone had for nature left a massive impression on me. Gamla Stan is actually right in the heart of the city and was well within walking distance.

Our first stop turned out to be an unexpected one: The Royal Palace. Since Sweden still has a monarchy, we got to see their actual palace. As we were walking by, we noticed a huge crowd, and when we approached the palace gates, we realized there was a special military ceremony taking place. I suppose this event is highly popular because so many people were watching and recording it with their phones. For me, watching the soldiers perform their ceremony under the falling rain was a beautiful experience. Exploring the rest of Gamla Stan felt like walking through an endless maze of fascinating houses. To make it even more magical, it had just started to snow when we arrived. Our next intended stop in the area was the Christmas markets, but I think we were a bit too early in the season, so they weren’t open yet. Still, you could tell they were set up in a very central location.

As I was walking with my friends, I suddenly realized that we had only eaten breakfast in the morning. Feeling my stomach growl, I immediately brought up the idea of grabbing a bite to eat. We spotted a café in Gamla Stan and decided to pop in without knowing anything about it. When I first stepped inside, I noticed they had an outdoor seating area, but it was closed due to the weather. The café stretched deep into the back; there were a few tables on our left, but as we walked straight ahead, we reached the counter filled with pastries, with even more tables further in.

I looked at the selection and noticed they mostly specialized in croissants. Looking around at the tables on both sides, I realized everyone was seated and there wasn’t a single empty spot. I was almost about to leave the shop, but then I discovered there was a seating area downstairs. It felt like it might have been used as a cellar or warehouse in the past because everything was made of natural stone. After reading the “self-service” sign, we checked the downstairs area, found an empty table, and I headed back up to place our order.

The pastries looked incredibly beautiful, fresh, and high-quality. I was so impatient after ordering my Flat White and a croissant. However, when I reached the payment counter, a detail on the menu caught my eye: a single croissant was 4 Euros. At first, I was shocked because it wasn’t nearly this expensive in other European countries; for instance, a friend of mine living in Paris had told me that a croissant costs around 1 Euro in France — the homeland of the pastry itself! But I decided that the most important thing was to taste it first before judging whether it was worth the price.

When I got back to the table, my friends were mostly busy with their phones, sharing photos on social media. I sat down and took my first bite. Immediately, a rich, beautiful buttery flavor filled my mouth, and the croissant was incredibly fresh and crispy. I still remember the expression on my face at that moment; it felt as though I was eating the best croissant in the entire world. By the second bite, I was absolutely certain. The very first thing I did was recommend it to my friends, and one of them went up and bought one too. As for me, I couldn’t resist and went back for a second one. So, in the end, I happily spent 8 Euros on two croissants!

In fact, I still remember the taste of that croissant so vividly; it was truly fresh and delicious. It might actually be the best croissant I’ve ever had in my life. Traveling through Europe, you often notice how prices fluctuate from place to place. A product you eat in one country can be much cheaper or more expensive in another, but I can assure you that this one was way above standard, and my experience was fantastic.

The interior of the café, especially the historic stone area where we sat, along with its very central location, justified everything. After paying, you honestly find yourself saying that one phrase: it was worth it. Before leaving the café, I went up to one of the staff members and told them that their croissants were incredibly fresh and beautiful, making sure to express my gratitude.In the end, Stockholm might be heavy on the wallet, but its history, beauty, and that unforgettable croissant made every single Euro worth it.

If you enjoyed reading about my Stockholm adventure, please leave a comment below and share your thoughts! Your claps and support mean a lot to me as I share more of my journeys. Have you ever been to Stockholm?