Backpacking Stockholm (The Definite Budget Guide)

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Find your Perfect Hostel in Stockholm

Backpacking Stockholm sounds like financial suicide until you learn the hacks.

Yes, beers hit €9, but you can swim off city islands for free and crash on a docked ship-hostel for the price of a Berlin dorm.

I’ve done it, learned where the kroner leak, and wrote this backpacking Stockholm guide so you don’t.

Top Picks: The Best Hostels in Stockholm

Best for Hostel Newbies

Castanea Old Town Hoste...9.2

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Best for Female Solo Traveler

Generator Hostel Stockh...8.4

from $14.97 | More Details

Best Party Hostel

STF Stockholm Skeppshol...9.1

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Budget & Estimated Daily Costs in Stockholm

Stockholm is pricey, but a tight backpacker budget sits at €65–80 a day. That covers a dorm bunk, grocery meals, an SL day pass, and one cheap attraction. Bump to €110 for pub nights, café fika, and a paid museum.

Typical Daily Expenses in Stockholm

• Accommodation (dorm bed): €28–35 in shoulder season.
• Food total: €20–25 if you mix grocery lunches with one cheap eat-out.
• Breakfast: €4–6—supermarket yogurt, banana, and filter coffee.
• Lunch: €7–10—weekday “dagens lunch” plate or salad bar by weight.
• Dinner: €9–15—street-food market bowl or hostel pasta with veggies.
• Local transport: €9.50 24-hour SL pass (metro, buses, ferries).
• Attractions: €0–15; many museums free one evening a week.
• Entertainment & extras: €12 for two store-bought beers or one bar pint.

Overall, around €75/day is realistic shoestring; €120+ adds comfort and nightlife.

Money Saving Tips

• Grab an SL 72-hour pass; three single rides already cost more.
• Visit state museums on Wednesday evenings when entry drops to free.
• Refill bottles at “Dricksvatten” taps—tap water is primo.
• Shop Coop salad bars after 7 p.m.—prices cut 30 %.
• Bring a student ID; many sights shave €3–5 even if you graduated years ago.
• Systembolaget beer before 7 p.m. → hostel common room pre-game → skip €9 bar pint.
• Use Swedes’ “take a number” deli system to avoid tourist mark-up stalls.

Short and crisp: The Best Hostels in Stockholm

1. City Backpackers Hostel - best for Digital Nomads, Party Hostel, Solo Traveller
2. STF Stockholm Skeppsholmen Vandrarhem - best for Couples, Party Hostel, Solo Traveller
3. Dockside Hostel Old Town - best for Digital Nomads, Family-Friendly Hostel, Older travelers (+50), Quiet Rest
4. The Red Boat Mälaren - best for Couples
5. Castanea Old Town Hostel - best for Digital Nomads, Family-Friendly Hostel, Older travelers (+50), Quiet Rest, Solo Traveller

City Backpackers Hostel

9.0

Norrmalm

"…I wasn't so wild about the idea of free pasta -- until I needed it. I wanted to try a few swedish more

from

$13.31

STF Stockholm Skeppsholmen Vandrarhem

9.1

Gamla Stan

"…I stayed in this hostel in April 2005. It was a great hostel. I spent the second night on the more

from

$17.52

Dockside Hostel Old Town

8.0

"…The kitchen is great, beds are comfortable, and the staff were like new friends. It's worth the more

from

$13.64

The Red Boat Mälaren

8.6

Södermalm

"…Note that there are no lockers on board, and there is very little storage space. Most rooms have more

from

$30.74

Castanea Old Town Hostel

9.2

Old Town

"…This hostel seems calm and less party oriented, although the common spaces are full of people more

from

$13.70

Getting Around Stockholm on a Budget

The city is flat-ish and bike friendly. City bikes cost €3 per 24 h if returned every 30 min. Ferries inside Zone A accept the SL card—ride them for free harbor tours. Night buses replace late metros; routes live in the SL app.

For archipelago day trips, aim for off-peak Waxholmsbolaget boats—SL pass sometimes covers the fare outside high season.

Best Free & Budget Friendly Attractions

Free things to do

• Wander Gamla Stan alleys before 9 a.m.—crowd-free photos.
• Climb Monteliusvägen cliffs for sunset skyline.
• Swim at Smedsuddsbadet or Långholmen beaches.
• Explore Skogskyrkogården UNESCO forest cemetery.
• Window-shop design stores on Södermalm’s Götgatan.
• Self-guided tunnelbana art tour—every station is a mural.

Low cost attractions

• Vasa Museum: €15 student, houses a 17th-century warship.
• ABBA Museum sing-along: €19 with online discount.
• City Hall tower climb: €6 for panoramic photos.
• Public sauna at Hellasgården: €9 including lake plunge.

Food and Drinks on a Budget

Stockholm lunches drop to €8–10 with “dagens lunch” deals—look for blackboard signs. Coop and ICA supermarkets run pay-by-weight hot bars; fill a box and eat on any quay bench.

For fika, Espresso House offers free refills on drip coffee; pair with a €3 kanelbulle.

Nightlife hack: buy craft cans at Systembolaget, chill in the hostel sink, then hit bars late to nurse one pint.

Many locals pre-game in parks during warm months—carry your cans in a paper bag and nobody bats an eye.

Experiences for Backpackers

• Island-hop the inner archipelago on the SL ferry loop—essentially a free cruise.
• Join a free Södermalm street-art walking tour; tip what you can.
• Rent a kayak at Vaxholm for €15 and paddle past cliff-side summer houses.
• Public sauna + lake dip at Hellasgården—pure Swedish reset.
• Board-game cafés in Vasastan—pay hourly, meet locals over Catan.
• Open-air cinema nights at Rålambshovsparken—bring picnic and blanket.

Additional Tips & Final Thoughts

• Best time to visit: May–June or early September—hostel beds cheaper than midsummer, daylight long, patios still open.
• Booking in advance: Reserve dorms, City Hall tours, and night trains to the north weeks ahead—slots vanish fast.
• Avoid tourist traps: Skip Gamla Stan’s ice-cream stalls; same scoop costs half across the bridge in Söder.
• Safety first: Low violent crime, but rush-hour pickpockets work metros. Keep zips forward.
• Cultural respect: Queue politely, recycle correct bins, and keep voices low on transit—Swedes value quiet.

Stockholm can bruise a budget, but smart timing, grocery hacks, and an SL pass turn it into an affordable adventure.

Pack a reusable bottle, quick-dry towel, and respect for local calm—you’ll leave with fresh-water swims, new Spotify artists, and kroner to spare.

Backpacking Stockholm? Here’s What You Need to Know

These are the guides I wish I had before visiting. I’ve been there, had fun, did some minor mistakes, and now I’m passing the best tips on to you. Safe travels!

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About the author: Anna Kiefer

My travels have taken me from the vibrant streets of Vietnam to the tranquil beauty of Spain, each destination adding a new chapter to my journey. For me, travel isn’t about counting countries or ticking off lists; it’s about the freedom it brings and the stories that unfold with each new adventure. At Hostelgeeks, my goal is to infuse our brand with this sense of freedom and discovery.

Whether it’s finding the perfect 5 Star Hostel or sharing a hidden gem in a bustling city, I’m here to ensure that our travelers get more than just a journey – they get an experience that resonates with the joy of exploration and the freedom of the open road.