Livability scores

• Walkabilityⓘ 16 / 20

  Central Västerås has dense shops, services and a compact street grid, making most daily errands reachable on foot.

  Sources:

  • Västerås city centre planning overview (compact structure)
  • Västerås tourism – shopping and services concentrated in central area
• Rail Connectivityⓘ 7.3 / 10

  Västerås central station is on the Mälarbanan main line with frequent SJ and Mälartåg services to Stockholm and Örebro.

  Sources:

  • SJ timetable – Västerås–Stockholm services
  • Mälartåg line map – Mälarbanan via Västerås
  • Trafikverket national rail network map
• Public Transitⓘ 7 / 10

  VL runs an extensive city bus network with dense routes and frequent services across Västerås urban area.

  Sources:

  • VL – city bus network Västerås
  • VL – timetable and frequency information
• Affordabilityⓘ 8.7 / 10

  Västerås has moderate living and rent costs that are lower than Stockholm, Malmö and Gothenburg, making it relatively affordable by Swedish big-city standards.

  Sources:

  • Numbeo – Cost of Living in Vasteras
  • Numbeo – Cost of Living Comparison Stockholm vs Vasteras
  • Numbeo – Cost of Living Comparison Gothenburg vs Vasteras
  • ECB/Eurostat – HICP Overall Index Sweden
• Safetyⓘ 6 / 10

  Numbeo reports Västerås has high safety and low crime perception scores compared with many European cities.

  Sources:

  • Numbeo – Västerås crime and safety indices
  • Swedish Police – crime statistics by region including Västmanland
• Air Qualityⓘ 9 / 10

  EEA and Naturvårdsverket data show Västerås generally meets EU limit values with low PM and NO2 levels.

  Sources:

  • EEA – Sweden air quality by city and station
  • Naturvårdsverket – Luftkvalitet i tätorter, Västerås station data
• Quality Of Lifeⓘ 8 / 10

  Numbeo lists Västerås with high scores for purchasing power, safety and health care, supporting strong quality of life.

  Sources:

  • Numbeo – Västerås Quality of Life Index
  • Region Västmanland – health care services in Västerås
• Food Cultureⓘ 6 / 10

  Västerås has a modest restaurant scene with few nationally or internationally recognized fine-dining listings.

  Sources:

  • Visit Västerås – selection of local restaurants
  • White Guide Sweden – listings in Västerås region
• Car Free Practicalityⓘ 8 / 10

  Compact urban form, good cycling infrastructure and VL buses make daily life feasible without a car for many residents.

  Sources:

  • Västerås – cykelplan and bike network
  • VL – city bus network Västerås
  • Västerås municipality – sustainable transport focus

Advantages & drawbacks

Monthly costs

• Estimated monthly cost €1,750 – €1,850
• Monthly transit pass €62