Cost of Living Comparison Between Gavle and Malmo Cost of Living Comparison Between Gavle and Malmo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,996 in Gavle versus $2,047 in Malmo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,963 in Gavle versus $3,170 in Malmo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Gavle versus $4,292 in Malmo.

Living in Gavle costs roughly 3% less than in Malmo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gavle 49% above, Malmo 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.89 SEK 120

$13.48 SEK 126

-4.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.5 SEK 900

$85.6 SEK 799

12.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.55 SEK 98.4

$12.67 SEK 118

-16.73%

Cappuccino

$5.20 SEK 48.51

$5.05 SEK 47.16

2.97%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SEK 19.24

$2.69 SEK 25.07

-23.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SEK 22.22

$2.15 SEK 20.07

10.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.59 SEK 80.2

$8.00 SEK 74.7

7.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.38 SEK 78.2

$8.20 SEK 76.5

2.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SEK 16.07

$1.67 SEK 15.62

2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 SEK 23.98

$3.11 SEK 28.99

-17.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 SEK 36.38

$3.61 SEK 33.71

8.03%

Eggs

$4.18 SEK 39.03

$4.42 SEK 41.22

-5.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 SEK 86.3

$12.05 SEK 112

-23.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.31 SEK 96.2

$12.78 SEK 119

-19.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 SEK 140

$27.50 SEK 257

-45.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 SEK 31.08

$3.27 SEK 30.49

1.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 SEK 26.72

$2.78 SEK 25.94

2.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 SEK 32.43

$3.24 SEK 30.25

7.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 SEK 41.58

$4.79 SEK 44.68

-6.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 SEK 17.56

$1.83 SEK 17.07

2.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 SEK 16.98

$1.95 SEK 18.22

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 24.29

$2.57 SEK 23.98

1.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SEK 14.60

$1.34 SEK 12.50

16.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.80 SEK 72.8

$8.13 SEK 75.9

-4.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 SEK 111

$12.10 SEK 113

-1.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SEK 15.30

$2.53 SEK 23.59

-35.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SEK 17.22

$2.66 SEK 24.80

-30.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 SEK 37.44

$3.36 SEK 31.37

19.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.6 SEK 547

$69.3 SEK 647

-15.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 SEK 43.74

$6.44 SEK 60.1

-27.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 SEK 12.48

$2.64 SEK 24.63

-49.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.80 SEK 455

$56.2 SEK 524

-13.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 16.98

$1.92 SEK 17.92

-5.21%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.5K SEK 274.9K

$33.1K SEK 308.6K

-10.92%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.6K SEK 313.9K

$33.8K SEK 315.3K

-0.44%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$85.3 SEK 796

$154 SEK 1,433

-44.48%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$28.10 SEK 262

$30.36 SEK 283

-7.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.37 SEK 386

$40.38 SEK 377

2.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 SEK 467

$38.30 SEK 357

30.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.80 SEK 147

$23.78 SEK 222

-33.56%

Cinema Ticket

$13.89 SEK 130

$17.81 SEK 166

-22.01%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$160 SEK 1,497

$162 SEK 1,508

-0.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,622 SEK 61.8K

$4,876 SEK 45.5K

35.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.4 SEK 890

$105 SEK 977

-8.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.67 SEK 454

$45.70 SEK 426

6.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 SEK 774

$124 SEK 1,159

-33.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 SEK 1,463

$165 SEK 1,542

-5.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 SEK 7,792

$932 SEK 8,693

-10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$897 SEK 8,372

$773 SEK 7,215

16.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 SEK 16.2K

$1,721 SEK 16.1K

0.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 SEK 11.9K

$1,343 SEK 12.5K

-5.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,020 SEK 18.8K

$4,311 SEK 40.2K

-53.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,431 SEK 13.4K

$3,360 SEK 31.3K

-57.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,285 SEK 30.7K

$3,353 SEK 31.3K

-2.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.1

4.86

-15.64%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Gavle: June 2, 2026

Last update for Malmo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $835 in Gavle and $932 in Malmo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Malmo pays 2% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $96.0 in Gavle vs $86.0 in Malmo. Groceries flip the comparison at $344 vs $410, with Gavle cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Gavle vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gavle and Malmo differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,996 vs $2,047 including rent). Gavle is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Malmo earns 2% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $835 in Gavle versus $932 in Malmo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Gavle runs roughly 18% less than in Malmo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $160 in Gavle versus $162 in Malmo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,996 in Gavle versus $2,047 in Malmo, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Gavle but tight or insufficient in Malmo. The gap between the two cities makes Gavle the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Gavle and Malmo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gavle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Malmo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.