Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalmar and Lund Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalmar and Lund

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,862 per month in Kalmar vs $1,949 in Lund, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,801 per month in Kalmar vs $3,033 in Lund, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,740 per month in Kalmar vs $4,117 in Lund, rent included.

Kalmar is about 4% cheaper than Lund, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kalmar and Lund sit above the global median – Kalmar by 39%, Lund by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 SEK 150

$12.42 SEK 116

29.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 SEK 693

$85.7 SEK 799

-13.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 SEK 98.6

$11.98 SEK 112

-11.85%

Cappuccino

$4.56 SEK 42.55

$5.01 SEK 46.78

-8.98%

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

$2.89 SEK 26.97

$2.83 SEK 26.39

2.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 24.85

$2.07 SEK 19.33

28.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.71 SEK 90.6

$8.27 SEK 77.2

17.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 SEK 69.3

$7.53 SEK 70.3

-1.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 SEK 13.77

$1.62 SEK 15.11

-8.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 SEK 22.28

$2.23 SEK 20.80

7.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.05

$2.92 SEK 27.24

-11.64%

Eggs

$4.88 SEK 45.52

$4.42 SEK 41.20

10.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 SEK 96.7

$12.89 SEK 120

-19.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.73 SEK 109

$11.41 SEK 106

2.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 SEK 151

$17.35 SEK 162

-6.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 24.42

$3.20 SEK 29.89

-18.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 SEK 26.03

$2.89 SEK 26.99

-3.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 SEK 29.16

$2.90 SEK 27.05

7.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 SEK 34.51

$4.42 SEK 41.23

-16.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SEK 13.33

$1.67 SEK 15.61

-14.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 SEK 21.87

$1.63 SEK 15.23

43.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 SEK 19.19

$2.63 SEK 24.52

-21.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.44

$1.29 SEK 12.01

28.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 68.1

$8.10 SEK 75.6

-9.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.90 SEK 92.4

$11.86 SEK 111

-16.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 SEK 19.71

$2.04 SEK 18.99

3.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.48

$2.15 SEK 20.04

-22.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 SEK 26.39

$3.42 SEK 31.92

-17.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 SEK 804

$67.2 SEK 627

28.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 SEK 67.6

$5.40 SEK 50.4

34.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 SEK 14.53

$1.90 SEK 17.74

-17.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.6 SEK 491

$62.6 SEK 584

-15.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 18.19

$1.98 SEK 18.44

-1.52%

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

$27.5K SEK 256.4K

$32.8K SEK 306.3K

-16.30%

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

$28.1K SEK 262.2K

$34.3K SEK 319.9K

-18.02%

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

$118 SEK 1,104

$123 SEK 1,148

-3.79%

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

$28.08 SEK 262

$28.49 SEK 266

-1.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.58 SEK 285

$41.60 SEK 388

-26.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.43 SEK 275

$39.20 SEK 366

-24.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.57 SEK 145

$24.29 SEK 227

-35.90%

Cinema Ticket

$14.22 SEK 133

$17.86 SEK 167

-20.38%

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

$145 SEK 1,357

$176 SEK 1,638

-17.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,155 SEK 38.8K

$4,218 SEK 39.4K

-1.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 SEK 595

$79.1 SEK 738

-19.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.69 SEK 193

$60.3 SEK 563

-65.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 SEK 560

$104 SEK 971

-42.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 SEK 723

$127 SEK 1,187

-39.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 SEK 8,760

$970 SEK 9,054

-3.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$795 SEK 7,421

$757 SEK 7,060

5.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 SEK 13.0K

$1,644 SEK 15.3K

-15.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SEK 11.0K

$1,314 SEK 12.3K

-9.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,304 SEK 40.2K

$6,660 SEK 62.1K

-35.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,931 SEK 27.4K

$3,858 SEK 36.0K

-24.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,061 SEK 28.6K

$3,140 SEK 29.3K

-2.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.66

4.8

-2.92%

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

Last update for Kalmar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lund: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $939 in Kalmar versus $970 in Lund. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Lund, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Kalmar versus $86.0 in Lund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $355 – making Kalmar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kalmar vs Lund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,862 in Kalmar, $1,949 in Lund – roughly 5% apart. Lund costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,793 per month in Kalmar and $2,924 in Lund. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kalmar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $145 per month in Kalmar and $176 in Lund. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Lund, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kalmar, where all-in costs run around $1,862, than in Lund at $1,949. In Kalmar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lund has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,862 in Kalmar to $1,949 in Lund. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kalmar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.