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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,926 per month in Kalmar vs $1,904 in Lund, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,839 per month in Kalmar vs $3,030 in Lund, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,751 per month in Kalmar vs $4,156 in Lund, rent included.

Kalmar costs about 1% more than Lund, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kalmar and Lund sit above the global median – Kalmar by 44%, Lund by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.76 SEK 152

$12.55 SEK 121

25.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 SEK 722

$85.3 SEK 825

-12.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 SEK 100.0

$12.20 SEK 118

-15.25%

Cappuccino

$4.68 SEK 45.19

$4.85 SEK 46.92

-3.51%

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

$2.81 SEK 27.19

$2.81 SEK 27.13

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SEK 26.42

$2.05 SEK 19.79

33.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.90 SEK 95.7

$8.22 SEK 79.5

20.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.59 SEK 73.3

$7.32 SEK 70.8

3.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 SEK 14.55

$1.60 SEK 15.43

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 SEK 23.95

$2.21 SEK 21.34

12.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 26.23

$3.02 SEK 29.15

-10.26%

Eggs

$4.88 SEK 47.18

$4.55 SEK 44.02

7.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 SEK 98.4

$13.12 SEK 127

-22.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 SEK 112

$11.78 SEK 114

-2.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 SEK 155

$17.28 SEK 167

-7.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 SEK 25.80

$3.18 SEK 30.70

-16.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 SEK 26.44

$2.77 SEK 26.81

-1.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 30.63

$2.77 SEK 26.75

14.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 SEK 36.54

$4.55 SEK 43.94

-16.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 SEK 14.36

$1.66 SEK 16.01

-10.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 SEK 22.49

$1.58 SEK 15.25

47.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 SEK 20.01

$2.60 SEK 25.14

-20.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SEK 16.21

$1.27 SEK 12.29

32.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 SEK 68.8

$8.18 SEK 79.1

-12.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 SEK 88.1

$11.23 SEK 109

-18.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SEK 19.37

$1.96 SEK 18.98

2.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 SEK 16.58

$2.24 SEK 21.64

-23.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 SEK 28.82

$3.34 SEK 32.33

-10.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 SEK 842

$67.4 SEK 652

29.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 SEK 68.5

$5.40 SEK 52.3

31.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.40

$1.88 SEK 18.21

-15.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.6 SEK 509

$63.0 SEK 609

-16.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 18.42

$1.90 SEK 18.40

0.53%

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

$27.6K SEK 266.5K

$32.7K SEK 316.0K

-15.67%

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

$28.1K SEK 271.5K

$34.1K SEK 329.9K

-17.70%

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

$117 SEK 1,129

$122 SEK 1,179

-4.23%

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

$28.56 SEK 276

$28.99 SEK 280

-1.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 SEK 296

$41.22 SEK 398

-25.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.77 SEK 288

$38.68 SEK 374

-23.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 SEK 152

$24.09 SEK 233

-34.70%

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 SEK 139

$18.17 SEK 176

-20.80%

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

$146 SEK 1,410

$179 SEK 1,730

-18.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,077 SEK 39.4K

$4,129 SEK 39.9K

-1.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 SEK 621

$80.3 SEK 776

-20.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.00 SEK 203

$60.1 SEK 581

-65.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 SEK 584

$104 SEK 1,002

-41.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 SEK 734

$130 SEK 1,259

-41.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 SEK 9,154

$981 SEK 9,483

-3.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$812 SEK 7,845

$763 SEK 7,371

6.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 SEK 13.2K

$1,615 SEK 15.6K

-15.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 SEK 11.6K

$1,307 SEK 12.6K

-7.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,262 SEK 41.2K

$6,408 SEK 61.9K

-33.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,835 SEK 27.4K

$3,682 SEK 35.6K

-22.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,928 SEK 28.3K

$2,972 SEK 28.7K

-1.50%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lund: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Kalmar versus $981 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 2% higher in Lund, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Kalmar versus $85.0 in Lund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 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: $1,926 in Kalmar, $1,904 in Lund – roughly 1% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,889 per month in Kalmar and $2,856 in Lund. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $146 per month in Kalmar and $179 in Lund. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Kalmar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lund, where all-in costs run around $1,904, than in Kalmar at $1,926. In Lund it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kalmar 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 $1,904 in Lund to $1,926 in Kalmar. 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 Lund. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kalmar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.