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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,023 per month in Kalmar vs $1,828 in Lund, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,964 per month in Kalmar vs $3,039 in Lund, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,906 per month in Kalmar vs $4,250 in Lund, rent included.

Kalmar costs about 11% more than Lund, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kalmar and Lund sit above the global median – Kalmar by 47%, Lund by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.61 SEK 151

$13.31 SEK 129

17.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 SEK 701

$92.4 SEK 897

-21.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 SEK 107

$12.27 SEK 119

-10.19%

Cappuccino

$4.63 SEK 44.92

$4.78 SEK 46.36

-3.14%

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

$2.85 SEK 27.69

$2.78 SEK 27.01

2.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 SEK 25.90

$2.14 SEK 20.79

24.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.86 SEK 95.6

$8.51 SEK 82.6

15.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 SEK 69.6

$7.14 SEK 69.3

0.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SEK 14.25

$1.71 SEK 16.62

-14.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 SEK 28.11

$2.80 SEK 27.21

3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 31.12

$3.92 SEK 38.01

-18.11%

Eggs

$4.78 SEK 46.41

$4.73 SEK 45.92

1.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 SEK 112

$13.08 SEK 127

-11.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.38 SEK 110

$12.28 SEK 119

-7.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.74 SEK 221

$17.58 SEK 171

29.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 SEK 24.58

$3.15 SEK 30.55

-19.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 28.17

$3.08 SEK 29.84

-5.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 SEK 31.57

$2.84 SEK 27.54

14.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 SEK 39.76

$4.80 SEK 46.54

-14.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 SEK 14.25

$1.80 SEK 17.47

-18.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SEK 15.81

$1.43 SEK 13.89

13.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 SEK 19.27

$2.74 SEK 26.59

-27.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.87

$1.59 SEK 15.44

9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 SEK 78.2

$8.43 SEK 81.8

-4.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.21 SEK 89.4

$11.40 SEK 111

-19.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SEK 19.34

$2.02 SEK 19.63

-1.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 SEK 25.06

$2.83 SEK 27.43

-8.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.52 SEK 34.16

$3.30 SEK 31.98

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.9 SEK 785

$66.7 SEK 648

21.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 SEK 99.8

$5.35 SEK 52.0

92.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SEK 16.96

$1.16 SEK 11.29

50.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.43 SEK 480

$43.36 SEK 421

14.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 SEK 17.85

$1.82 SEK 17.65

1.10%

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

$31.4K SEK 305.1K

$34.0K SEK 329.9K

-7.51%

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

$29.7K SEK 288.1K

$34.6K SEK 336.2K

-14.30%

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

$152 SEK 1,472

$81.5 SEK 791

86.08%

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

$27.85 SEK 270

$31.33 SEK 304

-11.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.20 SEK 322

$42.78 SEK 415

-22.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.12 SEK 302

$39.41 SEK 382

-21.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 SEK 249

$28.46 SEK 276

-9.66%

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 SEK 148

$15.81 SEK 153

-3.61%

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

$145 SEK 1,411

$167 SEK 1,616

-12.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,972 SEK 48.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 SEK 512

$82.9 SEK 804

-36.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.03 SEK 437

$59.4 SEK 576

-24.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 SEK 812

$106 SEK 1,029

-21.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 SEK 998

$128 SEK 1,240

-19.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$921 SEK 8,937

$884 SEK 8,579

4.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 SEK 7,769

$707 SEK 6,857

13.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 SEK 13.3K

$1,787 SEK 17.3K

-23.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 SEK 11.2K

$1,439 SEK 14.0K

-19.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,269 SEK 41.4K

$6,452 SEK 62.6K

-33.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,902 SEK 28.2K

$3,744 SEK 36.3K

-22.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,984 SEK 29.0K

$3,077 SEK 29.9K

-3.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.93

3.03

29.70%

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

Last update for Kalmar: September 8, 2026

Last update for Lund: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $921 in Kalmar versus $884 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 reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72.0 in Kalmar versus $92.0 in Lund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $380 – 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: $2,023 in Kalmar, $1,828 in Lund – roughly 11% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,035 per month in Kalmar and $2,742 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 $145 per month in Kalmar and $167 in Lund. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $1,828, than in Kalmar at $2,023. 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 $1,828 in Lund to $2,023 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.