Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalmar and Malmo Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalmar and Malmo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,926 per month in Kalmar vs $2,081 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,839 per month in Kalmar vs $3,224 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,751 per month in Kalmar vs $4,368 in Malmo, rent included.

Kalmar is about 7% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kalmar and Malmo sit above the global median – Kalmar by 44%, Malmo by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.76 SEK 152

$13.74 SEK 133

14.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 SEK 722

$83.5 SEK 807

-10.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 SEK 100.0

$12.74 SEK 123

-18.84%

Cappuccino

$4.68 SEK 45.19

$5.15 SEK 49.73

-9.13%

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

$2.81 SEK 27.19

$2.68 SEK 25.92

4.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SEK 26.42

$2.10 SEK 20.29

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.90 SEK 95.7

$7.81 SEK 75.5

26.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.59 SEK 73.3

$8.01 SEK 77.4

-5.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 SEK 14.55

$1.73 SEK 16.76

-13.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 SEK 23.95

$3.08 SEK 29.73

-19.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 26.23

$3.48 SEK 33.67

-22.13%

Eggs

$4.88 SEK 47.18

$4.53 SEK 43.80

7.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 SEK 98.4

$12.41 SEK 120

-17.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 SEK 112

$13.01 SEK 126

-11.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 SEK 155

$26.83 SEK 259

-40.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 SEK 25.80

$3.40 SEK 32.84

-21.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 SEK 26.44

$2.94 SEK 28.43

-7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 30.63

$3.29 SEK 31.83

-3.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 SEK 36.54

$4.83 SEK 46.69

-21.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 SEK 14.36

$1.87 SEK 18.10

-20.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 SEK 22.49

$1.94 SEK 18.76

20.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 SEK 20.01

$2.55 SEK 24.68

-18.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SEK 16.21

$1.34 SEK 13.00

25.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 SEK 68.8

$7.88 SEK 76.2

-9.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 SEK 88.1

$11.67 SEK 113

-21.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SEK 19.37

$2.40 SEK 23.25

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 SEK 16.58

$2.73 SEK 26.39

-37.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 SEK 28.82

$3.46 SEK 33.40

-13.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 SEK 842

$71.0 SEK 686

22.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 SEK 68.5

$6.76 SEK 65.3

4.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.40

$2.64 SEK 25.49

-39.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.6 SEK 509

$57.1 SEK 552

-7.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 18.42

$1.90 SEK 18.41

0.53%

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

$27.6K SEK 266.5K

$33.0K SEK 318.6K

-16.37%

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

$28.1K SEK 271.5K

$33.9K SEK 328.1K

-17.25%

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

$117 SEK 1,129

$155 SEK 1,496

-24.53%

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

$28.56 SEK 276

$29.60 SEK 286

-3.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 SEK 296

$39.55 SEK 382

-22.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.77 SEK 288

$39.29 SEK 380

-24.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 SEK 152

$23.47 SEK 227

-32.98%

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 SEK 139

$17.81 SEK 172

-19.20%

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

$146 SEK 1,410

$157 SEK 1,520

-7.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,077 SEK 39.4K

$4,884 SEK 47.2K

-16.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 SEK 621

$105 SEK 1,013

-38.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.00 SEK 203

$45.70 SEK 442

-54.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 SEK 584

$124 SEK 1,199

-51.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 SEK 734

$166 SEK 1,607

-54.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 SEK 9,154

$916 SEK 8,856

3.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$812 SEK 7,845

$791 SEK 7,642

2.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 SEK 13.2K

$1,702 SEK 16.4K

-19.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 SEK 11.6K

$1,378 SEK 13.3K

-12.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,262 SEK 41.2K

$4,179 SEK 40.4K

1.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,835 SEK 27.4K

$3,318 SEK 32.1K

-14.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,928 SEK 28.3K

$3,148 SEK 30.4K

-6.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.66

4.86

-4.12%

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

Last update for Kalmar: July 13, 2026

Last update for Malmo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Kalmar versus $916 in Malmo. 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 8% higher in Malmo, 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 $75.0 in Kalmar versus $83.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $412 – 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 Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,926 in Kalmar, $2,081 in Malmo – roughly 8% apart. Malmo 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 $3,121 in Malmo. 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 $146 per month in Kalmar and $157 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Malmo, 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 $1,926, than in Malmo at $2,081. In Kalmar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Malmo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,926 in Kalmar to $2,081 in Malmo. 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, Malmo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.