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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,862 per month in Kalmar vs $2,047 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,801 per month in Kalmar vs $3,170 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,740 per month in Kalmar vs $4,292 in Malmo, rent included.

Kalmar is about 9% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kalmar and Malmo sit above the global median – Kalmar by 39%, Malmo by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 SEK 150

$13.48 SEK 126

19.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 SEK 693

$85.6 SEK 799

-13.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 SEK 98.6

$12.67 SEK 118

-16.65%

Cappuccino

$4.56 SEK 42.55

$5.05 SEK 47.16

-9.70%

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

$2.89 SEK 26.97

$2.69 SEK 25.07

7.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 24.85

$2.15 SEK 20.07

23.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.71 SEK 90.6

$8.00 SEK 74.7

21.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 SEK 69.3

$8.20 SEK 76.5

-9.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 SEK 13.77

$1.67 SEK 15.62

-11.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 SEK 22.28

$3.11 SEK 28.99

-23.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.05

$3.61 SEK 33.71

-28.53%

Eggs

$4.88 SEK 45.52

$4.42 SEK 41.22

10.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 SEK 96.7

$12.05 SEK 112

-14.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.73 SEK 109

$12.78 SEK 119

-8.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 SEK 151

$27.50 SEK 257

-41.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 24.42

$3.27 SEK 30.49

-19.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 SEK 26.03

$2.78 SEK 25.94

0.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 SEK 29.16

$3.24 SEK 30.25

-3.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 SEK 34.51

$4.79 SEK 44.68

-22.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SEK 13.33

$1.83 SEK 17.07

-21.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 SEK 21.87

$1.95 SEK 18.22

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 SEK 19.19

$2.57 SEK 23.98

-19.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.44

$1.34 SEK 12.50

23.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 68.1

$8.13 SEK 75.9

-10.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.90 SEK 92.4

$12.10 SEK 113

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 SEK 19.71

$2.53 SEK 23.59

-16.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.48

$2.66 SEK 24.80

-37.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 SEK 26.39

$3.36 SEK 31.37

-15.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 SEK 804

$69.3 SEK 647

24.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 SEK 67.6

$6.44 SEK 60.1

12.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 SEK 14.53

$2.64 SEK 24.63

-40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.6 SEK 491

$56.2 SEK 524

-6.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 18.19

$1.92 SEK 17.92

1.56%

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

$27.5K SEK 256.4K

$33.1K SEK 308.6K

-16.94%

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

$28.1K SEK 262.2K

$33.8K SEK 315.3K

-16.83%

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

$118 SEK 1,104

$154 SEK 1,433

-22.94%

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

$28.08 SEK 262

$30.36 SEK 283

-7.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.58 SEK 285

$40.38 SEK 377

-24.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.43 SEK 275

$38.30 SEK 357

-23.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.57 SEK 145

$23.78 SEK 222

-34.52%

Cinema Ticket

$14.22 SEK 133

$17.81 SEK 166

-20.16%

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

$145 SEK 1,357

$162 SEK 1,508

-10.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,155 SEK 38.8K

$4,876 SEK 45.5K

-14.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 SEK 595

$105 SEK 977

-39.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.69 SEK 193

$45.70 SEK 426

-54.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 SEK 560

$124 SEK 1,159

-51.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 SEK 723

$165 SEK 1,542

-53.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 SEK 8,760

$932 SEK 8,693

0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$795 SEK 7,421

$773 SEK 7,215

2.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 SEK 13.0K

$1,721 SEK 16.1K

-19.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SEK 11.0K

$1,343 SEK 12.5K

-11.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,304 SEK 40.2K

$4,311 SEK 40.2K

-0.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,931 SEK 27.4K

$3,360 SEK 31.3K

-12.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,061 SEK 28.6K

$3,353 SEK 31.3K

-8.69%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Malmo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $939 in Kalmar versus $932 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 10% 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 $74.0 in Kalmar versus $86.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $410 – 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: $1,862 in Kalmar, $2,047 in Malmo – roughly 10% apart. Malmo 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 $3,071 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 $145 per month in Kalmar and $162 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $1,862, than in Malmo at $2,047. 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 $1,862 in Kalmar to $2,047 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.