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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,023 per month in Kalmar vs $2,148 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,964 per month in Kalmar vs $3,268 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,906 per month in Kalmar vs $4,388 in Malmo, rent included.

Kalmar is about 6% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kalmar and Malmo sit above the global median – Kalmar by 47%, Malmo by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.61 SEK 151

$15.41 SEK 150

1.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 SEK 701

$80.0 SEK 776

-9.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 SEK 107

$12.32 SEK 120

-10.55%

Cappuccino

$4.63 SEK 44.92

$4.96 SEK 48.09

-6.65%

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

$2.85 SEK 27.69

$3.56 SEK 34.58

-19.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 SEK 25.90

$2.69 SEK 26.06

-0.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.86 SEK 95.6

$8.81 SEK 85.5

11.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 SEK 69.6

$9.21 SEK 89.4

-22.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SEK 14.25

$1.74 SEK 16.89

-15.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 SEK 28.11

$2.92 SEK 28.34

-0.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 31.12

$3.63 SEK 35.19

-11.57%

Eggs

$4.78 SEK 46.41

$4.29 SEK 41.62

11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 SEK 112

$13.32 SEK 129

-13.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.38 SEK 110

$12.65 SEK 123

-10.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.74 SEK 221

$22.12 SEK 215

2.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 SEK 24.58

$3.21 SEK 31.13

-21.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 28.17

$2.71 SEK 26.31

7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 SEK 31.57

$3.05 SEK 29.59

6.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 SEK 39.76

$4.50 SEK 43.62

-8.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 SEK 14.25

$1.78 SEK 17.24

-17.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SEK 15.81

$1.60 SEK 15.56

1.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 SEK 19.27

$2.67 SEK 25.95

-25.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.87

$1.27 SEK 12.30

37.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 SEK 78.2

Wine (Bottle)

$9.21 SEK 89.4

$11.80 SEK 114

-21.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SEK 19.34

$2.07 SEK 20.07

-3.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 SEK 25.06

$2.45 SEK 23.76

5.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.52 SEK 34.16

$3.28 SEK 31.87

7.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.9 SEK 785

$64.8 SEK 629

24.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 SEK 99.8

$6.53 SEK 63.3

57.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SEK 16.96

$2.60 SEK 25.27

-32.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.43 SEK 480

$52.1 SEK 506

-5.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 SEK 17.85

$1.85 SEK 17.96

-0.54%

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

$31.4K SEK 305.1K

$34.1K SEK 331.3K

-7.91%

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

$29.7K SEK 288.1K

$34.4K SEK 333.9K

-13.71%

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

$152 SEK 1,472

$144 SEK 1,401

5.07%

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

$27.85 SEK 270

$27.41 SEK 266

1.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.20 SEK 322

$38.23 SEK 371

-13.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.12 SEK 302

$43.31 SEK 420

-28.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 SEK 249

$30.14 SEK 293

-14.70%

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 SEK 148

$17.87 SEK 173

-14.72%

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

$145 SEK 1,411

$180 SEK 1,744

-19.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,972 SEK 48.2K

$3,500 SEK 34.0K

42.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 SEK 512

$104 SEK 1,012

-49.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.03 SEK 437

$46.40 SEK 450

-2.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 SEK 812

$116 SEK 1,128

-28.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 SEK 998

$160 SEK 1,548

-35.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$921 SEK 8,937

$1,046 SEK 10.1K

-11.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 SEK 7,769

$822 SEK 7,976

-2.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 SEK 13.3K

$1,782 SEK 17.3K

-23.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 SEK 11.2K

$1,407 SEK 13.7K

-17.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,269 SEK 41.4K

$4,132 SEK 40.1K

3.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,902 SEK 28.2K

$3,338 SEK 32.4K

-13.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,984 SEK 29.0K

$3,184 SEK 30.9K

-6.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.93

3.02

30.13%

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

Last update for Kalmar: September 8, 2026

Last update for Malmo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $921 in Kalmar versus $1,046 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 7% 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 $72.0 in Kalmar versus $80.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $388 – 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: $2,023 in Kalmar, $2,148 in Malmo – roughly 6% apart. Malmo 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 $3,222 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 $180 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $2,023, than in Malmo at $2,148. 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 $2,023 in Kalmar to $2,148 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.