Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalmar and Middlesbrough Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalmar and Middlesbrough

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,862 per month in Kalmar vs $1,975 in Middlesbrough, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,801 per month in Kalmar vs $2,797 in Middlesbrough, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,740 per month in Kalmar vs $3,618 in Middlesbrough, rent included.

Kalmar is about 6% cheaper than Middlesbrough, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kalmar and Middlesbrough sit above the global median – Kalmar by 39%, Middlesbrough by 47%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 SEK 151

$20.05 £14.94

-19.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 SEK 697

$73.3 £54.6

1.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 SEK 99.1

$10.31 £7.68

2.42%

Cappuccino

$4.56 SEK 42.76

$4.42 £3.29

3.17%

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

$2.89 SEK 27.11

$1.96 £1.46

47.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 24.98

$1.42 £1.06

87.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.71 SEK 91.1

$5.45 £4.06

78.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 SEK 69.7

$5.58 £4.16

33.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 SEK 13.84

$1.60 £1.19

-7.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 SEK 22.40

$1.72 £1.28

38.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.18

$2.68 £1.99

-3.73%

Eggs

$4.88 SEK 45.76

$3.98 £2.97

22.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 SEK 97.2

$7.08 £5.27

46.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.73 SEK 110

$7.47 £5.57

57.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 SEK 151

$9.86 £7.35

63.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 24.55

$2.65 £1.97

-1.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 SEK 26.16

$2.25 £1.68

24.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 SEK 29.31

$2.28 £1.70

36.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 SEK 34.69

$2.64 £1.97

40.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SEK 13.40

$1.74 £1.30

-17.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 SEK 21.98

$1.32 £0.99

77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 SEK 19.29

$1.38 £1.03

49.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.52

$1.86 £1.39

-10.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 68.5

$18.66 £13.90

-60.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.90 SEK 92.9

$14.63 £10.90

-32.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 SEK 19.81

$3.78 £2.82

-44.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.56

$5.19 £3.87

-68.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 SEK 26.53

$4.10 £3.05

-30.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 SEK 808

$96.5 £71.9

-10.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 SEK 68.0

$6.26 £4.66

15.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 SEK 14.61

$1.15 £0.86

35.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.6 SEK 494

$16.36 £12.19

221.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 18.28

$1.96 £1.46

-0.51%

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

$27.5K SEK 257.7K

$30.5K £22.7K

-9.85%

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

$28.1K SEK 263.6K

$39.6K £29.5K

-28.95%

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

$118 SEK 1,110

$286 £213

-58.68%

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

$28.08 SEK 263

$17.07 £12.72

64.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.58 SEK 287

$42.37 £31.57

-27.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.43 SEK 276

$54.3 £40.44

-45.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.57 SEK 146

$21.23 £15.82

-26.66%

Cinema Ticket

$14.22 SEK 133

$13.02 £9.70

9.22%

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

$145 SEK 1,364

$965 £719

-84.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,155 SEK 39.0K

$20.6K £15.4K

-79.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 SEK 598

$78.8 £58.7

-19.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.69 SEK 194

$44.13 £32.87

-53.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 SEK 562

$84.9 £63.2

-29.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 SEK 726

$70.9 £52.8

9.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 SEK 8,805

$920 £686

2.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$795 SEK 7,459

$699 £521

13.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 SEK 13.0K

$1,039 £774

33.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SEK 11.1K

$964 £718

22.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,304 SEK 40.4K

$2,738 £2,040

57.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,931 SEK 27.5K

$2,284 £1,702

28.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,061 SEK 28.7K

$2,380 £1,773

28.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.66

5.6

-16.79%

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

Last update for Kalmar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Middlesbrough: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $939 in Kalmar versus $920 in Middlesbrough. 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 29% higher in Kalmar, 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 $74.0 in Kalmar versus $73.0 in Middlesbrough. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $291 – making Middlesbrough 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 Middlesbrough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,862 in Kalmar, $1,975 in Middlesbrough – roughly 6% apart. Middlesbrough costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,793 per month in Kalmar and $2,963 in Middlesbrough. 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 $965 in Middlesbrough. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Middlesbrough – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kalmar, where all-in costs run around $1,862, than in Middlesbrough at $1,975. In Kalmar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Middlesbrough it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kalmar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Middlesbrough makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.