Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlstad and Malmo Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlstad and Malmo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,767 per month in Karlstad vs $2,106 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,725 per month in Karlstad vs $3,222 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,683 per month in Karlstad vs $4,338 in Malmo, rent included.

Karlstad is about 16% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Karlstad and Malmo sit above the global median – Karlstad by 32%, Malmo by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.54 SEK 145

$13.61 SEK 127

14.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.2 SEK 625

$84.2 SEK 783

-20.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 SEK 102

$12.88 SEK 120

-14.91%

Cappuccino

$4.81 SEK 44.77

$5.01 SEK 46.55

-3.99%

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

$2.57 SEK 23.87

$2.74 SEK 25.45

-6.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SEK 19.73

$2.12 SEK 19.74

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.27 SEK 76.9

$8.09 SEK 75.2

2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 SEK 76.3

$8.10 SEK 75.3

1.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 SEK 13.11

$1.70 SEK 15.84

-17.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 SEK 26.52

$3.11 SEK 28.88

-8.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 35.23

$3.62 SEK 33.67

4.70%

Eggs

$4.86 SEK 45.17

$4.48 SEK 41.62

8.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.00 SEK 112

$12.25 SEK 114

-2.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 SEK 129

$12.78 SEK 119

8.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 SEK 158

$27.29 SEK 254

-37.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 SEK 28.73

$3.43 SEK 31.86

-9.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 SEK 23.75

$2.90 SEK 26.97

-12.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 SEK 30.29

$3.38 SEK 31.42

-3.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 SEK 46.37

$4.87 SEK 45.29

2.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 14.73

$1.83 SEK 16.98

-13.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 16.16

$1.89 SEK 17.60

-7.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 SEK 24.37

$2.59 SEK 24.13

1.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 11.84

$1.28 SEK 11.91

-0.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.25 SEK 67.4

$7.95 SEK 74.0

-8.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 SEK 101

$12.24 SEK 114

-11.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 SEK 16.33

$2.43 SEK 22.61

-27.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 SEK 15.94

$2.78 SEK 25.84

-38.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 SEK 29.73

$3.40 SEK 31.67

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.0 SEK 791

$70.0 SEK 651

21.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 SEK 52.9

$6.61 SEK 61.5

-13.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 SEK 12.65

$2.64 SEK 24.57

-48.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.2 SEK 597

$57.1 SEK 531

12.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 SEK 18.73

$1.94 SEK 18.07

3.61%

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

$32.0K SEK 297.4K

$33.0K SEK 306.7K

-3.04%

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

$34.0K SEK 316.0K

$33.8K SEK 314.0K

0.64%

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

$108 SEK 1,004

$157 SEK 1,461

-31.25%

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

$29.61 SEK 275

$30.03 SEK 279

-1.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 SEK 399

$40.01 SEK 372

7.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.25 SEK 430

$39.47 SEK 367

17.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 SEK 163

$23.84 SEK 222

-26.34%

Cinema Ticket

$14.65 SEK 136

$17.91 SEK 167

-18.20%

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

$150 SEK 1,393

$159 SEK 1,477

-5.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,178 SEK 29.6K

$4,807 SEK 44.7K

-33.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.7 SEK 806

$106 SEK 987

-18.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 SEK 391

$44.76 SEK 416

-5.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 SEK 750

$122 SEK 1,130

-33.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 SEK 1,368

$164 SEK 1,528

-10.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 SEK 9,726

$927 SEK 8,619

12.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 SEK 5,321

$771 SEK 7,168

-25.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 SEK 11.5K

$1,719 SEK 16.0K

-27.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$882 SEK 8,198

$1,342 SEK 12.5K

-34.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,420 SEK 41.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,390 SEK 31.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,375 SEK 31.4K

$3,361 SEK 31.3K

0.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.86

-1.23%

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

Last update for Karlstad: April 27, 2026

Last update for Malmo: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,046 in Karlstad versus $927 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 0% higher in Karlstad, 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 $67.0 in Karlstad versus $84.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $413 – making Karlstad 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

Karlstad vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Malmo is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,651 per month in Karlstad and $3,160 in Malmo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karlstad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Karlstad and $84.0 in Malmo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,767 in Karlstad and $2,106 in Malmo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Karlstad, where all-in costs run around $1,767, than in Malmo at $2,106. In Karlstad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Karlstad – 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 Karlstad. 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.