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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,739 per month in Karlstad vs $2,078 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,699 per month in Karlstad vs $3,236 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,658 per month in Karlstad vs $4,394 in Malmo, rent included.

Karlstad is about 16% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Karlstad and Malmo sit above the global median – Karlstad by 29%, Malmo by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.95 SEK 150

$13.76 SEK 129

15.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 SEK 645

$85.6 SEK 803

-19.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 SEK 105

$12.87 SEK 121

-13.21%

Cappuccino

$4.96 SEK 46.57

$4.94 SEK 46.31

0.40%

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

$2.70 SEK 25.36

$2.74 SEK 25.74

-1.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 20.67

$2.17 SEK 20.32

1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.52 SEK 79.9

$7.81 SEK 73.2

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.31 SEK 78.0

$7.93 SEK 74.4

4.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 SEK 13.47

$1.76 SEK 16.55

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 SEK 27.11

$3.02 SEK 28.35

-4.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 SEK 36.78

$3.61 SEK 33.87

8.59%

Eggs

$4.76 SEK 44.61

$4.47 SEK 41.90

6.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 SEK 116

$12.20 SEK 114

1.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.25 SEK 134

$12.69 SEK 119

12.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 SEK 160

$26.69 SEK 250

-36.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 SEK 28.05

$3.28 SEK 30.77

-8.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.24

$2.94 SEK 27.56

-12.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SEK 30.32

$3.25 SEK 30.44

-0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 SEK 47.62

$4.76 SEK 44.62

6.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 14.82

$1.86 SEK 17.48

-15.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 SEK 16.41

$1.98 SEK 18.59

-11.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 24.43

$2.58 SEK 24.16

0.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 SEK 11.86

$1.29 SEK 12.08

-2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SEK 68.4

$7.89 SEK 74.0

-7.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 SEK 100

$11.92 SEK 112

-10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.33

$2.49 SEK 23.32

-30.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SEK 15.85

$2.63 SEK 24.66

-35.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 SEK 30.06

$3.39 SEK 31.80

-5.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.3 SEK 800

$71.3 SEK 669

19.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.74 SEK 53.9

$6.55 SEK 61.4

-12.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 SEK 12.62

$2.53 SEK 23.71

-47.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.6 SEK 606

$57.3 SEK 538

12.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.65

$1.92 SEK 18.02

3.65%

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

$32.0K SEK 300.0K

$32.8K SEK 308.1K

-2.62%

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

$34.4K SEK 322.5K

$33.5K SEK 314.2K

2.64%

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

$104 SEK 979

$152 SEK 1,428

-31.41%

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

$29.36 SEK 275

$30.08 SEK 282

-2.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.62 SEK 409

$40.52 SEK 380

7.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.21 SEK 433

$38.55 SEK 362

19.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 SEK 162

$23.95 SEK 225

-27.97%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 SEK 134

$18.09 SEK 170

-21.17%

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

$146 SEK 1,374

$157 SEK 1,477

-6.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,179 SEK 29.8K

$4,974 SEK 46.7K

-36.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 SEK 811

$106 SEK 990

-18.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.41 SEK 388

$45.45 SEK 426

-8.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 SEK 775

$122 SEK 1,144

-32.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 SEK 1,386

$165 SEK 1,549

-10.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 SEK 9,987

$896 SEK 8,408

18.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 SEK 5,365

$792 SEK 7,426

-27.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 SEK 11.4K

$1,730 SEK 16.2K

-29.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 SEK 8,512

$1,349 SEK 12.7K

-32.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,244 SEK 39.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,353 SEK 31.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,261 SEK 30.6K

$3,254 SEK 30.5K

0.24%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Malmo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,065 in Karlstad versus $896 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 $69.0 in Karlstad versus $86.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $408 – 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 Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,609 per month in Karlstad and $3,118 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 $69.0 in Karlstad and $86.0 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 $1,739 in Karlstad and $2,078 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 $1,739, than in Malmo at $2,078. 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.