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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,779 per month in Karlstad vs $2,083 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,685 per month in Karlstad vs $3,191 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,592 per month in Karlstad vs $4,299 in Malmo, rent included.

Karlstad is about 15% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Karlstad and Malmo sit above the global median – Karlstad by 34%, Malmo by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.58 SEK 148

$13.51 SEK 128

15.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 SEK 655

$82.8 SEK 787

-16.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 SEK 104

$12.55 SEK 119

-12.59%

Cappuccino

$4.83 SEK 45.88

$4.90 SEK 46.51

-1.43%

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

$2.58 SEK 24.54

$2.71 SEK 25.78

-4.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 SEK 20.98

$2.08 SEK 19.78

6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.25 SEK 78.4

$8.03 SEK 76.3

2.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.26 SEK 78.5

$8.09 SEK 76.9

2.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 SEK 13.17

$1.68 SEK 15.98

-17.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 SEK 27.01

$3.06 SEK 29.07

-7.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.87 SEK 36.72

$3.50 SEK 33.22

10.57%

Eggs

$4.78 SEK 45.44

$4.44 SEK 42.22

7.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.16 SEK 116

$12.02 SEK 114

1.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.28 SEK 136

$12.88 SEK 122

10.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.93 SEK 161

$27.59 SEK 262

-38.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 SEK 28.28

$3.29 SEK 31.29

-9.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 SEK 24.21

$2.94 SEK 27.90

-13.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 SEK 30.95

$3.39 SEK 32.16

-3.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 SEK 48.24

$4.97 SEK 47.21

2.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 SEK 15.68

$1.83 SEK 17.35

-9.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 SEK 16.87

$1.99 SEK 18.86

-10.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 SEK 25.58

$2.49 SEK 23.62

8.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 SEK 12.36

$1.34 SEK 12.69

-2.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 69.4

$7.84 SEK 74.5

-6.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 SEK 98.1

$11.58 SEK 110

-10.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SEK 16.62

$2.48 SEK 23.59

-29.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SEK 16.16

$2.66 SEK 25.25

-36.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 SEK 31.18

$3.29 SEK 31.22

-0.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.6 SEK 794

$71.2 SEK 676

17.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 SEK 55.3

$6.47 SEK 61.4

-10.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 SEK 12.75

$2.64 SEK 25.09

-49.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.1 SEK 619

$56.7 SEK 539

14.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 SEK 18.45

$1.92 SEK 18.27

1.04%

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

$33.1K SEK 314.9K

$32.7K SEK 310.6K

1.37%

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

$34.6K SEK 328.2K

$33.8K SEK 321.0K

2.25%

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

$104 SEK 992

$156 SEK 1,478

-32.86%

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

$29.68 SEK 282

$30.25 SEK 287

-1.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 SEK 406

$40.72 SEK 387

4.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.46 SEK 441

$38.68 SEK 367

20.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.05 SEK 162

$23.36 SEK 222

-27.01%

Cinema Ticket

$14.44 SEK 137

$18.05 SEK 171

-20.00%

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

$150 SEK 1,422

$159 SEK 1,515

-6.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,150 SEK 29.9K

$4,792 SEK 45.5K

-34.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 SEK 837

$105 SEK 1,001

-16.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.71 SEK 396

$44.78 SEK 425

-6.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 SEK 790

$123 SEK 1,169

-32.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 SEK 1,401

$166 SEK 1,574

-10.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 SEK 10.0K

$931 SEK 8,849

13.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 SEK 5,599

$796 SEK 7,557

-25.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,245 SEK 11.8K

$1,690 SEK 16.1K

-26.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 SEK 8,604

$1,368 SEK 13.0K

-33.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,150 SEK 39.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,245 SEK 30.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 SEK 29.9K

$3,144 SEK 29.9K

0.12%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Malmo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,056 in Karlstad versus $931 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 $83.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $411 – 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 17%, 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 $2,668 per month in Karlstad and $3,125 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 $83.0 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 $1,779 in Karlstad and $2,083 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 $1,779, than in Malmo at $2,083. 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.