Cost of Living Comparison Between Kiruna and Malmo Cost of Living Comparison Between Kiruna and Malmo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,965 per month in Kiruna vs $2,050 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,097 per month in Kiruna vs $3,204 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,229 per month in Kiruna vs $4,359 in Malmo, rent included.

Kiruna is about 4% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kiruna and Malmo sit above the global median – Kiruna by 47%, Malmo by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.70 SEK 117

$13.47 SEK 124

-5.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.3 SEK 877

$83.6 SEK 769

14.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.95 SEK 110

$12.52 SEK 115

-4.55%

Cappuccino

$4.72 SEK 43.42

$5.02 SEK 46.14

-5.98%

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

$2.07 SEK 19.06

$2.72 SEK 25.04

-23.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 SEK 9.44

$2.20 SEK 20.21

-53.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.34 SEK 76.8

$7.86 SEK 72.3

6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 SEK 62.4

$7.94 SEK 73.0

-14.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 SEK 17.24

$1.73 SEK 15.95

8.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 SEK 32.18

$3.02 SEK 27.76

15.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.13 SEK 47.17

$3.49 SEK 32.14

46.99%

Eggs

$4.83 SEK 44.43

$4.39 SEK 40.40

10.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.75 SEK 117

$12.12 SEK 112

5.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.04 SEK 129

$12.82 SEK 118

9.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.56 SEK 254

$27.50 SEK 253

0.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 SEK 23.79

$3.37 SEK 31.04

-23.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 SEK 25.89

$2.80 SEK 25.73

0.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 SEK 23.35

$3.40 SEK 31.30

-25.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 SEK 40.40

$4.88 SEK 44.86

-10.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 SEK 19.74

$1.86 SEK 17.07

15.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SEK 15.35

$1.89 SEK 17.43

-11.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.42 SEK 31.51

$2.61 SEK 24.02

31.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SEK 13.32

$1.28 SEK 11.75

13.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.38 SEK 67.9

$7.82 SEK 72.0

-5.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 SEK 101

$12.36 SEK 114

-11.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 SEK 16.66

$2.51 SEK 23.12

-27.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 SEK 16.60

$2.76 SEK 25.37

-34.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.32 SEK 30.52

$3.34 SEK 30.73

-0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 SEK 668

$70.7 SEK 651

2.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 SEK 86.6

$6.77 SEK 62.3

39.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 14.64

$2.64 SEK 24.27

-39.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.9 SEK 671

$57.6 SEK 529

26.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 17.96

$1.99 SEK 18.27

-2.01%

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

$32.6K SEK 299.5K

$32.6K SEK 299.6K

-0.03%

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

$35.5K SEK 326.3K

$33.5K SEK 308.6K

5.73%

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

$173 SEK 1,593

$157 SEK 1,446

10.16%

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

$32.32 SEK 297

$30.35 SEK 279

6.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.23 SEK 260

$39.91 SEK 367

-29.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.19 SEK 434

$38.89 SEK 358

21.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.12 SEK 231

$23.74 SEK 218

5.81%

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 SEK 127

$18.27 SEK 168

-24.74%

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

$163 SEK 1,503

$162 SEK 1,486

1.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,172 SEK 38.4K

$4,808 SEK 44.2K

-13.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$128 SEK 1,174

$104 SEK 959

22.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.89 SEK 312

$44.93 SEK 413

-24.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 SEK 1,182

$123 SEK 1,131

4.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 SEK 1,582

$167 SEK 1,535

3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$823 SEK 7,570

$903 SEK 8,305

-8.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 SEK 5,874

$770 SEK 7,088

-17.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 SEK 13.3K

$1,686 SEK 15.5K

-14.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 SEK 10.8K

$1,352 SEK 12.4K

-13.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,150 SEK 38.2K

$4,535 SEK 41.7K

-8.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,052 SEK 28.1K

$3,494 SEK 32.1K

-12.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,601 SEK 33.1K

$3,434 SEK 31.6K

4.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

-17.70%

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

Last update for Kiruna: April 21, 2026

Last update for Malmo: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $823 in Kiruna versus $903 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 5% higher in Kiruna, 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 $95 in Kiruna versus $84 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 vs $412 – making Malmo 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

Kiruna vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,965 in Kiruna, $2,050 in Malmo – roughly 4% apart. Malmo costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,947 per month in Kiruna and $3,075 in Malmo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Malmo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Kiruna and $84.0 in Malmo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kiruna, where all-in costs run around $1,965, than in Malmo at $2,050. In Kiruna 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 $1,965 in Kiruna to $2,050 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 Kiruna. 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.