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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,923 per month in Kiruna vs $2,083 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,123 per month in Kiruna vs $3,191 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,323 per month in Kiruna vs $4,299 in Malmo, rent included.

Kiruna is about 8% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kiruna and Malmo sit above the global median – Kiruna by 45%, Malmo by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.50 SEK 119

$13.51 SEK 128

-7.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.2 SEK 895

$82.8 SEK 787

13.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 SEK 113

$12.55 SEK 119

-5.18%

Cappuccino

$4.82 SEK 45.76

$4.90 SEK 46.51

-1.63%

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

$2.14 SEK 20.37

$2.71 SEK 25.78

-21.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 SEK 10.08

$2.08 SEK 19.78

-49.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.49 SEK 80.6

$8.03 SEK 76.3

5.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 SEK 66.0

$8.09 SEK 76.9

-14.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.37

$1.68 SEK 15.98

14.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 SEK 32.54

$3.06 SEK 29.07

12.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.03 SEK 47.80

$3.50 SEK 33.22

43.71%

Eggs

$4.76 SEK 45.25

$4.44 SEK 42.22

7.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.74 SEK 121

$12.02 SEK 114

5.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.17 SEK 135

$12.88 SEK 122

10.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.29 SEK 259

$27.59 SEK 262

-1.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 SEK 24.95

$3.29 SEK 31.29

-20.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 26.90

$2.94 SEK 27.90

-3.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 24.89

$3.39 SEK 32.16

-22.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 SEK 41.10

$4.97 SEK 47.21

-12.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 SEK 20.93

$1.83 SEK 17.35

20.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 SEK 15.57

$1.99 SEK 18.86

-17.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.53 SEK 33.57

$2.49 SEK 23.62

41.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SEK 13.80

$1.34 SEK 12.69

8.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.46 SEK 70.9

$7.84 SEK 74.5

-4.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 SEK 90.2

$11.58 SEK 110

-18.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 SEK 17.81

$2.48 SEK 23.59

-24.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 SEK 16.91

$2.66 SEK 25.25

-33.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 SEK 31.70

$3.29 SEK 31.22

1.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 SEK 711

$71.2 SEK 676

5.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.40 SEK 89.3

$6.47 SEK 61.4

45.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.12

$2.64 SEK 25.09

-39.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.7 SEK 691

$56.7 SEK 539

28.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 18.52

$1.92 SEK 18.27

1.56%

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

$32.9K SEK 312.4K

$32.7K SEK 310.6K

0.57%

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

$34.9K SEK 331.3K

$33.8K SEK 321.0K

3.20%

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

$169 SEK 1,610

$156 SEK 1,478

8.97%

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

$32.04 SEK 304

$30.25 SEK 287

5.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.79 SEK 264

$40.72 SEK 387

-31.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 SEK 445

$38.68 SEK 367

21.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.54 SEK 243

$23.36 SEK 222

9.33%

Cinema Ticket

$13.58 SEK 129

$18.05 SEK 171

-24.76%

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

$164 SEK 1,555

$159 SEK 1,515

2.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,136 SEK 39.3K

$4,792 SEK 45.5K

-13.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 SEK 1,185

$105 SEK 1,001

18.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.11 SEK 324

$44.78 SEK 425

-23.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 SEK 1,228

$123 SEK 1,169

5.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 SEK 1,609

$166 SEK 1,574

2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 SEK 7,972

$931 SEK 8,849

-9.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 SEK 5,970

$796 SEK 7,557

-21.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 SEK 13.3K

$1,690 SEK 16.1K

-16.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 SEK 10.8K

$1,368 SEK 13.0K

-16.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,318 SEK 41.0K

$4,150 SEK 39.4K

4.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,801 SEK 26.6K

$3,245 SEK 30.8K

-13.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,319 SEK 31.5K

$3,144 SEK 29.9K

5.58%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Malmo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $839 in Kiruna 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 6% 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 $94.0 in Kiruna versus $83.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $419 vs $411 – 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: $1,923 in Kiruna, $2,083 in Malmo – roughly 8% apart. Malmo costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,885 per month in Kiruna 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 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 2% 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 $94.0 in Kiruna and $83.0 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 $1,923, than in Malmo at $2,083. 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 $1,923 in Kiruna to $2,083 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.