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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,926 per month in Kiruna vs $2,047 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,099 per month in Kiruna vs $3,170 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,272 per month in Kiruna vs $4,292 in Malmo, rent included.

Kiruna is about 6% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kiruna and Malmo sit above the global median – Kiruna by 44%, Malmo by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.75 SEK 121

$13.48 SEK 128

-5.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.7 SEK 915

$85.6 SEK 810

12.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 SEK 112

$12.67 SEK 120

-6.95%

Cappuccino

$4.64 SEK 43.94

$5.05 SEK 47.82

-8.12%

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

$2.07 SEK 19.61

$2.69 SEK 25.42

-23.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 SEK 10.03

$2.15 SEK 20.36

-50.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.50 SEK 80.4

$8.00 SEK 75.7

6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 SEK 65.0

$8.20 SEK 77.6

-16.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.28

$1.67 SEK 15.83

15.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 SEK 33.48

$3.11 SEK 29.40

13.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.97 SEK 47.05

$3.61 SEK 34.18

37.67%

Eggs

$4.91 SEK 46.42

$4.42 SEK 41.80

11.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 SEK 125

$12.05 SEK 114

9.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.78 SEK 130

$12.78 SEK 121

7.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.10 SEK 266

$27.50 SEK 260

2.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 SEK 24.51

$3.27 SEK 30.91

-20.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 25.75

$2.78 SEK 26.31

-2.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 24.77

$3.24 SEK 30.67

-19.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 SEK 40.75

$4.79 SEK 45.30

-10.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 SEK 20.45

$1.83 SEK 17.31

18.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 SEK 15.08

$1.95 SEK 18.48

-18.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.43 SEK 32.45

$2.57 SEK 24.32

33.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SEK 13.83

$1.34 SEK 12.67

8.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.19 SEK 68.0

$8.13 SEK 76.9

-11.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.16 SEK 96.1

$12.10 SEK 115

-16.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SEK 17.25

$2.53 SEK 23.92

-28.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SEK 17.80

$2.66 SEK 25.15

-29.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 32.27

$3.36 SEK 31.81

1.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 SEK 703

$69.3 SEK 656

7.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.29 SEK 87.9

$6.44 SEK 61.0

44.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 SEK 15.17

$2.64 SEK 24.98

-39.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$73.8 SEK 699

$56.2 SEK 532

31.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 SEK 18.62

$1.92 SEK 18.17

2.60%

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

$32.4K SEK 307.0K

$33.1K SEK 313.0K

-1.91%

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

$36.2K SEK 342.8K

$33.8K SEK 319.8K

7.22%

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

$173 SEK 1,638

$154 SEK 1,453

12.72%

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

$32.94 SEK 312

$30.36 SEK 287

8.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.76 SEK 263

$40.38 SEK 382

-31.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 SEK 442

$38.30 SEK 362

21.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.86 SEK 235

$23.78 SEK 225

4.54%

Cinema Ticket

$13.70 SEK 130

$17.81 SEK 168

-23.08%

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

$161 SEK 1,522

$162 SEK 1,529

-0.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,100 SEK 38.8K

$4,876 SEK 46.1K

-15.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 SEK 1,180

$105 SEK 990

19.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.76 SEK 319

$45.70 SEK 432

-26.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 SEK 1,224

$124 SEK 1,175

4.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 SEK 1,574

$165 SEK 1,563

0.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 SEK 7,963

$932 SEK 8,815

-9.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 SEK 6,061

$773 SEK 7,317

-17.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 SEK 13.4K

$1,721 SEK 16.3K

-17.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 SEK 11.2K

$1,343 SEK 12.7K

-11.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,906 SEK 37.0K

$4,311 SEK 40.8K

-9.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,376 SEK 31.9K

$3,360 SEK 31.8K

0.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,449 SEK 32.6K

$3,353 SEK 31.7K

2.87%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Malmo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $842 in Kiruna versus $932 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 3% 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 $97.0 in Kiruna versus $86.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $423 vs $410 – 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: $1,926 in Kiruna, $2,047 in Malmo – roughly 6% apart. Malmo costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,889 per month in Kiruna and $3,071 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 $97.0 in Kiruna and $86.0 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 $1,926, than in Malmo at $2,047. 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 $1,926 in Kiruna to $2,047 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.