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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,817 per month in Kiruna vs $2,083 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,966 per month in Kiruna vs $3,221 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,115 per month in Kiruna vs $4,359 in Malmo, rent included.

Kiruna is about 13% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kiruna and Malmo sit above the global median – Kiruna by 33%, Malmo by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.53 SEK 143

$15.40 SEK 152

-5.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$130 SEK 1,282

$76.7 SEK 756

69.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.50 SEK 104

$12.22 SEK 120

-14.08%

Cappuccino

$4.69 SEK 46.26

$5.10 SEK 50.3

-8.04%

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

$2.76 SEK 27.18

$3.37 SEK 33.24

-18.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SEK 22.20

$2.68 SEK 26.37

-16.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.64 SEK 95.0

$8.97 SEK 88.4

7.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 SEK 67.0

$8.97 SEK 88.4

-24.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 17.04

$1.75 SEK 17.24

-1.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 SEK 28.69

$3.03 SEK 29.88

-3.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 37.32

$3.58 SEK 35.27

5.87%

Eggs

$4.48 SEK 44.17

$4.23 SEK 41.71

5.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 SEK 121

$13.07 SEK 129

-6.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.47 SEK 123

$12.22 SEK 120

2.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.63 SEK 174

$22.01 SEK 217

-19.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 SEK 30.51

$3.05 SEK 30.04

1.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 SEK 26.95

$2.62 SEK 25.85

4.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 SEK 30.75

$3.18 SEK 31.30

-1.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 SEK 42.90

$4.44 SEK 43.75

-2.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 SEK 15.71

$1.74 SEK 17.14

-8.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SEK 16.47

$1.52 SEK 14.99

9.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 SEK 23.66

$2.48 SEK 24.46

-3.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SEK 14.89

$1.31 SEK 12.89

15.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.53 SEK 74.2

$7.79 SEK 76.7

-3.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 SEK 102

$11.80 SEK 116

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SEK 19.69

$2.00 SEK 19.72

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 22.03

$2.32 SEK 22.85

-3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.52 SEK 34.67

$3.20 SEK 31.49

10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.5 SEK 803

$64.5 SEK 636

26.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 SEK 61.5

$6.42 SEK 63.3

-2.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 SEK 17.49

$2.44 SEK 24.00

-27.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.7 SEK 618

$51.8 SEK 510

21.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 SEK 22.13

$1.76 SEK 17.33

27.84%

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

$33.8K SEK 332.9K

$33.2K SEK 327.4K

1.69%

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

$34.4K SEK 339.0K

$33.7K SEK 332.3K

2.03%

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

$109 SEK 1,079

$140 SEK 1,384

-22.07%

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

$27.65 SEK 272

$26.87 SEK 265

2.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.94 SEK 394

$37.50 SEK 370

6.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.42 SEK 388

$43.40 SEK 428

-9.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.76 SEK 254

$29.75 SEK 293

-13.41%

Cinema Ticket

$16.79 SEK 165

$17.63 SEK 174

-4.76%

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

$161 SEK 1,589

$172 SEK 1,695

-6.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,151 SEK 50.8K

$3,416 SEK 33.7K

50.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.0 SEK 926

$103 SEK 1,012

-8.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.38 SEK 428

$46.61 SEK 459

-6.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 SEK 933

$114 SEK 1,120

-16.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 SEK 1,397

$156 SEK 1,542

-9.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 SEK 8,256

$1,044 SEK 10.3K

-19.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 SEK 6,228

$816 SEK 8,044

-22.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 SEK 14.1K

$1,750 SEK 17.2K

-18.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 SEK 11.1K

$1,377 SEK 13.6K

-18.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,173 SEK 41.1K

$4,211 SEK 41.5K

-0.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,966 SEK 29.2K

$3,287 SEK 32.4K

-9.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,461 SEK 34.1K

$3,113 SEK 30.7K

11.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.02

32.45%

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

Last update for Kiruna: September 14, 2026

Last update for Malmo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $838 in Kiruna versus $1,044 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 11% 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 $130 in Kiruna versus $77.0 in Malmo. Groceries tell a different story – $369 in Kiruna vs $383 in Malmo – so Kiruna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,817 in Kiruna, $2,083 in Malmo – roughly 15% apart. Malmo costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,726 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.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Malmo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $130 in Kiruna and $77.0 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 $1,817, 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 $1,817 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.