Cost of Living Comparison Between Kista and Malmo Cost of Living Comparison Between Kista and Malmo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,793 per month in Kista vs $2,106 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,815 per month in Kista vs $3,222 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,837 per month in Kista vs $4,338 in Malmo, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.70 SEK 127

$13.61 SEK 126

0.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 SEK 686

$84.2 SEK 781

-12.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 SEK 98.2

$12.88 SEK 119

-17.78%

Cappuccino

$4.62 SEK 42.87

$5.01 SEK 46.40

-7.78%

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

$2.74 SEK 25.39

$2.74 SEK 25.36

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 22.90

$2.12 SEK 19.68

16.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 SEK 73.3

$8.09 SEK 75.0

-2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 SEK 67.8

$8.10 SEK 75.1

-9.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SEK 15.55

$1.70 SEK 15.79

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 SEK 25.43

$3.11 SEK 28.79

-11.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 SEK 34.90

$3.62 SEK 33.56

3.87%

Eggs

$4.25 SEK 39.39

$4.48 SEK 41.49

-5.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.98 SEK 111

$12.25 SEK 114

-2.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.99 SEK 111

$12.78 SEK 119

-6.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.81 SEK 156

$27.29 SEK 253

-38.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 29.40

$3.43 SEK 31.76

-7.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 23.81

$2.90 SEK 26.89

-11.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 SEK 27.85

$3.38 SEK 31.32

-11.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 SEK 41.45

$4.87 SEK 45.14

-8.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 SEK 15.18

$1.83 SEK 16.92

-10.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 16.65

$1.89 SEK 17.54

-4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 24.20

$2.59 SEK 24.05

0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SEK 14.43

$1.28 SEK 11.87

21.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 67.7

$7.95 SEK 73.7

-8.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 SEK 109

$12.24 SEK 113

-4.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 SEK 17.66

$2.43 SEK 22.53

-21.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 18.30

$2.78 SEK 25.76

-29.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.46 SEK 32.07

$3.40 SEK 31.56

1.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 SEK 676

$70.0 SEK 649

4.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.32 SEK 58.6

$6.61 SEK 61.3

-4.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 SEK 14.80

$2.64 SEK 24.49

-39.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.7 SEK 581

$57.1 SEK 530

9.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.40

$1.94 SEK 18.01

2.58%

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

$32.0K SEK 296.7K

$33.0K SEK 305.7K

-2.96%

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

$34.9K SEK 323.1K

$33.8K SEK 313.0K

3.23%

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

$113 SEK 1,044

$157 SEK 1,456

-28.28%

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

$28.32 SEK 263

$30.03 SEK 278

-5.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.33 SEK 337

$40.01 SEK 371

-9.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.09 SEK 372

$39.47 SEK 366

1.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.58 SEK 237

$23.84 SEK 221

7.30%

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 SEK 145

$17.91 SEK 166

-12.95%

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

$144 SEK 1,337

$159 SEK 1,472

-9.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,172 SEK 38.7K

$4,807 SEK 44.6K

-13.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 SEK 887

$106 SEK 984

-9.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.45 SEK 384

$44.76 SEK 415

-7.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 SEK 909

$122 SEK 1,127

-19.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 SEK 1,420

$164 SEK 1,524

-6.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 SEK 7,793

$927 SEK 8,591

-9.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 SEK 6,146

$771 SEK 7,145

-13.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 SEK 13.0K

$1,719 SEK 15.9K

-18.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 SEK 9,892

$1,342 SEK 12.4K

-20.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,449 SEK 41.2K

$4,420 SEK 41.0K

0.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,664 SEK 24.7K

$3,390 SEK 31.4K

-21.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,361 SEK 31.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

4.86

-6.79%

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

Last update for Kista: April 27, 2026

Last update for Malmo: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $841 in Kista versus $927 in Malmo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Kista versus $84.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $413 – making Kista 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

Kista vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 18% more than Kista, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,689 per month in Kista and $3,160 in Malmo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,793 in Kista and $2,106 in Malmo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Kista. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kista, where all-in costs run around $1,793, than in Malmo at $2,106. In Kista it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kista costs $1,793 versus $2,106 in Malmo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kista. 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.