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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,797 per month in Kista vs $2,078 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,818 per month in Kista vs $3,236 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,838 per month in Kista vs $4,394 in Malmo, rent included.

Kista is about 14% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kista and Malmo sit above the global median – Kista by 34%, Malmo by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.28 SEK 125

$13.76 SEK 129

-3.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 SEK 689

$85.6 SEK 803

-14.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 SEK 97.7

$12.87 SEK 121

-19.11%

Cappuccino

$4.74 SEK 44.50

$4.94 SEK 46.31

-4.05%

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

$2.78 SEK 26.06

$2.74 SEK 25.74

1.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.58

$2.17 SEK 20.32

11.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 SEK 74.2

$7.81 SEK 73.2

1.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.58 SEK 71.1

$7.93 SEK 74.4

-4.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 15.21

$1.76 SEK 16.55

-7.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 SEK 26.51

$3.02 SEK 28.35

-6.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.88 SEK 36.42

$3.61 SEK 33.87

7.48%

Eggs

$4.26 SEK 39.96

$4.47 SEK 41.90

-4.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 SEK 114

$12.20 SEK 114

-0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.89 SEK 112

$12.69 SEK 119

-6.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.94 SEK 159

$26.69 SEK 250

-36.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 SEK 29.61

$3.28 SEK 30.77

-3.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.25

$2.94 SEK 27.56

-12.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 SEK 29.05

$3.25 SEK 30.44

-4.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 SEK 40.52

$4.76 SEK 44.62

-9.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 SEK 15.42

$1.86 SEK 17.48

-11.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 SEK 16.62

$1.98 SEK 18.59

-10.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 24.50

$2.58 SEK 24.16

1.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SEK 14.32

$1.29 SEK 12.08

18.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 68.5

$7.89 SEK 74.0

-7.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.33 SEK 87.5

$11.92 SEK 112

-21.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 18.51

$2.49 SEK 23.32

-20.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SEK 18.41

$2.63 SEK 24.66

-25.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 SEK 32.62

$3.39 SEK 31.80

2.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 SEK 681

$71.3 SEK 669

1.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 SEK 58.6

$6.55 SEK 61.4

-4.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.36

$2.53 SEK 23.71

-35.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.4 SEK 585

$57.3 SEK 538

8.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 SEK 18.46

$1.92 SEK 18.02

2.60%

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

$32.0K SEK 299.8K

$32.8K SEK 308.1K

-2.69%

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

$33.8K SEK 317.2K

$33.5K SEK 314.2K

0.94%

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

$115 SEK 1,081

$152 SEK 1,428

-24.27%

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

$28.56 SEK 268

$30.08 SEK 282

-5.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.92 SEK 346

$40.52 SEK 380

-8.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.61 SEK 381

$38.55 SEK 362

5.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.55 SEK 240

$23.95 SEK 225

6.68%

Cinema Ticket

$16.03 SEK 150

$18.09 SEK 170

-11.39%

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

$149 SEK 1,401

$157 SEK 1,477

-5.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,113 SEK 38.6K

$4,974 SEK 46.7K

-17.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.3 SEK 884

$106 SEK 990

-10.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.09 SEK 376

$45.45 SEK 426

-11.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 SEK 899

$122 SEK 1,144

-21.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 SEK 1,440

$165 SEK 1,549

-7.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 SEK 7,807

$896 SEK 8,408

-7.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 SEK 6,044

$792 SEK 7,426

-18.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 SEK 13.1K

$1,730 SEK 16.2K

-19.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 SEK 10.0K

$1,349 SEK 12.7K

-20.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,549 SEK 42.7K

$4,244 SEK 39.8K

7.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,994 SEK 28.1K

$3,353 SEK 31.5K

-10.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,254 SEK 30.5K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Malmo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $832 in Kista versus $896 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 $73.0 in Kista versus $86.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $408 – 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 16% 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 $2,696 per month in Kista and $3,118 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 $1,797 in Kista and $2,078 in Malmo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% 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 $1,797, than in Malmo at $2,078. 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 $1,797 versus $2,078 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.