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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,780 per month in Kista vs $2,083 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,756 per month in Kista vs $3,191 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Kista vs $4,299 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

$13.69 SEK 132

$13.51 SEK 130

1.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 SEK 705

$82.8 SEK 799

-11.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 SEK 101

$12.55 SEK 121

-16.18%

Cappuccino

$4.60 SEK 44.34

$4.90 SEK 47.20

-6.12%

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

$2.70 SEK 25.99

$2.71 SEK 26.17

-0.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 24.07

$2.08 SEK 20.07

20.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 SEK 75.8

$8.03 SEK 77.4

-2.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 SEK 69.3

$8.09 SEK 78.0

-11.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 15.59

$1.68 SEK 16.22

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 SEK 26.46

$3.06 SEK 29.50

-10.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.80 SEK 36.65

$3.50 SEK 33.72

8.57%

Eggs

$4.24 SEK 40.86

$4.44 SEK 42.84

-4.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.84 SEK 114

$12.02 SEK 116

-1.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.58 SEK 112

$12.88 SEK 124

-10.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.16 SEK 165

$27.59 SEK 266

-37.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 SEK 30.89

$3.29 SEK 31.76

-2.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 26.09

$2.94 SEK 28.31

-7.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 SEK 29.90

$3.39 SEK 32.64

-8.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 SEK 42.35

$4.97 SEK 47.91

-11.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.62

$1.83 SEK 17.60

-11.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.31

$1.99 SEK 19.14

-9.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 SEK 24.89

$2.49 SEK 23.97

3.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SEK 14.59

$1.34 SEK 12.88

12.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.27 SEK 70.1

$7.84 SEK 75.6

-7.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 SEK 94.8

$11.58 SEK 112

-15.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 SEK 18.44

$2.48 SEK 23.94

-22.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 SEK 18.30

$2.66 SEK 25.62

-28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 SEK 33.01

$3.29 SEK 31.68

3.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 SEK 715

$71.2 SEK 686

4.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.38 SEK 61.6

$6.47 SEK 62.4

-1.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 SEK 15.47

$2.64 SEK 25.46

-39.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.1 SEK 608

$56.7 SEK 547

11.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.35

$1.92 SEK 18.54

-1.04%

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

$32.2K SEK 310.2K

$32.7K SEK 315.2K

-1.58%

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

$34.0K SEK 327.8K

$33.8K SEK 325.8K

0.63%

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

$114 SEK 1,101

$156 SEK 1,499

-26.59%

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

$28.54 SEK 275

$30.25 SEK 292

-5.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.96 SEK 356

$40.72 SEK 393

-9.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.39 SEK 389

$38.68 SEK 373

4.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.40 SEK 245

$23.36 SEK 225

8.73%

Cinema Ticket

$15.61 SEK 150

$18.05 SEK 174

-13.52%

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

$145 SEK 1,400

$159 SEK 1,537

-8.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,118 SEK 39.7K

$4,792 SEK 46.2K

-14.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.1 SEK 907

$105 SEK 1,016

-10.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.14 SEK 387

$44.78 SEK 432

-10.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 SEK 954

$123 SEK 1,186

-19.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 SEK 1,482

$166 SEK 1,597

-7.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 SEK 8,049

$931 SEK 8,980

-10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 SEK 6,222

$796 SEK 7,669

-18.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 SEK 13.3K

$1,690 SEK 16.3K

-18.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 SEK 10.4K

$1,368 SEK 13.2K

-20.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,281 SEK 41.3K

$4,150 SEK 40.0K

3.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,076 SEK 29.7K

$3,245 SEK 31.3K

-5.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,144 SEK 30.3K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Malmo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $835 in Kista 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Kista versus $83.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $411 – 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 17% 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 $2,669 per month in Kista 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 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 $1,780 in Kista and $2,083 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 $1,780, than in Malmo at $2,083. 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 $1,780 versus $2,083 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.