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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,810 per month in Kista vs $2,148 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,845 per month in Kista vs $3,268 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,880 per month in Kista vs $4,388 in Malmo, rent included.

Kista is about 16% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kista and Malmo sit above the global median – Kista by 31%, Malmo by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.79 SEK 134

$15.41 SEK 149

-10.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 SEK 755

$80.0 SEK 775

-2.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 SEK 102

$12.32 SEK 119

-14.61%

Cappuccino

$4.82 SEK 46.77

$4.96 SEK 48.04

-2.82%

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

$2.79 SEK 27.05

$3.56 SEK 34.54

-21.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SEK 22.47

$2.69 SEK 26.04

-13.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 SEK 78.9

$8.81 SEK 85.5

-7.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 SEK 80.4

$9.21 SEK 89.3

-9.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 SEK 17.31

$1.74 SEK 16.88

2.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 SEK 28.43

$2.92 SEK 28.32

0.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.11 SEK 39.87

$3.63 SEK 35.15

13.22%

Eggs

$5.05 SEK 48.92

$4.29 SEK 41.58

17.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 SEK 118

$13.32 SEK 129

-8.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.58 SEK 122

$12.65 SEK 123

-0.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 SEK 156

$22.12 SEK 214

-27.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 SEK 27.09

$3.21 SEK 31.10

-13.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 25.05

$2.71 SEK 26.29

-4.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 SEK 34.52

$3.05 SEK 29.57

16.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 SEK 41.63

$4.50 SEK 43.58

-4.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 SEK 17.29

$1.78 SEK 17.22

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SEK 14.68

$1.60 SEK 15.55

-5.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 SEK 20.12

$2.67 SEK 25.92

-22.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 SEK 13.84

$1.27 SEK 12.29

12.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.53 SEK 73.0

$8.06 SEK 78.2

-6.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 SEK 111

$11.80 SEK 114

-3.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SEK 19.42

$2.07 SEK 20.05

-3.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 SEK 22.72

$2.45 SEK 23.74

-4.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 33.01

$3.28 SEK 31.84

3.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.5 SEK 770

$64.8 SEK 628

22.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 SEK 62.9

$6.53 SEK 63.3

-0.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 SEK 18.16

$2.60 SEK 25.24

-28.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.5 SEK 577

$52.1 SEK 505

14.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.45

$1.85 SEK 17.95

-2.70%

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

$30.2K SEK 292.8K

$34.1K SEK 331.0K

-11.54%

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

$34.0K SEK 329.4K

$34.4K SEK 333.6K

-1.24%

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

$107 SEK 1,038

$144 SEK 1,400

-25.82%

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

$27.69 SEK 268

$27.41 SEK 266

1.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.99 SEK 388

$38.23 SEK 371

4.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.75 SEK 385

$43.31 SEK 420

-8.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.64 SEK 249

$30.14 SEK 292

-14.93%

Cinema Ticket

$16.83 SEK 163

$17.87 SEK 173

-5.82%

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

$150 SEK 1,456

$180 SEK 1,742

-16.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,803 SEK 46.6K

$3,500 SEK 33.9K

37.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 SEK 823

$104 SEK 1,011

-18.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.03 SEK 427

$46.40 SEK 450

-5.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 SEK 965

$116 SEK 1,127

-14.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 SEK 1,334

$160 SEK 1,547

-13.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 SEK 7,414

$1,046 SEK 10.1K

-26.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 SEK 5,425

$822 SEK 7,968

-31.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 SEK 12.7K

$1,782 SEK 17.3K

-26.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,173 SEK 11.4K

$1,407 SEK 13.6K

-16.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,131 SEK 40.0K

$4,132 SEK 40.1K

-0.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,897 SEK 28.1K

$3,338 SEK 32.4K

-13.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,184 SEK 30.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.42

3.02

13.25%

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

Last update for Kista: September 6, 2026

Last update for Malmo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $765 in Kista versus $1,046 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 $78.0 in Kista versus $80.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $388 – 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 19% more than Kista, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,715 per month in Kista and $3,222 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 $1,810 in Kista and $2,148 in Malmo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 23% 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 $1,810, than in Malmo at $2,148. 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 $1,810 versus $2,148 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.