Cost of Living Comparison Between Lund and Kalmar Cost of Living Comparison Between Lund and Kalmar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,904 per month in Lund vs $1,926 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,030 per month in Lund vs $2,839 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,156 per month in Lund vs $3,751 in Kalmar, rent included.

Lund is about 1% cheaper than Kalmar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lund and Kalmar sit above the global median – Lund by 43%, Kalmar by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.55 SEK 121

$15.76 SEK 153

-20.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.3 SEK 826

$74.7 SEK 723

14.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 SEK 118

$10.34 SEK 100

17.99%

Cappuccino

$4.85 SEK 46.99

$4.68 SEK 45.26

3.63%

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

$2.81 SEK 27.17

$2.81 SEK 27.23

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 SEK 19.83

$2.73 SEK 26.46

-24.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.22 SEK 79.6

$9.90 SEK 95.9

-16.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 SEK 70.9

$7.59 SEK 73.5

-3.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SEK 15.45

$1.50 SEK 14.57

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 SEK 21.37

$2.48 SEK 23.99

-10.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 SEK 29.20

$2.71 SEK 26.27

11.44%

Eggs

$4.55 SEK 44.09

$4.88 SEK 47.26

-6.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.12 SEK 127

$10.18 SEK 98.6

28.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 SEK 114

$11.54 SEK 112

2.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 SEK 167

$16.07 SEK 156

7.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 SEK 30.75

$2.67 SEK 25.84

19.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 26.86

$2.73 SEK 26.48

1.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 26.80

$3.17 SEK 30.68

-12.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 SEK 44.01

$3.78 SEK 36.60

20.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 16.03

$1.49 SEK 14.38

11.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 15.27

$2.33 SEK 22.52

-32.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 25.18

$2.07 SEK 20.04

25.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 12.31

$1.68 SEK 16.24

-24.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 SEK 79.2

$7.12 SEK 68.9

14.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 SEK 109

$9.11 SEK 88.2

23.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 SEK 19.01

$2.00 SEK 19.40

-2.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 21.67

$1.72 SEK 16.61

30.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 SEK 32.38

$2.98 SEK 28.86

12.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 SEK 653

$87.1 SEK 843

-22.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 SEK 52.3

$7.08 SEK 68.6

-23.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SEK 18.24

$1.59 SEK 15.43

18.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.0 SEK 610

$52.6 SEK 509

19.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.43

$1.91 SEK 18.45

-0.52%

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

$32.7K SEK 316.5K

$27.6K SEK 266.9K

18.59%

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

$34.1K SEK 330.5K

$28.1K SEK 272.0K

21.50%

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

$122 SEK 1,181

$117 SEK 1,131

4.42%

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

$28.99 SEK 281

$28.56 SEK 277

1.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.22 SEK 399

$30.64 SEK 297

34.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 SEK 374

$29.77 SEK 288

29.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.09 SEK 233

$15.73 SEK 152

53.15%

Cinema Ticket

$18.17 SEK 176

$14.39 SEK 139

26.27%

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

$179 SEK 1,733

$146 SEK 1,412

22.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,129 SEK 40.0K

$4,077 SEK 39.5K

1.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 SEK 778

$64.2 SEK 622

25.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 SEK 582

$21.00 SEK 203

186.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 SEK 1,004

$60.4 SEK 585

71.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 SEK 1,261

$75.9 SEK 735

71.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 SEK 9,498

$947 SEK 9,168

3.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 SEK 7,383

$812 SEK 7,857

-6.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 SEK 15.6K

$1,363 SEK 13.2K

18.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 SEK 12.7K

$1,203 SEK 11.6K

8.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,408 SEK 62.0K

$4,262 SEK 41.3K

50.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,682 SEK 35.6K

$2,835 SEK 27.5K

29.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,972 SEK 28.8K

$2,928 SEK 28.3K

1.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.66

3.00%

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

Last update for Lund: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $981 in Lund versus $947 in Kalmar. 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 2% higher in Lund, 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 $85.0 in Lund versus $75.0 in Kalmar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $337 – making Kalmar 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

Lund vs Kalmar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,904 in Lund, $1,926 in Kalmar – roughly 1% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,856 per month in Lund and $2,889 in Kalmar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $179 per month in Lund and $146 in Kalmar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Kalmar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lund, where all-in costs run around $1,904, than in Kalmar at $1,926. In Lund it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kalmar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lund has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,904 in Lund to $1,926 in Kalmar. 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 Lund. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kalmar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.