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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,828 per month in Lund vs $2,023 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,039 per month in Lund vs $2,964 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,250 per month in Lund vs $3,906 in Kalmar, rent included.

Lund is about 10% cheaper than Kalmar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lund and Kalmar sit above the global median – Lund by 33%, Kalmar by 47%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.31 SEK 129

$15.61 SEK 151

-14.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.4 SEK 897

$72.3 SEK 701

27.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.27 SEK 119

$11.02 SEK 107

11.34%

Cappuccino

$4.78 SEK 46.36

$4.63 SEK 44.92

3.24%

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

$2.78 SEK 27.01

$2.85 SEK 27.69

-2.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 SEK 20.79

$2.67 SEK 25.90

-19.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.51 SEK 82.6

$9.86 SEK 95.6

-13.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 SEK 69.3

$7.18 SEK 69.6

-0.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SEK 16.62

$1.47 SEK 14.25

16.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 SEK 27.21

$2.90 SEK 28.11

-3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 SEK 38.01

$3.21 SEK 31.12

22.12%

Eggs

$4.73 SEK 45.92

$4.78 SEK 46.41

-1.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 SEK 127

$11.57 SEK 112

13.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 SEK 119

$11.38 SEK 110

7.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.58 SEK 171

$22.74 SEK 221

-22.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 SEK 30.55

$2.53 SEK 24.58

24.51%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 SEK 29.84

$2.90 SEK 28.17

6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 27.54

$3.25 SEK 31.57

-12.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 SEK 46.54

$4.10 SEK 39.76

17.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.47

$1.47 SEK 14.25

22.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SEK 13.89

$1.63 SEK 15.81

-12.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 SEK 26.59

$1.99 SEK 19.27

37.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SEK 15.44

$1.74 SEK 16.87

-8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.43 SEK 81.8

$8.06 SEK 78.2

4.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 SEK 111

$9.21 SEK 89.4

23.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SEK 19.63

$1.99 SEK 19.34

1.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 SEK 27.43

$2.58 SEK 25.06

9.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 SEK 31.98

$3.52 SEK 34.16

-6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.7 SEK 648

$80.9 SEK 785

-17.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 SEK 52.0

$10.29 SEK 99.8

-48.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 SEK 11.29

$1.75 SEK 16.96

-33.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.36 SEK 421

$49.43 SEK 480

-12.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 17.65

$1.84 SEK 17.85

-1.09%

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

$34.0K SEK 329.9K

$31.4K SEK 305.1K

8.12%

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

$34.6K SEK 336.2K

$29.7K SEK 288.1K

16.69%

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

$81.5 SEK 791

$152 SEK 1,472

-46.26%

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

$31.33 SEK 304

$27.85 SEK 270

12.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.78 SEK 415

$33.20 SEK 322

28.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.41 SEK 382

$31.12 SEK 302

26.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.46 SEK 276

$25.71 SEK 249

10.70%

Cinema Ticket

$15.81 SEK 153

$15.24 SEK 148

3.74%

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

$167 SEK 1,616

$145 SEK 1,411

14.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,972 SEK 48.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.9 SEK 804

$52.8 SEK 512

57.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 SEK 576

$45.03 SEK 437

31.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SEK 1,029

$83.7 SEK 812

26.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 SEK 1,240

$103 SEK 998

24.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 SEK 8,579

$921 SEK 8,937

-4.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 SEK 6,857

$801 SEK 7,769

-11.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 SEK 17.3K

$1,369 SEK 13.3K

30.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 SEK 14.0K

$1,158 SEK 11.2K

24.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,452 SEK 62.6K

$4,269 SEK 41.4K

51.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,744 SEK 36.3K

$2,902 SEK 28.2K

29.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,077 SEK 29.9K

$2,984 SEK 29.0K

3.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.03

3.93

-22.90%

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

Last update for Lund: September 8, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $884 in Lund versus $921 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 3% 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 $92.0 in Lund versus $72.0 in Kalmar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $369 – 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: $1,828 in Lund, $2,023 in Kalmar – roughly 11% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,742 per month in Lund and $3,035 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 $167 per month in Lund and $145 in Kalmar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $1,828, than in Kalmar at $2,023. 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 $1,828 in Lund to $2,023 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.