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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,949 per month in Lund vs $1,862 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,033 per month in Lund vs $2,801 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,117 per month in Lund vs $3,740 in Kalmar, rent included.

Lund costs about 5% more than Kalmar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lund and Kalmar sit above the global median – Lund by 45%, Kalmar by 39%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.42 SEK 116

$16.05 SEK 150

-22.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.7 SEK 799

$74.3 SEK 693

15.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 SEK 112

$10.56 SEK 98.6

13.45%

Cappuccino

$5.01 SEK 46.78

$4.56 SEK 42.55

9.87%

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

$2.83 SEK 26.39

$2.89 SEK 26.97

-2.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 19.33

$2.66 SEK 24.85

-22.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.27 SEK 77.2

$9.71 SEK 90.6

-14.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.53 SEK 70.3

$7.43 SEK 69.3

1.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 15.11

$1.48 SEK 13.77

9.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 SEK 20.80

$2.39 SEK 22.28

-6.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 SEK 27.24

$2.58 SEK 24.05

13.18%

Eggs

$4.42 SEK 41.20

$4.88 SEK 45.52

-9.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 SEK 120

$10.36 SEK 96.7

24.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.41 SEK 106

$11.73 SEK 109

-2.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.35 SEK 162

$16.15 SEK 151

7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 SEK 29.89

$2.62 SEK 24.42

22.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 SEK 26.99

$2.79 SEK 26.03

3.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 27.05

$3.12 SEK 29.16

-7.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 SEK 41.23

$3.70 SEK 34.51

19.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 SEK 15.61

$1.43 SEK 13.33

16.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SEK 15.23

$2.34 SEK 21.87

-30.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 SEK 24.52

$2.06 SEK 19.19

27.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 SEK 12.01

$1.66 SEK 15.44

-22.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 SEK 75.6

$7.30 SEK 68.1

10.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 SEK 111

$9.90 SEK 92.4

19.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 SEK 18.99

$2.11 SEK 19.71

-3.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 SEK 20.04

$1.66 SEK 15.48

29.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 SEK 31.92

$2.83 SEK 26.39

20.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.2 SEK 627

$86.2 SEK 804

-22.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 SEK 50.4

$7.25 SEK 67.6

-25.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SEK 17.74

$1.56 SEK 14.53

21.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.6 SEK 584

$52.6 SEK 491

18.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 SEK 18.44

$1.95 SEK 18.19

1.54%

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

$32.8K SEK 306.3K

$27.5K SEK 256.4K

19.48%

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

$34.3K SEK 319.9K

$28.1K SEK 262.2K

21.98%

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

$123 SEK 1,148

$118 SEK 1,104

3.94%

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

$28.49 SEK 266

$28.08 SEK 262

1.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.60 SEK 388

$30.58 SEK 285

36.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.20 SEK 366

$29.43 SEK 275

33.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.29 SEK 227

$15.57 SEK 145

56.01%

Cinema Ticket

$17.86 SEK 167

$14.22 SEK 133

25.60%

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

$176 SEK 1,638

$145 SEK 1,357

20.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,218 SEK 39.4K

$4,155 SEK 38.8K

1.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.1 SEK 738

$63.8 SEK 595

24.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.3 SEK 563

$20.69 SEK 193

191.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 SEK 971

$60.0 SEK 560

73.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 SEK 1,187

$77.4 SEK 723

64.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 SEK 9,054

$939 SEK 8,760

3.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 SEK 7,060

$795 SEK 7,421

-4.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 SEK 15.3K

$1,389 SEK 13.0K

18.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 SEK 12.3K

$1,183 SEK 11.0K

11.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,660 SEK 62.1K

$4,304 SEK 40.2K

54.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,858 SEK 36.0K

$2,931 SEK 27.4K

31.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,140 SEK 29.3K

$3,061 SEK 28.6K

2.57%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $970 in Lund versus $939 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 partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Lund versus $74.0 in Kalmar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $338 – 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: $1,949 in Lund, $1,862 in Kalmar – roughly 5% apart. Lund costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,924 per month in Lund and $2,793 in Kalmar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $176 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.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Lund, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kalmar, where all-in costs run around $1,862, than in Lund at $1,949. In Kalmar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lund 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 $1,862 in Kalmar to $1,949 in Lund. 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 Kalmar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.