Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Boden Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Boden

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,083 per month in Malmo vs $1,485 in Boden, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,191 per month in Malmo vs $2,309 in Boden, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,299 per month in Malmo vs $3,133 in Boden, rent included.

Malmo costs about 40% more than Boden, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malmo and Boden sit above the global median – Malmo by 57%, Boden by 12%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.51 SEK 128

$19.89 SEK 189

-32.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.8 SEK 787

$42.81 SEK 407

93.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.55 SEK 119

$10.46 SEK 99.4

19.98%

Cappuccino

$4.90 SEK 46.51

$2.07 SEK 19.64

136.71%

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

$2.71 SEK 25.78

$1.70 SEK 16.18

59.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 19.78

$2.09 SEK 19.86

-0.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 SEK 76.3

$5.12 SEK 48.65

56.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 SEK 76.9

$7.28 SEK 69.1

11.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SEK 15.98

$1.44 SEK 13.69

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 SEK 29.07

$2.89 SEK 27.49

5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 SEK 33.22

$2.06 SEK 19.56

69.90%

Eggs

$4.44 SEK 42.22

$2.58 SEK 24.51

72.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 SEK 114

$5.33 SEK 50.7

125.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.88 SEK 122

$6.49 SEK 61.7

98.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.59 SEK 262

$6.48 SEK 61.6

325.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 SEK 31.29

$2.67 SEK 25.37

23.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 27.90

$2.70 SEK 25.66

8.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 SEK 32.16

$2.68 SEK 25.49

26.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 SEK 47.21

$4.56 SEK 43.30

8.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.35

$1.60 SEK 15.24

14.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 SEK 18.86

$1.02 SEK 9.71

95.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 SEK 23.62

$1.28 SEK 12.16

94.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 12.69

$2.70 SEK 25.63

-50.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SEK 74.5

$10.82 SEK 103

-27.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.58 SEK 110

$10.38 SEK 98.6

11.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 SEK 23.59

$4.08 SEK 38.76

-39.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 25.25

$2.71 SEK 25.79

-1.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 SEK 31.22

$2.67 SEK 25.37

23.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.2 SEK 676

$73.1 SEK 695

-2.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 SEK 61.4

$5.19 SEK 49.28

24.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 25.09

$1.67 SEK 15.84

58.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.7 SEK 539

$63.2 SEK 601

-10.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.27

$2.29 SEK 21.79

-16.16%

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

$32.7K SEK 310.6K

$26.1K SEK 247.9K

25.28%

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

$33.8K SEK 321.0K

$25.9K SEK 245.8K

30.58%

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

$156 SEK 1,478

$109 SEK 1,039

42.17%

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

$30.25 SEK 287

$53.6 SEK 509

-43.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.72 SEK 387

$53.8 SEK 511

-24.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 SEK 367

$61.0 SEK 580

-36.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.36 SEK 222

$24.78 SEK 235

-5.73%

Cinema Ticket

$18.05 SEK 171

$13.32 SEK 127

35.51%

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

$159 SEK 1,515

$80.5 SEK 765

98.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,792 SEK 45.5K

$4,061 SEK 38.6K

18.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 1,001

$130 SEK 1,232

-18.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.78 SEK 425

$78.7 SEK 748

-43.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 SEK 1,169

$98.3 SEK 934

25.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 SEK 1,574

$247 SEK 2,342

-32.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 SEK 8,849

$952 SEK 9,039

-2.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$796 SEK 7,557

$262 SEK 2,491

203.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 SEK 16.1K

$731 SEK 6,941

131.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 SEK 13.0K

$521 SEK 4,950

162.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,150 SEK 39.4K

$4,645 SEK 44.1K

-10.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,245 SEK 30.8K

$3,135 SEK 29.8K

3.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,144 SEK 29.9K

$3,964 SEK 37.7K

-20.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

21.50%

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

Last update for Malmo: July 28, 2026

Last update for Boden: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $931 in Malmo versus $952 in Boden. 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 26% higher in Boden, 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 $83.0 in Malmo versus $43.00 in Boden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $284 – making Boden 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

Malmo vs Boden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Malmo is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,125 per month in Malmo and $2,228 in Boden. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Boden, 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 $2,083 in Malmo and $1,485 in Boden. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Boden. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Boden, where all-in costs run around $1,485, than in Malmo at $2,083. In Boden it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Boden – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Boden. 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.