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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,106 per month in Malmo vs $1,472 in Boden, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,222 per month in Malmo vs $2,305 in Boden, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,338 per month in Malmo vs $3,139 in Boden, rent included.

Malmo costs about 43% more than Boden, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malmo and Boden sit above the global median – Malmo by 57%, Boden by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.61 SEK 127

$19.46 SEK 181

-30.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.2 SEK 783

$42.66 SEK 397

97.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.88 SEK 120

$10.72 SEK 99.7

20.15%

Cappuccino

$5.01 SEK 46.55

$2.09 SEK 19.42

139.71%

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

$2.74 SEK 25.45

$1.72 SEK 16.00

59.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SEK 19.74

$2.16 SEK 20.11

-1.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 SEK 75.2

$5.37 SEK 49.93

50.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 SEK 75.3

$7.49 SEK 69.7

8.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SEK 15.84

$1.41 SEK 13.07

20.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 SEK 28.88

$2.73 SEK 25.40

13.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.62 SEK 33.67

$2.06 SEK 19.14

75.73%

Eggs

$4.48 SEK 41.62

$2.70 SEK 25.15

65.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.25 SEK 114

$5.28 SEK 49.13

132.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.78 SEK 119

$6.35 SEK 59.1

101.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.29 SEK 254

$6.39 SEK 59.5

327.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 SEK 31.86

$2.67 SEK 24.81

28.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 26.97

$2.60 SEK 24.22

11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 SEK 31.42

$2.57 SEK 23.88

31.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 SEK 45.29

$4.48 SEK 41.65

8.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 16.98

$1.61 SEK 14.93

13.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 17.60

$1.07 SEK 9.92

76.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 SEK 24.13

$1.25 SEK 11.65

107.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 SEK 11.91

$2.68 SEK 24.89

-52.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.95 SEK 74.0

$10.97 SEK 102

-27.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 SEK 114

$10.86 SEK 101

12.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 SEK 22.61

$4.09 SEK 38.01

-40.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 SEK 25.84

$2.56 SEK 23.82

8.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 SEK 31.67

$2.63 SEK 24.44

29.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.0 SEK 651

$73.3 SEK 682

-4.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 SEK 61.5

$5.29 SEK 49.21

24.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 24.57

$1.63 SEK 15.17

61.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.1 SEK 531

$62.4 SEK 580

-8.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 SEK 18.07

$2.35 SEK 21.81

-17.45%

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

$33.0K SEK 306.7K

$26.2K SEK 243.2K

26.10%

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

$33.8K SEK 314.0K

$25.9K SEK 240.7K

30.46%

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

$157 SEK 1,461

$112 SEK 1,038

40.79%

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

$30.03 SEK 279

$53.2 SEK 495

-43.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.01 SEK 372

$52.6 SEK 489

-23.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.47 SEK 367

$61.4 SEK 571

-35.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 SEK 222

$24.44 SEK 227

-2.45%

Cinema Ticket

$17.91 SEK 167

$13.19 SEK 123

35.78%

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

$159 SEK 1,477

$78.6 SEK 731

102.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,807 SEK 44.7K

$4,146 SEK 38.6K

15.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 SEK 987

$131 SEK 1,218

-18.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.76 SEK 416

$80.3 SEK 747

-44.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 SEK 1,130

$96.5 SEK 897

25.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 SEK 1,528

$246 SEK 2,290

-33.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 SEK 8,619

$949 SEK 8,826

-2.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 SEK 7,168

$259 SEK 2,406

197.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,719 SEK 16.0K

$731 SEK 6,800

135.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 SEK 12.5K

$518 SEK 4,814

159.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,420 SEK 41.1K

$4,348 SEK 40.4K

1.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,390 SEK 31.5K

$3,033 SEK 28.2K

11.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,361 SEK 31.3K

$4,109 SEK 38.2K

-18.21%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Boden: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in Malmo versus $949 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 22% 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 $84.0 in Malmo versus $43.00 in Boden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $280 – 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 43%, 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 $3,160 per month in Malmo and $2,207 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 $2,106 in Malmo and $1,472 in Boden. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% 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 $1,472, than in Malmo at $2,106. 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.