Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Kalmar Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Kalmar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,148 per month in Malmo vs $2,023 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,268 per month in Malmo vs $2,964 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,388 per month in Malmo vs $3,906 in Kalmar, rent included.

Malmo costs about 6% more than Kalmar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Malmo and Kalmar sit above the global median – Malmo by 56%, Kalmar by 47%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.41 SEK 150

$15.61 SEK 151

-1.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 SEK 776

$72.3 SEK 701

10.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 SEK 120

$11.02 SEK 107

11.80%

Cappuccino

$4.96 SEK 48.09

$4.63 SEK 44.92

7.13%

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

$3.56 SEK 34.58

$2.85 SEK 27.69

24.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SEK 26.06

$2.67 SEK 25.90

0.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.81 SEK 85.5

$9.86 SEK 95.6

-10.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.21 SEK 89.4

$7.18 SEK 69.6

28.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.89

$1.47 SEK 14.25

18.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 SEK 28.34

$2.90 SEK 28.11

0.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 SEK 35.19

$3.21 SEK 31.12

13.08%

Eggs

$4.29 SEK 41.62

$4.78 SEK 46.41

-10.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 SEK 129

$11.57 SEK 112

15.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.65 SEK 123

$11.38 SEK 110

11.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.12 SEK 215

$22.74 SEK 221

-2.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 31.13

$2.53 SEK 24.58

26.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 26.31

$2.90 SEK 28.17

-6.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 SEK 29.59

$3.25 SEK 31.57

-6.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.50 SEK 43.62

$4.10 SEK 39.76

9.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 SEK 17.24

$1.47 SEK 14.25

21.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 15.56

$1.63 SEK 15.81

-1.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 SEK 25.95

$1.99 SEK 19.27

34.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 12.30

$1.74 SEK 16.87

-27.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 SEK 78.2

Wine (Bottle)

$11.80 SEK 114

$9.21 SEK 89.4

28.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 20.07

$1.99 SEK 19.34

4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 SEK 23.76

$2.58 SEK 25.06

-5.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 SEK 31.87

$3.52 SEK 34.16

-6.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 SEK 629

$80.9 SEK 785

-19.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 SEK 63.3

$10.29 SEK 99.8

-36.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.60 SEK 25.27

$1.75 SEK 16.96

48.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.1 SEK 506

$49.43 SEK 480

5.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 SEK 17.96

$1.84 SEK 17.85

0.54%

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

$34.1K SEK 331.3K

$31.4K SEK 305.1K

8.59%

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

$34.4K SEK 333.9K

$29.7K SEK 288.1K

15.89%

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

$144 SEK 1,401

$152 SEK 1,472

-4.83%

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

$27.41 SEK 266

$27.85 SEK 270

-1.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.23 SEK 371

$33.20 SEK 322

15.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.31 SEK 420

$31.12 SEK 302

39.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.14 SEK 293

$25.71 SEK 249

17.23%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 SEK 173

$15.24 SEK 148

17.26%

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

$180 SEK 1,744

$145 SEK 1,411

23.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,500 SEK 34.0K

$4,972 SEK 48.2K

-29.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 1,012

$52.8 SEK 512

97.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.40 SEK 450

$45.03 SEK 437

3.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 SEK 1,128

$83.7 SEK 812

38.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 SEK 1,548

$103 SEK 998

55.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 SEK 10.1K

$921 SEK 8,937

13.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 SEK 7,976

$801 SEK 7,769

2.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,782 SEK 17.3K

$1,369 SEK 13.3K

30.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 SEK 13.7K

$1,158 SEK 11.2K

21.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,132 SEK 40.1K

$4,269 SEK 41.4K

-3.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,338 SEK 32.4K

$2,902 SEK 28.2K

15.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,184 SEK 30.9K

$2,984 SEK 29.0K

6.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.02

3.93

-23.16%

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

Last update for Malmo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,046 in Malmo 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 7% higher in Malmo, 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 $80.0 in Malmo versus $72.0 in Kalmar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $388 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

Malmo vs Kalmar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,148 in Malmo, $2,023 in Kalmar – roughly 6% apart. Malmo costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,222 per month in Malmo 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 Kalmar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Malmo 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 Malmo, 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 $2,023, than in Malmo at $2,148. In Kalmar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Malmo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,023 in Kalmar to $2,148 in Malmo. 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, Malmo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.