Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Kiruna Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Kiruna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,050 per month in Malmo vs $1,965 in Kiruna, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,204 per month in Malmo vs $3,097 in Kiruna, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,359 per month in Malmo vs $4,229 in Kiruna, rent included.

Malmo costs about 4% more than Kiruna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Malmo and Kiruna sit above the global median – Malmo by 53%, Kiruna by 47%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.47 SEK 124

$12.70 SEK 117

6.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.6 SEK 769

$95.3 SEK 877

-12.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 SEK 115

$11.95 SEK 110

4.77%

Cappuccino

$5.02 SEK 46.14

$4.72 SEK 43.42

6.36%

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

$2.72 SEK 25.04

$2.07 SEK 19.06

31.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 20.21

$1.03 SEK 9.44

113.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 SEK 72.3

$8.34 SEK 76.8

-5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 SEK 73.0

$6.79 SEK 62.4

16.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 15.95

$1.87 SEK 17.24

-7.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 SEK 27.76

$3.50 SEK 32.18

-13.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 SEK 32.14

$5.13 SEK 47.17

-31.97%

Eggs

$4.39 SEK 40.40

$4.83 SEK 44.43

-9.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 SEK 112

$12.75 SEK 117

-4.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.82 SEK 118

$14.04 SEK 129

-8.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.50 SEK 253

$27.56 SEK 254

-0.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 SEK 31.04

$2.59 SEK 23.79

30.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 SEK 25.73

$2.81 SEK 25.89

-0.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 SEK 31.30

$2.54 SEK 23.35

33.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 SEK 44.86

$4.39 SEK 40.40

11.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 17.07

$2.15 SEK 19.74

-13.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 17.43

$1.67 SEK 15.35

13.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 24.02

$3.42 SEK 31.51

-23.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 SEK 11.75

$1.45 SEK 13.32

-11.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SEK 72.0

$7.38 SEK 67.9

5.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.36 SEK 114

$10.96 SEK 101

12.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 23.12

$1.81 SEK 16.66

38.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 SEK 25.37

$1.80 SEK 16.60

53.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 SEK 30.73

$3.32 SEK 30.52

0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 SEK 651

$72.6 SEK 668

-2.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.77 SEK 62.3

$9.41 SEK 86.6

-28.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 24.27

$1.59 SEK 14.64

66.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.6 SEK 529

$72.9 SEK 671

-21.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.27

$1.95 SEK 17.96

2.05%

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

$32.6K SEK 299.6K

$32.6K SEK 299.5K

0.03%

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

$33.5K SEK 308.6K

$35.5K SEK 326.3K

-5.42%

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

$157 SEK 1,446

$173 SEK 1,593

-9.23%

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

$30.35 SEK 279

$32.32 SEK 297

-6.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.91 SEK 367

$28.23 SEK 260

41.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.89 SEK 358

$47.19 SEK 434

-17.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.74 SEK 218

$25.12 SEK 231

-5.49%

Cinema Ticket

$18.27 SEK 168

$13.75 SEK 127

32.87%

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

$162 SEK 1,486

$163 SEK 1,503

-1.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,808 SEK 44.2K

$4,172 SEK 38.4K

15.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 959

$128 SEK 1,174

-18.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.93 SEK 413

$33.89 SEK 312

32.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 SEK 1,131

$128 SEK 1,182

-4.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 SEK 1,535

$172 SEK 1,582

-2.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 SEK 8,305

$823 SEK 7,570

9.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 SEK 7,088

$638 SEK 5,874

20.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 SEK 15.5K

$1,441 SEK 13.3K

16.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 SEK 12.4K

$1,175 SEK 10.8K

15.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,535 SEK 41.7K

$4,150 SEK 38.2K

9.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,494 SEK 32.1K

$3,052 SEK 28.1K

14.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,434 SEK 31.6K

$3,601 SEK 33.1K

-4.65%

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 20, 2026

Last update for Kiruna: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Malmo versus $823 in Kiruna. 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 5% higher in Kiruna, 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 in Malmo versus $95 in Kiruna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $412 vs $422 – making Malmo 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 Kiruna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,050 in Malmo, $1,965 in Kiruna – roughly 4% apart. Malmo costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,075 per month in Malmo and $2,947 in Kiruna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Malmo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Malmo and $95.0 in Kiruna. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kiruna, where all-in costs run around $1,965, than in Malmo at $2,050. In Kiruna 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 $1,965 in Kiruna to $2,050 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 Kiruna. 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.