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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,083 per month in Malmo vs $1,923 in Kiruna, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,191 per month in Malmo vs $3,123 in Kiruna, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,299 per month in Malmo vs $4,323 in Kiruna, rent included.

Malmo costs about 8% more than Kiruna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Malmo and Kiruna sit above the global median – Malmo by 57%, Kiruna by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.51 SEK 128

$12.50 SEK 119

8.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.8 SEK 787

$94.2 SEK 895

-12.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.55 SEK 119

$11.90 SEK 113

5.46%

Cappuccino

$4.90 SEK 46.51

$4.82 SEK 45.76

1.66%

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

$2.71 SEK 25.78

$2.14 SEK 20.37

26.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 19.78

$1.06 SEK 10.08

96.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 SEK 76.3

$8.49 SEK 80.6

-5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 SEK 76.9

$6.95 SEK 66.0

16.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SEK 15.98

$1.93 SEK 18.37

-12.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 SEK 29.07

$3.43 SEK 32.54

-10.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 SEK 33.22

$5.03 SEK 47.80

-30.42%

Eggs

$4.44 SEK 42.22

$4.76 SEK 45.25

-6.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 SEK 114

$12.74 SEK 121

-5.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.88 SEK 122

$14.17 SEK 135

-9.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.59 SEK 262

$27.29 SEK 259

1.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 SEK 31.29

$2.63 SEK 24.95

25.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 27.90

$2.83 SEK 26.90

3.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 SEK 32.16

$2.62 SEK 24.89

29.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 SEK 47.21

$4.33 SEK 41.10

14.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.35

$2.20 SEK 20.93

-16.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 SEK 18.86

$1.64 SEK 15.57

21.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 SEK 23.62

$3.53 SEK 33.57

-29.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 12.69

$1.45 SEK 13.80

-7.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SEK 74.5

$7.46 SEK 70.9

5.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.58 SEK 110

$9.49 SEK 90.2

22.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 SEK 23.59

$1.87 SEK 17.81

32.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 25.25

$1.78 SEK 16.91

49.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 SEK 31.22

$3.34 SEK 31.70

-1.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.2 SEK 676

$74.8 SEK 711

-4.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 SEK 61.4

$9.40 SEK 89.3

-31.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 25.09

$1.59 SEK 15.12

66.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.7 SEK 539

$72.7 SEK 691

-21.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.27

$1.95 SEK 18.52

-1.54%

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

$32.7K SEK 310.6K

$32.9K SEK 312.4K

-0.57%

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

$33.8K SEK 321.0K

$34.9K SEK 331.3K

-3.10%

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

$156 SEK 1,478

$169 SEK 1,610

-8.23%

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

$30.25 SEK 287

$32.04 SEK 304

-5.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.72 SEK 387

$27.79 SEK 264

46.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 SEK 367

$46.83 SEK 445

-17.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.36 SEK 222

$25.54 SEK 243

-8.54%

Cinema Ticket

$18.05 SEK 171

$13.58 SEK 129

32.92%

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

$159 SEK 1,515

$164 SEK 1,555

-2.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,792 SEK 45.5K

$4,136 SEK 39.3K

15.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 1,001

$125 SEK 1,185

-15.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.78 SEK 425

$34.11 SEK 324

31.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 SEK 1,169

$129 SEK 1,228

-4.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 SEK 1,574

$169 SEK 1,609

-2.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 SEK 8,849

$839 SEK 7,972

11.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$796 SEK 7,557

$628 SEK 5,970

26.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 SEK 16.1K

$1,405 SEK 13.3K

20.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 SEK 13.0K

$1,141 SEK 10.8K

19.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,150 SEK 39.4K

$4,318 SEK 41.0K

-3.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,245 SEK 30.8K

$2,801 SEK 26.6K

15.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,144 SEK 29.9K

$3,319 SEK 31.5K

-5.29%

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 Kiruna: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $931 in Malmo versus $839 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 6% 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 $83.0 in Malmo versus $94.0 in Kiruna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $419 – 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: $2,083 in Malmo, $1,923 in Kiruna – roughly 8% apart. Malmo costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,125 per month in Malmo and $2,885 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 2% 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 $83.0 in Malmo and $94.0 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 $1,923, than in Malmo at $2,083. 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 $1,923 in Kiruna to $2,083 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.