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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,047 per month in Malmo vs $1,926 in Kiruna, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,170 per month in Malmo vs $3,099 in Kiruna, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,292 per month in Malmo vs $4,272 in Kiruna, rent included.

Malmo costs about 6% more than Kiruna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Malmo and Kiruna sit above the global median – Malmo by 53%, Kiruna by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 SEK 128

$12.75 SEK 121

5.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 SEK 810

$96.7 SEK 915

-11.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 SEK 120

$11.79 SEK 112

7.46%

Cappuccino

$5.05 SEK 47.82

$4.64 SEK 43.94

8.84%

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

$2.69 SEK 25.42

$2.07 SEK 19.61

29.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 SEK 20.36

$1.06 SEK 10.03

102.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 SEK 75.7

$8.50 SEK 80.4

-5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 SEK 77.6

$6.87 SEK 65.0

19.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SEK 15.83

$1.93 SEK 18.28

-13.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 SEK 29.40

$3.54 SEK 33.48

-12.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 34.18

$4.97 SEK 47.05

-27.36%

Eggs

$4.42 SEK 41.80

$4.91 SEK 46.42

-9.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 SEK 114

$13.25 SEK 125

-9.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.78 SEK 121

$13.78 SEK 130

-7.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.50 SEK 260

$28.10 SEK 266

-2.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 SEK 30.91

$2.59 SEK 24.51

26.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 SEK 26.31

$2.72 SEK 25.75

2.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 SEK 30.67

$2.62 SEK 24.77

23.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 SEK 45.30

$4.31 SEK 40.75

11.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.31

$2.16 SEK 20.45

-15.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 SEK 18.48

$1.59 SEK 15.08

22.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 SEK 24.32

$3.43 SEK 32.45

-25.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 12.67

$1.46 SEK 13.83

-8.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 SEK 76.9

$7.19 SEK 68.0

13.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.10 SEK 115

$10.16 SEK 96.1

19.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 SEK 23.92

$1.82 SEK 17.25

39.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 25.15

$1.88 SEK 17.80

41.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.36 SEK 31.81

$3.41 SEK 32.27

-1.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.3 SEK 656

$74.3 SEK 703

-6.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 SEK 61.0

$9.29 SEK 87.9

-30.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 24.98

$1.60 SEK 15.17

65.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.2 SEK 532

$73.8 SEK 699

-23.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.17

$1.97 SEK 18.62

-2.54%

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

$33.1K SEK 313.0K

$32.4K SEK 307.0K

1.95%

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

$33.8K SEK 319.8K

$36.2K SEK 342.8K

-6.73%

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

$154 SEK 1,453

$173 SEK 1,638

-11.28%

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

$30.36 SEK 287

$32.94 SEK 312

-7.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.38 SEK 382

$27.76 SEK 263

45.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.30 SEK 362

$46.67 SEK 442

-17.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.78 SEK 225

$24.86 SEK 235

-4.34%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 SEK 168

$13.70 SEK 130

30.00%

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

$162 SEK 1,529

$161 SEK 1,522

0.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,876 SEK 46.1K

$4,100 SEK 38.8K

18.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 990

$125 SEK 1,180

-16.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.70 SEK 432

$33.76 SEK 319

35.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 SEK 1,175

$129 SEK 1,224

-4.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 SEK 1,563

$166 SEK 1,574

-0.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 SEK 8,815

$842 SEK 7,963

10.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 SEK 7,317

$641 SEK 6,061

20.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,721 SEK 16.3K

$1,414 SEK 13.4K

21.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,343 SEK 12.7K

$1,182 SEK 11.2K

13.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,311 SEK 40.8K

$3,906 SEK 37.0K

10.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,360 SEK 31.8K

$3,376 SEK 31.9K

-0.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,353 SEK 31.7K

$3,449 SEK 32.6K

-2.79%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kiruna: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $932 in Malmo versus $842 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 3% 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 $86.0 in Malmo versus $97.0 in Kiruna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $410 vs $423 – 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: $2,047 in Malmo, $1,926 in Kiruna – roughly 6% apart. Malmo costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,071 per month in Malmo and $2,889 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 $86.0 in Malmo and $97.0 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 $1,926, than in Malmo at $2,047. 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 $1,926 in Kiruna to $2,047 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.