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 $1,817 in Kiruna, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,221 per month in Malmo vs $2,966 in Kiruna, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,359 per month in Malmo vs $4,115 in Kiruna, rent included.

Malmo costs about 15% more than Kiruna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Malmo and Kiruna sit above the global median – Malmo by 52%, Kiruna by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.40 SEK 152

$14.53 SEK 143

5.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 SEK 756

$130 SEK 1,282

-41.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 SEK 120

$10.50 SEK 104

16.38%

Cappuccino

$5.10 SEK 50.3

$4.69 SEK 46.26

8.74%

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

$3.37 SEK 33.24

$2.76 SEK 27.18

22.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 SEK 26.37

$2.25 SEK 22.20

19.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.97 SEK 88.4

$9.64 SEK 95.0

-6.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.97 SEK 88.4

$6.79 SEK 67.0

32.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SEK 17.24

$1.73 SEK 17.04

1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 SEK 29.88

$2.91 SEK 28.69

4.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 SEK 35.27

$3.79 SEK 37.32

-5.54%

Eggs

$4.23 SEK 41.71

$4.48 SEK 44.17

-5.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 SEK 129

$12.28 SEK 121

6.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.22 SEK 120

$12.47 SEK 123

-2.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.01 SEK 217

$17.63 SEK 174

24.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 SEK 30.04

$3.10 SEK 30.51

-1.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 25.85

$2.73 SEK 26.95

-4.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 SEK 31.30

$3.12 SEK 30.75

1.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 SEK 43.75

$4.35 SEK 42.90

2.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 17.14

$1.59 SEK 15.71

9.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 SEK 14.99

$1.67 SEK 16.47

-8.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 SEK 24.46

$2.40 SEK 23.66

3.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 SEK 12.89

$1.51 SEK 14.89

-13.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.79 SEK 76.7

$7.53 SEK 74.2

3.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.80 SEK 116

$10.37 SEK 102

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SEK 19.72

$2.00 SEK 19.69

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SEK 22.85

$2.24 SEK 22.03

3.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 SEK 31.49

$3.52 SEK 34.67

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 SEK 636

$81.5 SEK 803

-20.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.42 SEK 63.3

$6.24 SEK 61.5

2.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 SEK 24.00

$1.78 SEK 17.49

37.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.8 SEK 510

$62.7 SEK 618

-17.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 SEK 17.33

$2.25 SEK 22.13

-21.78%

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

$33.2K SEK 327.4K

$33.8K SEK 332.9K

-1.66%

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

$33.7K SEK 332.3K

$34.4K SEK 339.0K

-1.99%

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

$140 SEK 1,384

$109 SEK 1,079

28.32%

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

$26.87 SEK 265

$27.65 SEK 272

-2.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.50 SEK 370

$39.94 SEK 394

-6.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.40 SEK 428

$39.42 SEK 388

10.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.75 SEK 293

$25.76 SEK 254

15.49%

Cinema Ticket

$17.63 SEK 174

$16.79 SEK 165

5.00%

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

$172 SEK 1,695

$161 SEK 1,589

6.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,416 SEK 33.7K

$5,151 SEK 50.8K

-33.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 SEK 1,012

$94.0 SEK 926

9.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.61 SEK 459

$43.38 SEK 428

7.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 SEK 1,120

$94.7 SEK 933

20.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 SEK 1,542

$142 SEK 1,397

10.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 SEK 10.3K

$838 SEK 8,256

24.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 SEK 8,044

$632 SEK 6,228

29.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 SEK 17.2K

$1,430 SEK 14.1K

22.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 SEK 13.6K

$1,123 SEK 11.1K

22.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,211 SEK 41.5K

$4,173 SEK 41.1K

0.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,287 SEK 32.4K

$2,966 SEK 29.2K

10.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,113 SEK 30.7K

$3,461 SEK 34.1K

-10.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.02

-24.50%

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

Last update for Malmo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kiruna: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,044 in Malmo versus $838 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 11% 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 $77.0 in Malmo versus $130 in Kiruna. Groceries tell a different story – $383 in Malmo vs $369 in Kiruna – so Kiruna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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, $1,817 in Kiruna – roughly 15% 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 $2,726 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.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Malmo and $130 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 $1,817, 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 $1,817 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.