Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Kista Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Kista

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,106 per month in Malmo vs $1,793 in Kista, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,222 per month in Malmo vs $2,815 in Kista, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,338 per month in Malmo vs $3,837 in Kista, rent included.

Malmo costs about 18% more than Kista, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malmo and Kista sit above the global median – Malmo by 57%, Kista by 34%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.61 SEK 127

$13.70 SEK 127

-0.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.2 SEK 783

$74.0 SEK 688

13.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.88 SEK 120

$10.59 SEK 98.5

21.62%

Cappuccino

$5.01 SEK 46.55

$4.62 SEK 43.01

8.44%

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

$2.74 SEK 25.45

$2.74 SEK 25.47

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SEK 19.74

$2.47 SEK 22.97

-14.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 SEK 75.2

$7.90 SEK 73.5

2.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 SEK 75.3

$7.31 SEK 68.0

10.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SEK 15.84

$1.68 SEK 15.60

1.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 SEK 28.88

$2.74 SEK 25.51

13.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.62 SEK 33.67

$3.76 SEK 35.01

-3.72%

Eggs

$4.48 SEK 41.62

$4.25 SEK 39.51

5.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.25 SEK 114

$11.98 SEK 111

2.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.78 SEK 119

$11.99 SEK 111

6.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.29 SEK 254

$16.81 SEK 156

62.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 SEK 31.86

$3.17 SEK 29.50

8.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 26.97

$2.57 SEK 23.89

12.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 SEK 31.42

$3.00 SEK 27.94

12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 SEK 45.29

$4.47 SEK 41.59

8.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 16.98

$1.64 SEK 15.23

11.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 17.60

$1.80 SEK 16.70

5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 SEK 24.13

$2.61 SEK 24.28

-0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 SEK 11.91

$1.56 SEK 14.48

-17.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.95 SEK 74.0

$7.30 SEK 67.9

8.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 SEK 114

$11.71 SEK 109

4.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 SEK 22.61

$1.90 SEK 17.72

27.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 SEK 25.84

$1.97 SEK 18.36

41.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 SEK 31.67

$3.46 SEK 32.17

-1.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.0 SEK 651

$72.9 SEK 678

-3.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 SEK 61.5

$6.32 SEK 58.8

4.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 24.57

$1.60 SEK 14.85

65.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.1 SEK 531

$62.7 SEK 583

-8.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 SEK 18.07

$1.99 SEK 18.46

-2.51%

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

$33.0K SEK 306.7K

$32.0K SEK 297.6K

3.05%

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

$33.8K SEK 314.0K

$34.9K SEK 324.2K

-3.13%

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

$157 SEK 1,461

$113 SEK 1,048

39.44%

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

$30.03 SEK 279

$28.32 SEK 263

6.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.01 SEK 372

$36.33 SEK 338

10.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.47 SEK 367

$40.09 SEK 373

-1.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 SEK 222

$25.58 SEK 238

-6.80%

Cinema Ticket

$17.91 SEK 167

$15.59 SEK 145

14.88%

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

$159 SEK 1,477

$144 SEK 1,341

10.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,807 SEK 44.7K

$4,172 SEK 38.8K

15.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 SEK 987

$95.7 SEK 890

11.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.76 SEK 416

$41.45 SEK 386

7.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 SEK 1,130

$98.1 SEK 912

23.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 SEK 1,528

$153 SEK 1,425

7.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 SEK 8,619

$841 SEK 7,818

10.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 SEK 7,168

$663 SEK 6,166

16.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,719 SEK 16.0K

$1,401 SEK 13.0K

22.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 SEK 12.5K

$1,067 SEK 9,924

25.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,420 SEK 41.1K

$4,449 SEK 41.4K

-0.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,390 SEK 31.5K

$2,664 SEK 24.8K

27.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,361 SEK 31.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

4.53

7.28%

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

Last update for Malmo: April 28, 2026

Last update for Kista: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in Malmo versus $841 in Kista. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Malmo versus $74.0 in Kista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $363 – making Kista 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 Kista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 18% more than Kista, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,160 per month in Malmo and $2,689 in Kista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,106 in Malmo and $1,793 in Kista. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Kista. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kista, where all-in costs run around $1,793, than in Malmo at $2,106. In Kista it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kista costs $1,793 versus $2,106 in Malmo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kista. 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.