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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,083 per month in Malmo vs $1,780 in Kista, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,191 per month in Malmo vs $2,756 in Kista, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,299 per month in Malmo vs $3,732 in Kista, rent included.

Malmo costs about 17% 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

$13.51 SEK 128

$13.69 SEK 130

-1.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.8 SEK 787

$73.1 SEK 695

13.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.55 SEK 119

$10.52 SEK 100.0

19.30%

Cappuccino

$4.90 SEK 46.51

$4.60 SEK 43.69

6.52%

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

$2.71 SEK 25.78

$2.70 SEK 25.61

0.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 19.78

$2.50 SEK 23.72

-16.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 SEK 76.3

$7.86 SEK 74.7

2.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 SEK 76.9

$7.18 SEK 68.3

12.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SEK 15.98

$1.62 SEK 15.36

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 SEK 29.07

$2.74 SEK 26.07

11.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 SEK 33.22

$3.80 SEK 36.12

-7.89%

Eggs

$4.44 SEK 42.22

$4.24 SEK 40.26

4.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 SEK 114

$11.84 SEK 112

1.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.88 SEK 122

$11.58 SEK 110

11.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.59 SEK 262

$17.16 SEK 163

60.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 SEK 31.29

$3.20 SEK 30.44

2.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 27.90

$2.71 SEK 25.71

8.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 SEK 32.16

$3.10 SEK 29.46

9.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 SEK 47.21

$4.39 SEK 41.73

13.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.35

$1.62 SEK 15.39

12.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 SEK 18.86

$1.80 SEK 17.06

10.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 SEK 23.62

$2.58 SEK 24.53

-3.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 12.69

$1.51 SEK 14.38

-11.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SEK 74.5

$7.27 SEK 69.0

7.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.58 SEK 110

$9.83 SEK 93.4

17.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 SEK 23.59

$1.91 SEK 18.17

29.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 25.25

$1.90 SEK 18.03

40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 SEK 31.22

$3.42 SEK 32.53

-3.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.2 SEK 676

$74.1 SEK 704

-3.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 SEK 61.4

$6.38 SEK 60.7

1.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 25.09

$1.60 SEK 15.24

65.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.7 SEK 539

$63.1 SEK 599

-10.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.27

$1.90 SEK 18.09

1.05%

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

$32.7K SEK 310.6K

$32.2K SEK 305.7K

1.60%

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

$33.8K SEK 321.0K

$34.0K SEK 323.0K

-0.63%

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

$156 SEK 1,478

$114 SEK 1,085

36.21%

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

$30.25 SEK 287

$28.54 SEK 271

5.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.72 SEK 387

$36.96 SEK 351

10.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 SEK 367

$40.39 SEK 384

-4.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.36 SEK 222

$25.40 SEK 241

-8.03%

Cinema Ticket

$18.05 SEK 171

$15.61 SEK 148

15.63%

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

$159 SEK 1,515

$145 SEK 1,380

9.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,792 SEK 45.5K

$4,118 SEK 39.1K

16.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 1,001

$94.1 SEK 894

11.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.78 SEK 425

$40.14 SEK 381

11.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 SEK 1,169

$99.0 SEK 940

24.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 SEK 1,574

$154 SEK 1,461

7.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 SEK 8,849

$835 SEK 7,931

11.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$796 SEK 7,557

$645 SEK 6,131

23.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 SEK 16.1K

$1,381 SEK 13.1K

22.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 SEK 13.0K

$1,081 SEK 10.3K

26.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,150 SEK 39.4K

$4,281 SEK 40.7K

-3.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,245 SEK 30.8K

$3,076 SEK 29.2K

5.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,144 SEK 29.9K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Kista: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $931 in Malmo versus $835 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 $83.0 in Malmo versus $73.0 in Kista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $357 – 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 17% 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 $3,125 per month in Malmo and $2,669 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 $2,083 in Malmo and $1,780 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 $1,780, than in Malmo at $2,083. 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 $1,780 versus $2,083 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.