Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Ostersund Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Ostersund

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,083 per month in Malmo vs $1,843 in Ostersund, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,191 per month in Malmo vs $2,834 in Ostersund, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,299 per month in Malmo vs $3,825 in Ostersund, rent included.

Malmo costs about 13% more than Ostersund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malmo and Ostersund sit above the global median – Malmo by 57%, Ostersund by 38%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.51 SEK 128

$13.50 SEK 128

0.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.8 SEK 787

$72.5 SEK 689

14.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.55 SEK 119

$10.73 SEK 102

16.96%

Cappuccino

$4.90 SEK 46.51

$4.74 SEK 45.03

3.38%

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

$2.71 SEK 25.78

$2.75 SEK 26.12

-1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 19.78

$2.51 SEK 23.81

-17.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 SEK 76.3

$7.97 SEK 75.8

0.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 SEK 76.9

$7.73 SEK 73.4

4.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SEK 15.98

$1.49 SEK 14.17

12.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 SEK 29.07

$3.01 SEK 28.60

1.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 SEK 33.22

$4.89 SEK 46.48

-28.43%

Eggs

$4.44 SEK 42.22

$3.42 SEK 32.53

29.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 SEK 114

$14.43 SEK 137

-16.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.88 SEK 122

$11.85 SEK 113

8.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.59 SEK 262

$16.20 SEK 154

70.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 SEK 31.29

$4.37 SEK 41.47

-24.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 27.90

$2.95 SEK 28.00

-0.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 SEK 32.16

$3.77 SEK 35.78

-10.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 SEK 47.21

$4.32 SEK 41.02

15.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.35

$3.76 SEK 35.69

-51.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 SEK 18.86

$1.77 SEK 16.85

12.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 SEK 23.62

$2.51 SEK 23.88

-0.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 12.69

$1.56 SEK 14.86

-14.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SEK 74.5

$8.18 SEK 77.7

-4.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.58 SEK 110

$10.11 SEK 96.0

14.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 SEK 23.59

$1.97 SEK 18.71

25.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 25.25

$1.98 SEK 18.84

34.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 SEK 31.22

$3.45 SEK 32.73

-4.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.2 SEK 676

$73.2 SEK 695

-2.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 SEK 61.4

$6.45 SEK 61.3

0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 25.09

$1.65 SEK 15.68

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.7 SEK 539

$62.8 SEK 596

-9.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.27

$2.07 SEK 19.64

-7.25%

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

$32.7K SEK 310.6K

$32.9K SEK 313.0K

-0.77%

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

$33.8K SEK 321.0K

$34.2K SEK 325.3K

-1.32%

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

$156 SEK 1,478

$116 SEK 1,101

34.15%

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

$30.25 SEK 287

$29.20 SEK 277

3.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.72 SEK 387

$37.09 SEK 352

9.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 SEK 367

$40.91 SEK 389

-5.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.36 SEK 222

$25.43 SEK 242

-8.14%

Cinema Ticket

$18.05 SEK 171

$15.24 SEK 145

18.44%

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

$159 SEK 1,515

$129 SEK 1,227

23.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,792 SEK 45.5K

$4,066 SEK 38.6K

17.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 1,001

$96.5 SEK 916

9.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.78 SEK 425

$40.03 SEK 380

11.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 SEK 1,169

$97.8 SEK 929

25.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 SEK 1,574

$148 SEK 1,411

11.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 SEK 8,849

$831 SEK 7,895

12.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$796 SEK 7,557

$667 SEK 6,336

19.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 SEK 16.1K

$1,404 SEK 13.3K

20.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 SEK 13.0K

$1,079 SEK 10.3K

26.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,150 SEK 39.4K

$3,798 SEK 36.1K

9.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,245 SEK 30.8K

$2,909 SEK 27.6K

11.58%

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 Ostersund: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $931 in Malmo versus $831 in Ostersund. 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 $72.0 in Ostersund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $383 – making Ostersund 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 Ostersund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 13% more than Ostersund, 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 $2,764 in Ostersund. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $159 per month in Malmo and $129 in Ostersund. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ostersund, where all-in costs run around $1,843, than in Malmo at $2,083. In Ostersund it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ostersund costs $1,843 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 Ostersund. 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.