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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,106 per month in Malmo vs $1,853 in Ostersund, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,222 per month in Malmo vs $2,860 in Ostersund, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,338 per month in Malmo vs $3,867 in Ostersund, rent included.

Malmo costs about 14% 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

$13.61 SEK 127

$13.21 SEK 123

3.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.2 SEK 783

$73.7 SEK 685

14.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.88 SEK 120

$10.60 SEK 98.6

21.51%

Cappuccino

$5.01 SEK 46.55

$4.50 SEK 41.88

11.33%

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

$2.74 SEK 25.45

$2.79 SEK 25.92

-1.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SEK 19.74

$2.49 SEK 23.16

-14.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 SEK 75.2

$7.85 SEK 73.0

3.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 SEK 75.3

$7.42 SEK 69.0

9.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SEK 15.84

$1.53 SEK 14.27

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 SEK 28.88

$3.08 SEK 28.67

0.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.62 SEK 33.67

$5.10 SEK 47.47

-29.02%

Eggs

$4.48 SEK 41.62

$3.61 SEK 33.61

24.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.25 SEK 114

$14.49 SEK 135

-15.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.78 SEK 119

$11.74 SEK 109

8.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.29 SEK 254

$15.97 SEK 149

70.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 SEK 31.86

$4.54 SEK 42.24

-24.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 26.97

$3.00 SEK 27.89

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 SEK 31.42

$3.73 SEK 34.65

-9.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 SEK 45.29

$4.19 SEK 39.00

16.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 16.98

$3.71 SEK 34.47

-50.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 17.60

$1.85 SEK 17.18

2.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 SEK 24.13

$2.63 SEK 24.44

-1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 SEK 11.91

$1.53 SEK 14.19

-16.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.95 SEK 74.0

$8.20 SEK 76.3

-3.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 SEK 114

$11.06 SEK 103

10.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 SEK 22.61

$1.97 SEK 18.29

23.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 SEK 25.84

$1.95 SEK 18.10

42.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 SEK 31.67

$3.28 SEK 30.53

3.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.0 SEK 651

$74.6 SEK 694

-6.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 SEK 61.5

$6.12 SEK 56.9

8.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 24.57

$1.67 SEK 15.49

58.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.1 SEK 531

$61.5 SEK 572

-7.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 SEK 18.07

$2.09 SEK 19.44

-7.18%

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

$33.0K SEK 306.7K

$32.8K SEK 304.6K

0.68%

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

$33.8K SEK 314.0K

$34.4K SEK 319.9K

-1.82%

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

$157 SEK 1,461

$115 SEK 1,065

37.12%

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

$30.03 SEK 279

$28.51 SEK 265

5.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.01 SEK 372

$37.11 SEK 345

7.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.47 SEK 367

$39.73 SEK 369

-0.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 SEK 222

$24.92 SEK 232

-4.33%

Cinema Ticket

$17.91 SEK 167

$15.69 SEK 146

14.15%

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

$159 SEK 1,477

$129 SEK 1,202

22.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,807 SEK 44.7K

$4,151 SEK 38.6K

15.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 SEK 987

$94.4 SEK 878

12.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.76 SEK 416

$41.27 SEK 384

8.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 SEK 1,130

$95.5 SEK 888

27.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 SEK 1,528

$153 SEK 1,418

7.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 SEK 8,619

$830 SEK 7,715

11.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 SEK 7,168

$647 SEK 6,012

19.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,719 SEK 16.0K

$1,420 SEK 13.2K

21.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 SEK 12.5K

$1,061 SEK 9,872

26.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,420 SEK 41.1K

$4,517 SEK 42.0K

-2.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,390 SEK 31.5K

$2,965 SEK 27.6K

14.32%

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 Ostersund: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in Malmo versus $830 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 $84.0 in Malmo versus $74.0 in Ostersund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $387 – 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 14% 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 $3,160 per month in Malmo and $2,780 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 $1,853, than in Malmo at $2,106. 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 $1,853 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 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.