Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Stockholm Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Stockholm

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,093 per month in Malmo vs $2,732 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,234 per month in Malmo vs $4,130 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,376 per month in Malmo vs $5,527 in Stockholm, rent included.

Malmo is about 23% cheaper than Stockholm, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Malmo and Stockholm sit above the global median – Malmo by 52%, Stockholm by 99%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.36 SEK 148

$18.42 SEK 177

-16.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.8 SEK 768

$103 SEK 988

-22.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.28 SEK 118

$11.43 SEK 110

7.44%

Cappuccino

$4.87 SEK 46.91

$5.35 SEK 51.5

-8.97%

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

$3.55 SEK 34.19

$3.89 SEK 37.43

-8.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 SEK 27.31

$3.20 SEK 30.85

-11.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.09 SEK 87.6

$8.46 SEK 81.5

7.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.34 SEK 90.0

$9.19 SEK 88.5

1.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 SEK 17.66

$1.74 SEK 16.80

5.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 SEK 28.89

$4.17 SEK 40.14

-28.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 SEK 35.06

$4.09 SEK 39.39

-11.00%

Eggs

$4.18 SEK 40.28

$5.19 SEK 49.96

-19.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 SEK 128

$13.23 SEK 127

0.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.35 SEK 119

$13.55 SEK 131

-8.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.05 SEK 212

$22.30 SEK 215

-1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 SEK 30.06

$3.55 SEK 34.19

-12.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 24.72

$2.97 SEK 28.63

-13.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 SEK 29.58

$3.17 SEK 30.57

-3.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 SEK 42.61

$4.70 SEK 45.23

-5.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 SEK 16.98

$1.87 SEK 17.97

-5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 15.39

$1.80 SEK 17.37

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 SEK 25.44

$2.49 SEK 23.95

6.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 SEK 12.38

$2.49 SEK 23.95

-48.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.95 SEK 76.6

$9.10 SEK 87.7

-12.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 SEK 114

$12.67 SEK 122

-6.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 SEK 20.64

$2.14 SEK 20.66

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SEK 23.39

$2.56 SEK 24.64

-5.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.27 SEK 31.47

$4.61 SEK 44.44

-29.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 SEK 641

$113 SEK 1,085

-40.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 SEK 60.6

$6.20 SEK 59.7

1.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 SEK 24.12

$1.53 SEK 14.74

63.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.8 SEK 508

$59.2 SEK 570

-10.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.39

$1.82 SEK 17.55

-0.55%

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

$34.1K SEK 328.5K

$34.5K SEK 332.1K

-1.07%

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

$35.1K SEK 338.4K

$35.1K SEK 338.3K

0.03%

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

$143 SEK 1,376

$281 SEK 2,709

-49.19%

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

$27.75 SEK 267

$22.69 SEK 218

22.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.07 SEK 376

$40.70 SEK 392

-4.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.75 SEK 441

$48.06 SEK 463

-4.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.43 SEK 293

$41.41 SEK 399

-26.52%

Cinema Ticket

$18.13 SEK 175

$19.78 SEK 191

-8.34%

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

$176 SEK 1,692

$172 SEK 1,658

2.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,485 SEK 33.6K

$16.8K SEK 162.2K

-79.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 1,000

$120 SEK 1,157

-13.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.39 SEK 447

$57.8 SEK 557

-19.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 SEK 1,150

$142 SEK 1,365

-15.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 SEK 1,535

$203 SEK 1,952

-21.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 SEK 10.2K

$1,787 SEK 17.2K

-41.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 SEK 8,142

$1,096 SEK 10.6K

-22.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 SEK 16.7K

$3,323 SEK 32.0K

-47.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 SEK 13.7K

$1,859 SEK 17.9K

-23.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,223 SEK 40.7K

$11.7K SEK 113.0K

-64.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,338 SEK 32.1K

$6,611 SEK 63.7K

-49.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,200 SEK 30.8K

$3,662 SEK 35.3K

-12.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.02

3.31

-8.76%

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

Last update for Malmo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,054 in Malmo versus $1,787 in Stockholm. 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 14% higher in Stockholm, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Malmo versus $103 in Stockholm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $433 – making Malmo 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 Stockholm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stockholm costs about 31% more than Malmo, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,139 per month in Malmo and $4,098 in Stockholm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $176 per month in Malmo and $172 in Stockholm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Stockholm, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malmo, where all-in costs run around $2,093, than in Stockholm at $2,732. In Malmo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malmo costs $2,093 versus $2,732 in Stockholm. 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 Malmo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stockholm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.