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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,047 per month in Malmo vs $2,505 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,170 per month in Malmo vs $3,800 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,292 per month in Malmo vs $5,096 in Stockholm, rent included.

Malmo is about 18% cheaper than Stockholm, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Malmo and Stockholm sit above the global median – Malmo by 53%, Stockholm by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 SEK 127

$16.12 SEK 151

-16.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 SEK 804

$112 SEK 1,052

-23.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 SEK 119

$11.58 SEK 109

9.41%

Cappuccino

$5.05 SEK 47.48

$5.08 SEK 47.72

-0.59%

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

$2.69 SEK 25.24

$3.30 SEK 30.99

-18.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 SEK 20.21

$2.50 SEK 23.51

-14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 SEK 75.2

$8.67 SEK 81.5

-7.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 SEK 77.1

$8.30 SEK 78.0

-1.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SEK 15.72

$1.72 SEK 16.14

-2.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 SEK 29.19

$3.46 SEK 32.50

-10.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 33.93

$3.99 SEK 37.52

-9.52%

Eggs

$4.42 SEK 41.49

$4.72 SEK 44.30

-6.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 SEK 113

$13.03 SEK 122

-7.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.78 SEK 120

$12.91 SEK 121

-1.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.50 SEK 258

$19.56 SEK 184

40.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 SEK 30.69

$3.62 SEK 33.96

-9.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 SEK 26.12

$2.83 SEK 26.54

-1.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 SEK 30.45

$3.39 SEK 31.83

-4.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 SEK 44.97

$4.60 SEK 43.17

4.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.19

$1.90 SEK 17.82

-3.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 SEK 18.34

$1.88 SEK 17.66

3.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 SEK 24.14

$2.60 SEK 24.43

-1.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 12.58

$1.61 SEK 15.08

-16.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 SEK 76.4

$7.82 SEK 73.5

3.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.10 SEK 114

$12.85 SEK 121

-5.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 SEK 23.75

$2.16 SEK 20.29

17.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 24.96

$2.24 SEK 21.09

18.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.36 SEK 31.58

$4.57 SEK 42.88

-26.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.3 SEK 651

$110 SEK 1,035

-37.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 SEK 60.5

$6.27 SEK 58.9

2.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 24.80

$1.57 SEK 14.77

68.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.2 SEK 528

$62.5 SEK 587

-10.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.04

$1.82 SEK 17.09

5.49%

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

$33.1K SEK 310.7K

$33.0K SEK 309.6K

0.34%

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

$33.8K SEK 317.4K

$35.4K SEK 332.7K

-4.58%

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

$154 SEK 1,442

$229 SEK 2,148

-32.83%

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

$30.36 SEK 285

$28.82 SEK 271

5.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.38 SEK 379

$41.69 SEK 392

-3.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.30 SEK 360

$46.58 SEK 438

-17.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.78 SEK 223

$38.46 SEK 361

-38.17%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 SEK 167

$17.65 SEK 166

0.91%

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

$162 SEK 1,518

$165 SEK 1,552

-2.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,876 SEK 45.8K

$6,662 SEK 62.6K

-26.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 983

$97.4 SEK 915

7.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.70 SEK 429

$49.44 SEK 464

-7.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 SEK 1,166

$117 SEK 1,097

6.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 SEK 1,552

$204 SEK 1,920

-19.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 SEK 8,751

$1,589 SEK 14.9K

-41.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 SEK 7,264

$1,107 SEK 10.4K

-30.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,721 SEK 16.2K

$2,769 SEK 26.0K

-37.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,343 SEK 12.6K

$1,805 SEK 17.0K

-25.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,311 SEK 40.5K

$12.2K SEK 115.0K

-64.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,360 SEK 31.6K

$6,689 SEK 62.8K

-49.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,353 SEK 31.5K

$3,779 SEK 35.5K

-11.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

4.16

16.83%

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

Last update for Malmo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $932 in Malmo versus $1,589 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 13% 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 $86.0 in Malmo versus $112 in Stockholm. Groceries tell a different story – $410 in Malmo vs $401 in Stockholm – so Stockholm wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 22% 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 $3,071 per month in Malmo and $3,758 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 $162 per month in Malmo and $165 in Stockholm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Stockholm – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malmo, where all-in costs run around $2,047, than in Stockholm at $2,505. 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 $2,047 versus $2,505 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.