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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,081 per month in Malmo vs $2,582 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,224 per month in Malmo vs $3,840 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,368 per month in Malmo vs $5,098 in Stockholm, rent included.

Malmo is about 19% cheaper than Stockholm, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Malmo and Stockholm sit above the global median – Malmo by 56%, Stockholm by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.74 SEK 133

$16.09 SEK 156

-14.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.5 SEK 807

$110 SEK 1,065

-24.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.74 SEK 123

$11.68 SEK 113

9.08%

Cappuccino

$5.15 SEK 49.73

$5.20 SEK 50.3

-0.96%

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

$2.68 SEK 25.92

$3.28 SEK 31.74

-18.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SEK 20.29

$2.47 SEK 23.85

-14.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 SEK 75.5

$8.51 SEK 82.3

-8.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 SEK 77.4

$8.31 SEK 80.3

-3.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 16.76

$1.80 SEK 17.38

-3.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 SEK 29.73

$3.41 SEK 32.94

-9.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 SEK 33.67

$4.07 SEK 39.31

-14.50%

Eggs

$4.53 SEK 43.80

$4.70 SEK 45.47

-3.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.41 SEK 120

$12.77 SEK 123

-2.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.01 SEK 126

$13.23 SEK 128

-1.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.83 SEK 259

$19.40 SEK 187

38.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 SEK 32.84

$3.60 SEK 34.77

-5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 28.43

$2.90 SEK 28.01

1.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 SEK 31.83

$3.38 SEK 32.64

-2.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 SEK 46.69

$4.59 SEK 44.35

5.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 18.10

$1.96 SEK 18.98

-4.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 SEK 18.76

$1.89 SEK 18.23

2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 SEK 24.68

$2.52 SEK 24.32

1.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 13.00

$1.61 SEK 15.60

-16.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.88 SEK 76.2

$8.06 SEK 77.9

-2.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 SEK 113

$12.53 SEK 121

-6.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 23.25

$2.19 SEK 21.15

9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SEK 26.39

$2.36 SEK 22.83

15.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.46 SEK 33.40

$4.55 SEK 44.02

-23.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.0 SEK 686

$112 SEK 1,083

-36.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 SEK 65.3

$6.40 SEK 61.9

5.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 25.49

$1.66 SEK 16.00

59.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.1 SEK 552

$63.3 SEK 612

-9.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.41

$1.86 SEK 17.97

2.15%

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

$33.0K SEK 318.6K

$33.0K SEK 319.3K

-0.22%

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

$33.9K SEK 328.1K

$34.5K SEK 333.9K

-1.73%

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

$155 SEK 1,496

$227 SEK 2,196

-31.88%

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

$29.60 SEK 286

$29.59 SEK 286

0.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.55 SEK 382

$42.03 SEK 406

-5.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.29 SEK 380

$46.01 SEK 445

-14.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.47 SEK 227

$38.09 SEK 368

-38.38%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 SEK 172

$17.78 SEK 172

0.17%

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

$157 SEK 1,520

$164 SEK 1,587

-4.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,884 SEK 47.2K

$6,573 SEK 63.5K

-25.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 1,013

$97.6 SEK 944

7.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.70 SEK 442

$49.76 SEK 481

-8.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 SEK 1,199

$120 SEK 1,163

3.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 SEK 1,607

$202 SEK 1,951

-17.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 SEK 8,856

$1,566 SEK 15.1K

-41.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$791 SEK 7,642

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

-27.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 SEK 16.4K

$2,754 SEK 26.6K

-38.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 SEK 13.3K

$1,801 SEK 17.4K

-23.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,179 SEK 40.4K

$11.8K SEK 113.7K

-64.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,318 SEK 32.1K

$6,496 SEK 62.8K

-48.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 SEK 30.4K

$3,643 SEK 35.2K

-13.60%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Malmo versus $1,566 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 16% 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 $83.0 in Malmo versus $110 in Stockholm. Groceries tell a different story – $412 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 24% 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 $3,121 per month in Malmo and $3,873 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 $157 per month in Malmo and $164 in Stockholm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $2,081, than in Stockholm at $2,582. 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 $2,081 versus $2,582 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.