Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Tumba Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Tumba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,092 per month in Malmo vs $1,823 in Tumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,273 per month in Malmo vs $2,826 in Tumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,454 per month in Malmo vs $3,829 in Tumba, rent included.

Malmo costs about 15% more than Tumba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malmo and Tumba sit above the global median – Malmo by 57%, Tumba by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.93 SEK 130

$14.67 SEK 137

-5.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 SEK 793

$67.3 SEK 630

25.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.56 SEK 117

$10.43 SEK 97.6

20.42%

Cappuccino

$5.11 SEK 47.78

$4.56 SEK 42.65

12.06%

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

$2.83 SEK 26.48

$2.77 SEK 25.92

2.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 SEK 20.38

$2.40 SEK 22.45

-9.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 SEK 74.6

$7.49 SEK 70.1

6.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 SEK 75.3

$7.45 SEK 69.7

8.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SEK 15.76

$1.79 SEK 16.79

-5.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 SEK 29.53

$3.18 SEK 29.76

-0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 SEK 34.16

$3.97 SEK 37.12

-8.06%

Eggs

$4.46 SEK 41.72

$4.03 SEK 37.68

10.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 SEK 115

$12.99 SEK 122

-5.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.84 SEK 120

$12.88 SEK 121

-0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.92 SEK 252

$15.95 SEK 149

68.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 SEK 31.84

$3.48 SEK 32.58

-2.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 26.54

$2.57 SEK 24.01

10.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 SEK 30.87

$1.54 SEK 14.41

114.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.71 SEK 44.02

$4.45 SEK 41.64

5.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 SEK 17.33

$1.50 SEK 14.03

23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 SEK 18.24

$1.81 SEK 16.97

7.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 SEK 24.21

$2.61 SEK 24.39

-0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 SEK 12.13

$1.63 SEK 15.25

-20.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.26 SEK 77.3

$7.43 SEK 69.5

11.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.03 SEK 113

$10.59 SEK 99.0

13.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 SEK 22.68

$1.72 SEK 16.06

40.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 SEK 25.82

$1.91 SEK 17.85

44.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.33 SEK 31.13

$4.56 SEK 42.65

-26.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.5 SEK 659

$109 SEK 1,019

-35.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 SEK 61.4

$6.17 SEK 57.7

6.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.67 SEK 24.97

$1.24 SEK 11.62

115.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.4 SEK 537

$20.80 SEK 195

175.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.57

$1.98 SEK 18.51

0.51%

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

$32.2K SEK 300.9K

$32.8K SEK 306.5K

-1.81%

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

$33.6K SEK 314.1K

$34.0K SEK 317.7K

-1.12%

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

$151 SEK 1,417

$90.2 SEK 844

67.88%

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

$30.27 SEK 283

$28.47 SEK 266

6.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 SEK 375

$42.27 SEK 395

-5.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.38 SEK 368

$43.41 SEK 406

-9.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.06 SEK 225

$25.07 SEK 235

-4.03%

Cinema Ticket

$17.99 SEK 168

$16.39 SEK 153

9.76%

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

$161 SEK 1,510

$145 SEK 1,360

11.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,852 SEK 45.4K

$4,105 SEK 38.4K

18.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 971

$106 SEK 987

-1.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 SEK 411

$43.81 SEK 410

0.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 SEK 1,152

$115 SEK 1,076

7.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 SEK 1,558

$159 SEK 1,484

5.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 SEK 8,416

$837 SEK 7,829

7.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 SEK 7,243

$648 SEK 6,063

19.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 SEK 15.8K

$1,366 SEK 12.8K

23.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 SEK 12.5K

$1,069 SEK 10.0K

25.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,382 SEK 41.0K

$4,511 SEK 42.2K

-2.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,406 SEK 31.9K

$2,874 SEK 26.9K

18.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,257 SEK 30.5K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Tumba: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $900 in Malmo versus $837 in Tumba. 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 $85.0 in Malmo versus $67.0 in Tumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $366 – making Tumba 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 Tumba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 15% more than Tumba, 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 $3,138 per month in Malmo and $2,734 in Tumba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $161 per month in Malmo and $145 in Tumba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tumba, where all-in costs run around $1,823, than in Malmo at $2,092. In Tumba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tumba costs $1,823 versus $2,092 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 Tumba. 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.