Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Uppsala Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Uppsala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,083 per month in Malmo vs $1,989 in Uppsala, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,221 per month in Malmo vs $3,078 in Uppsala, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,359 per month in Malmo vs $4,167 in Uppsala, rent included.

Malmo costs about 5% more than Uppsala, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Malmo and Uppsala sit above the global median – Malmo by 52%, Uppsala by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.40 SEK 151

$15.53 SEK 152

-0.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 SEK 750

$82.1 SEK 803

-6.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 SEK 120

$10.16 SEK 99.4

20.28%

Cappuccino

$5.10 SEK 49.91

$4.99 SEK 48.80

2.20%

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

$3.37 SEK 32.99

$3.14 SEK 30.73

7.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 SEK 26.17

$2.39 SEK 23.33

12.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.97 SEK 87.7

$7.97 SEK 77.9

12.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.97 SEK 87.7

$10.15 SEK 99.2

-11.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SEK 17.11

$1.81 SEK 17.74

-3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 SEK 29.66

$3.04 SEK 29.69

-0.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 SEK 35.01

$4.13 SEK 40.39

-13.32%

Eggs

$4.23 SEK 41.39

$5.17 SEK 50.6

-18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 SEK 128

$10.21 SEK 99.9

28.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.22 SEK 120

$14.82 SEK 145

-17.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.01 SEK 215

$17.98 SEK 176

22.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 SEK 29.81

$4.34 SEK 42.41

-29.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 25.66

$2.81 SEK 27.50

-6.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 SEK 31.07

$3.77 SEK 36.87

-15.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 SEK 43.42

$5.49 SEK 53.7

-19.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 17.01

$1.81 SEK 17.67

-3.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 SEK 14.87

$1.71 SEK 16.71

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 SEK 24.27

$2.62 SEK 25.65

-5.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 SEK 12.79

$1.32 SEK 12.91

-0.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.79 SEK 76.2

$7.98 SEK 78.1

-2.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.80 SEK 115

$10.27 SEK 100

14.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SEK 19.57

$2.51 SEK 24.56

-20.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SEK 22.67

$2.66 SEK 26.03

-12.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 SEK 31.25

$3.93 SEK 38.48

-18.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 SEK 631

$113 SEK 1,102

-42.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.42 SEK 62.8

$5.69 SEK 55.6

12.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 SEK 23.81

$1.30 SEK 12.66

87.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.8 SEK 506

$63.1 SEK 617

-17.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 SEK 17.19

$1.81 SEK 17.66

-2.76%

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

$33.2K SEK 324.9K

$33.7K SEK 329.9K

-1.50%

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

$33.7K SEK 329.8K

$33.2K SEK 324.5K

1.63%

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

$140 SEK 1,374

$116 SEK 1,133

21.22%

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

$26.87 SEK 263

$19.04 SEK 186

41.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.50 SEK 367

$44.43 SEK 434

-15.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.40 SEK 424

$39.93 SEK 391

8.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.75 SEK 291

$24.26 SEK 237

22.63%

Cinema Ticket

$17.63 SEK 172

$19.65 SEK 192

-10.28%

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

$172 SEK 1,682

$128 SEK 1,253

34.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,416 SEK 33.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 SEK 1,005

$92.8 SEK 907

10.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.61 SEK 456

$50.5 SEK 494

-7.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 SEK 1,112

$96.5 SEK 944

17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 SEK 1,530

$208 SEK 2,038

-24.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 SEK 10.2K

$906 SEK 8,861

15.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 SEK 7,983

$716 SEK 7,007

13.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 SEK 17.1K

$1,795 SEK 17.6K

-2.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 SEK 13.5K

$1,160 SEK 11.3K

18.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,211 SEK 41.2K

$5,446 SEK 53.3K

-22.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,287 SEK 32.1K

$2,613 SEK 25.6K

25.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,113 SEK 30.4K

$3,073 SEK 30.1K

1.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.02

3.94

-23.35%

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

Last update for Malmo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Uppsala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,044 in Malmo versus $906 in Uppsala. 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 1% higher in Malmo, 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 $77.0 in Malmo versus $82.0 in Uppsala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $399 – 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 Uppsala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 5% more than Uppsala, 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 $3,125 per month in Malmo and $2,984 in Uppsala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $172 per month in Malmo and $128 in Uppsala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Malmo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Uppsala, where all-in costs run around $1,989, than in Malmo at $2,083. In Uppsala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Uppsala costs $1,989 versus $2,083 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 Uppsala. 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.