Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Varberg Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Varberg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,148 per month in Malmo vs $1,671 in Varberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,268 per month in Malmo vs $2,673 in Varberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,388 per month in Malmo vs $3,675 in Varberg, rent included.

Malmo costs about 28% more than Varberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Malmo and Varberg sit above the global median – Malmo by 56%, Varberg by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.41 SEK 149

$15.62 SEK 151

-1.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 SEK 775

$79.9 SEK 774

0.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 SEK 119

$10.59 SEK 103

16.34%

Cappuccino

$4.96 SEK 48.04

$3.90 SEK 37.85

27.18%

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

$3.56 SEK 34.54

$1.23 SEK 11.90

189.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SEK 26.04

$1.12 SEK 10.81

140.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.81 SEK 85.5

$6.35 SEK 61.6

38.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.21 SEK 89.3

$7.90 SEK 76.6

16.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.88

$1.55 SEK 15.04

12.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 SEK 28.32

$3.07 SEK 29.80

-4.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 SEK 35.15

$3.52 SEK 34.15

3.12%

Eggs

$4.29 SEK 41.58

$4.33 SEK 41.99

-0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 SEK 129

$13.25 SEK 128

0.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.65 SEK 123

$11.64 SEK 113

8.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.12 SEK 214

$20.42 SEK 198

8.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 31.10

$3.19 SEK 30.94

0.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 26.29

$2.60 SEK 25.19

4.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 SEK 29.57

$3.15 SEK 30.58

-3.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.50 SEK 43.58

$4.37 SEK 42.33

2.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 SEK 17.22

$1.55 SEK 15.02

14.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 15.55

$1.62 SEK 15.66

-1.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 SEK 25.92

$2.65 SEK 25.72

0.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 12.29

$1.02 SEK 9.91

24.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 SEK 78.2

$7.11 SEK 68.9

13.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.80 SEK 114

$10.47 SEK 102

12.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 20.05

$2.10 SEK 20.35

-1.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 SEK 23.74

$1.27 SEK 12.29

92.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 SEK 31.84

$2.97 SEK 28.81

10.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 SEK 628

$81.6 SEK 791

-20.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 SEK 63.3

$5.31 SEK 51.5

22.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.60 SEK 25.24

$2.53 SEK 24.50

2.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.1 SEK 505

$51.5 SEK 499

1.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 SEK 17.95

$1.81 SEK 17.53

2.21%

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

$34.1K SEK 331.0K

$34.3K SEK 332.8K

-0.53%

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

$34.4K SEK 333.6K

$35.2K SEK 340.8K

-2.14%

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

$144 SEK 1,400

$146 SEK 1,411

-0.83%

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

$27.41 SEK 266

$20.72 SEK 201

32.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.23 SEK 371

$30.78 SEK 298

24.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.31 SEK 420

$41.70 SEK 404

3.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.14 SEK 292

$41.46 SEK 402

-27.30%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 SEK 173

$16.46 SEK 160

8.57%

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

$180 SEK 1,742

$159 SEK 1,544

12.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,500 SEK 33.9K

$3,590 SEK 34.8K

-2.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 1,011

$74.0 SEK 718

40.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.40 SEK 450

$41.00 SEK 397

13.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 SEK 1,127

$113 SEK 1,093

3.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 SEK 1,547

$159 SEK 1,544

0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 SEK 10.1K

$844 SEK 8,185

23.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 SEK 7,968

$529 SEK 5,130

55.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,782 SEK 17.3K

$1,244 SEK 12.1K

43.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 SEK 13.6K

$950 SEK 9,211

48.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,132 SEK 40.1K

$6,747 SEK 65.4K

-38.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,338 SEK 32.4K

$3,577 SEK 34.7K

-6.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,184 SEK 30.9K

$3,274 SEK 31.7K

-2.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.02

1.9

58.95%

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

Last update for Malmo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Varberg: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,046 in Malmo versus $844 in Varberg. 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 3% higher in Varberg, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Malmo versus $80.0 in Varberg. Groceries tell a different story – $388 in Malmo vs $368 in Varberg – so Varberg 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 Varberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 28% more than Varberg, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,222 per month in Malmo and $2,507 in Varberg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Malmo and $159 in Varberg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 Varberg, where all-in costs run around $1,671, than in Malmo at $2,148. In Varberg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Varberg costs $1,671 versus $2,148 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 Varberg. 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.