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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,050 per month in Malmo vs $1,873 in Varberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,204 per month in Malmo vs $2,861 in Varberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,359 per month in Malmo vs $3,850 in Varberg, rent included.

Malmo costs about 9% more than Varberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malmo and Varberg sit above the global median – Malmo by 53%, Varberg by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.47 SEK 124

$13.52 SEK 124

-0.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.6 SEK 769

$85.8 SEK 789

-2.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 SEK 115

$10.16 SEK 93.4

23.23%

Cappuccino

$5.02 SEK 46.14

$4.10 SEK 37.70

22.44%

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

$2.72 SEK 25.04

$0.99 SEK 9.13

174.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 20.21

$0.98 SEK 8.99

124.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 SEK 72.3

$7.92 SEK 72.9

-0.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 SEK 73.0

$7.89 SEK 72.5

0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 15.95

$1.49 SEK 13.73

16.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 SEK 27.76

$3.15 SEK 29.02

-4.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 SEK 32.14

$3.51 SEK 32.29

-0.57%

Eggs

$4.39 SEK 40.40

$4.45 SEK 40.90

-1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 SEK 112

$12.13 SEK 112

-0.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.82 SEK 118

$11.62 SEK 107

10.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.50 SEK 253

$21.32 SEK 196

28.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 SEK 31.04

$3.32 SEK 30.51

1.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 SEK 25.73

$2.83 SEK 26.00

-1.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 SEK 31.30

$3.43 SEK 31.58

-0.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 SEK 44.86

$4.81 SEK 44.24

1.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 17.07

$1.53 SEK 14.11

21.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 17.43

$1.94 SEK 17.88

-2.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 24.02

$2.52 SEK 23.17

3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 SEK 11.75

$1.14 SEK 10.46

12.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SEK 72.0

$7.21 SEK 66.4

8.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.36 SEK 114

$10.74 SEK 98.8

15.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 23.12

$2.08 SEK 19.17

20.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 SEK 25.37

$1.30 SEK 11.96

112.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 SEK 30.73

$2.93 SEK 26.99

13.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 SEK 651

$74.6 SEK 686

-5.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.77 SEK 62.3

$5.32 SEK 48.97

27.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 24.27

$2.56 SEK 23.55

3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.6 SEK 529

$56.0 SEK 515

2.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.27

$1.92 SEK 17.65

3.65%

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

$32.6K SEK 299.6K

$32.9K SEK 302.4K

-0.91%

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

$33.5K SEK 308.6K

$33.3K SEK 306.8K

0.59%

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

$157 SEK 1,446

$154 SEK 1,419

1.92%

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

$30.35 SEK 279

$21.13 SEK 194

43.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.91 SEK 367

$32.27 SEK 297

23.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.89 SEK 358

$41.09 SEK 378

-5.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.74 SEK 218

$25.52 SEK 235

-6.97%

Cinema Ticket

$18.27 SEK 168

$16.57 SEK 152

10.26%

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

$162 SEK 1,486

$156 SEK 1,432

3.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,808 SEK 44.2K

$4,124 SEK 37.9K

16.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 959

$89.5 SEK 824

16.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.93 SEK 413

$41.66 SEK 383

7.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 SEK 1,131

$101 SEK 925

22.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 SEK 1,535

$160 SEK 1,468

4.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 SEK 8,305

$847 SEK 7,795

6.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 SEK 7,088

$664 SEK 6,109

16.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 SEK 15.5K

$1,395 SEK 12.8K

20.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 SEK 12.4K

$1,089 SEK 10.0K

24.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,535 SEK 41.7K

$4,272 SEK 39.3K

6.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,494 SEK 32.1K

$2,993 SEK 27.5K

16.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,434 SEK 31.6K

-0.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

1.9

155.79%

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

Last update for Malmo: April 20, 2026

Last update for Varberg: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Malmo versus $847 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 0% 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 $84 in Malmo versus $86 in Varberg. Groceries tell a different story – $412 in Malmo vs $375 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 9% more than Varberg, 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 $3,075 per month in Malmo and $2,809 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 $162 per month in Malmo and $156 in Varberg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $1,873, than in Malmo at $2,050. 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 $1,873 versus $2,050 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.