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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,078 per month in Malmo vs $1,810 in Varberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,236 per month in Malmo vs $2,840 in Varberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,394 per month in Malmo vs $3,870 in Varberg, rent included.

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

Both Malmo and Varberg sit above the global median – Malmo by 55%, Varberg by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.76 SEK 130

$13.96 SEK 132

-1.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 SEK 812

$84.2 SEK 799

1.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 SEK 122

$9.95 SEK 94.4

29.35%

Cappuccino

$4.94 SEK 46.81

$4.23 SEK 40.12

16.78%

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

$2.74 SEK 26.02

$0.92 SEK 8.74

197.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SEK 20.54

$0.91 SEK 8.68

138.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 SEK 74.0

$7.79 SEK 73.8

0.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 SEK 75.2

$8.08 SEK 76.7

-1.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 SEK 16.73

$1.52 SEK 14.40

15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 SEK 28.65

$3.12 SEK 29.59

-3.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 34.23

$3.51 SEK 33.27

2.85%

Eggs

$4.47 SEK 42.35

$4.41 SEK 41.83

1.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.20 SEK 116

$12.15 SEK 115

0.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.69 SEK 120

$11.51 SEK 109

10.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.69 SEK 253

$20.97 SEK 199

27.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 SEK 31.10

$3.39 SEK 32.10

-3.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 27.86

$2.90 SEK 27.48

1.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 SEK 30.77

$3.29 SEK 31.23

-1.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 SEK 45.10

$4.98 SEK 47.19

-4.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 17.67

$1.55 SEK 14.74

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 SEK 18.79

$1.89 SEK 17.96

4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 SEK 24.42

$2.49 SEK 23.64

3.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 SEK 12.21

$1.18 SEK 11.22

9.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.89 SEK 74.8

$7.35 SEK 69.7

7.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 SEK 113

$10.61 SEK 101

12.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.57

$2.07 SEK 19.62

20.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 SEK 24.92

$1.26 SEK 11.92

108.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.39 SEK 32.14

$2.93 SEK 27.77

15.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 SEK 676

$74.8 SEK 709

-4.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.55 SEK 62.1

$5.24 SEK 49.69

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 SEK 23.97

$2.65 SEK 25.14

-4.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.3 SEK 544

$56.3 SEK 534

1.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.21

$1.99 SEK 18.91

-3.52%

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

$32.8K SEK 311.4K

$32.3K SEK 305.8K

1.82%

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

$33.5K SEK 317.6K

$34.3K SEK 325.0K

-2.27%

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

$152 SEK 1,443

$157 SEK 1,491

-3.24%

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

$30.08 SEK 285

$21.27 SEK 202

41.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.52 SEK 384

$31.22 SEK 296

29.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 SEK 366

$41.03 SEK 389

-6.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.95 SEK 227

$25.33 SEK 240

-5.45%

Cinema Ticket

$18.09 SEK 172

$16.62 SEK 158

8.84%

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

$157 SEK 1,493

$161 SEK 1,526

-2.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,974 SEK 47.2K

$4,144 SEK 39.3K

20.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 SEK 1,001

$90.2 SEK 855

17.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.45 SEK 431

$42.45 SEK 402

7.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 SEK 1,156

$98.2 SEK 931

24.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 SEK 1,566

$155 SEK 1,474

6.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$896 SEK 8,499

$834 SEK 7,911

7.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 SEK 7,506

$653 SEK 6,195

21.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,730 SEK 16.4K

$1,413 SEK 13.4K

22.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 SEK 12.8K

$1,093 SEK 10.4K

23.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,244 SEK 40.2K

$6,916 SEK 65.6K

-38.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,353 SEK 31.8K

$3,720 SEK 35.3K

-9.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,254 SEK 30.9K

$3,323 SEK 31.5K

-2.09%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Varberg: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $896 in Malmo versus $834 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 2% 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 $86.0 in Malmo versus $84.0 in Varberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $408 vs $374 – making Varberg 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 Varberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 15% 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 $3,118 per month in Malmo and $2,715 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 $157 per month in Malmo and $161 in Varberg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $1,810, than in Malmo at $2,078. 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 $1,810 versus $2,078 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.