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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,051 per month in Malmo vs $1,804 in Varberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,181 per month in Malmo vs $2,844 in Varberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,310 per month in Malmo vs $3,885 in Varberg, rent included.

Malmo costs about 14% more than Varberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malmo and Varberg sit above the global median – Malmo by 54%, Varberg by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.66 SEK 133

$13.56 SEK 132

0.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.9 SEK 805

$82.8 SEK 805

0.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.76 SEK 124

$10.03 SEK 97.4

27.22%

Cappuccino

$4.98 SEK 48.33

$4.14 SEK 40.23

20.29%

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

$2.81 SEK 27.31

$0.97 SEK 9.46

189.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 20.22

$0.98 SEK 9.50

112.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 SEK 76.4

$8.07 SEK 78.3

-2.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.30 SEK 80.6

$7.78 SEK 75.5

6.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.90

$1.57 SEK 15.26

10.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 SEK 30.43

$3.05 SEK 29.58

2.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 SEK 35.85

$3.53 SEK 34.26

4.53%

Eggs

$4.48 SEK 43.55

$4.33 SEK 42.06

3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.40 SEK 120

$12.21 SEK 119

1.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.84 SEK 125

$11.81 SEK 115

8.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.32 SEK 265

$21.19 SEK 206

28.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 SEK 31.67

$3.32 SEK 32.21

-1.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 27.62

$2.93 SEK 28.43

-3.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 SEK 31.78

$3.28 SEK 31.82

-0.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 SEK 45.69

$4.74 SEK 46.05

-0.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.49

$1.62 SEK 15.74

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 SEK 19.27

$1.95 SEK 18.95

1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 SEK 24.36

$2.61 SEK 25.34

-3.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 SEK 12.87

$1.15 SEK 11.16

15.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 SEK 78.7

$7.01 SEK 68.1

15.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 SEK 115

$10.37 SEK 101

14.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 23.36

$2.07 SEK 20.11

15.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 SEK 26.39

$1.25 SEK 12.17

117.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.31 SEK 32.12

$2.82 SEK 27.38

17.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 SEK 686

$73.0 SEK 709

-3.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 SEK 65.5

$5.12 SEK 49.68

31.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SEK 25.42

$2.55 SEK 24.73

2.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$55.6 SEK 540

$55.8 SEK 542

-0.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 19.32

$1.93 SEK 18.78

3.11%

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

$32.5K SEK 316.0K

$32.9K SEK 319.2K

-1.00%

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

$33.5K SEK 325.2K

$33.7K SEK 327.0K

-0.53%

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

$153 SEK 1,485

$157 SEK 1,529

-2.86%

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

$29.55 SEK 287

$20.83 SEK 202

41.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.88 SEK 397

$32.21 SEK 313

26.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.83 SEK 377

$40.62 SEK 395

-4.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 SEK 227

$25.23 SEK 245

-7.37%

Cinema Ticket

$17.86 SEK 173

$16.86 SEK 164

5.93%

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

$160 SEK 1,557

$161 SEK 1,564

-0.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,973 SEK 48.3K

$4,058 SEK 39.4K

22.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 1,007

$88.2 SEK 856

17.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.06 SEK 438

$41.66 SEK 405

8.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 SEK 1,165

$101 SEK 978

19.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 SEK 1,597

$157 SEK 1,521

5.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 SEK 8,805

$836 SEK 8,120

8.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$787 SEK 7,644

$645 SEK 6,267

21.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 SEK 16.4K

$1,380 SEK 13.4K

22.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 SEK 13.0K

$1,103 SEK 10.7K

21.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,191 SEK 40.7K

$6,638 SEK 64.5K

-36.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,316 SEK 32.2K

$3,652 SEK 35.5K

-9.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,219 SEK 31.3K

$3,197 SEK 31.0K

0.68%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Varberg: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $907 in Malmo versus $836 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 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 $83.0 in Malmo versus $83.0 in Varberg. Groceries tell a different story – $411 in Malmo vs $374 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 14% 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 $3,076 per month in Malmo and $2,707 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 $160 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 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 $1,804, than in Malmo at $2,051. 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 $1,804 versus $2,051 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.