Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Varnamo Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Varnamo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,050 per month in Malmo vs $1,824 in Varnamo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,204 per month in Malmo vs $2,813 in Varnamo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,359 per month in Malmo vs $3,802 in Varnamo, rent included.

Malmo costs about 12% more than Varnamo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malmo and Varnamo sit above the global median – Malmo by 53%, Varnamo by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.47 SEK 124

$12.50 SEK 115

7.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.6 SEK 769

$87.9 SEK 809

-4.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 SEK 115

$11.75 SEK 108

6.55%

Cappuccino

$5.02 SEK 46.14

$5.11 SEK 46.98

-1.76%

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

$2.72 SEK 25.04

$2.91 SEK 26.78

-6.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 20.21

$2.14 SEK 19.66

2.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 SEK 72.3

$8.27 SEK 76.1

-4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 SEK 73.0

$7.19 SEK 66.2

10.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 15.95

$1.68 SEK 15.44

2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 SEK 27.76

$2.24 SEK 20.59

34.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 SEK 32.14

$3.04 SEK 27.95

14.80%

Eggs

$4.39 SEK 40.40

$4.62 SEK 42.52

-4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 SEK 112

$13.04 SEK 120

-7.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.82 SEK 118

$11.78 SEK 108

8.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.50 SEK 253

$17.50 SEK 161

57.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 SEK 31.04

$3.29 SEK 30.30

2.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 SEK 25.73

$2.90 SEK 26.69

-3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 SEK 31.30

$2.82 SEK 25.93

20.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 SEK 44.86

$4.55 SEK 41.88

7.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 17.07

$1.73 SEK 15.95

7.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 17.43

$1.57 SEK 14.46

20.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 24.02

$2.63 SEK 24.16

-0.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 SEK 11.75

$1.23 SEK 11.27

4.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SEK 72.0

$7.87 SEK 72.4

-0.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.36 SEK 114

$12.28 SEK 113

0.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 23.12

$2.03 SEK 18.63

23.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 SEK 25.37

$2.21 SEK 20.35

24.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 SEK 30.73

$3.31 SEK 30.48

0.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 SEK 651

$72.7 SEK 669

-2.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.77 SEK 62.3

$5.48 SEK 50.5

23.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 24.27

$2.59 SEK 23.79

1.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.6 SEK 529

$64.4 SEK 593

-10.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.27

$1.97 SEK 18.14

1.02%

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

$32.6K SEK 299.6K

$32.7K SEK 300.8K

-0.39%

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

$33.5K SEK 308.6K

$34.9K SEK 321.5K

-4.00%

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

$157 SEK 1,446

$118 SEK 1,089

32.81%

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

$30.35 SEK 279

$28.58 SEK 263

6.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.91 SEK 367

$41.60 SEK 383

-4.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.89 SEK 358

$40.01 SEK 368

-2.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.74 SEK 218

$25.40 SEK 234

-6.54%

Cinema Ticket

$18.27 SEK 168

$18.24 SEK 168

0.16%

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

$162 SEK 1,486

$175 SEK 1,606

-7.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,808 SEK 44.2K

$4,071 SEK 37.4K

18.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 959

$80.2 SEK 738

29.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.93 SEK 413

$60.3 SEK 554

-25.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 SEK 1,131

$105 SEK 965

17.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 SEK 1,535

$131 SEK 1,206

27.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 SEK 8,305

$850 SEK 7,817

6.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 SEK 7,088

$656 SEK 6,033

17.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 SEK 15.5K

$1,373 SEK 12.6K

22.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 SEK 12.4K

$1,101 SEK 10.1K

22.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,535 SEK 41.7K

$4,209 SEK 38.7K

7.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,494 SEK 32.1K

$2,986 SEK 27.5K

17.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,434 SEK 31.6K

$2,208 SEK 20.3K

55.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

4.8

1.25%

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

Last update for Malmo: April 20, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Malmo versus $850 in Varnamo. 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 56% 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 $84 in Malmo versus $88 in Varnamo. Groceries tell a different story – $412 in Malmo vs $361 in Varnamo – so Varnamo 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 Varnamo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 12% more than Varnamo, 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 $2,736 in Varnamo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Varnamo, 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 $175 in Varnamo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Varnamo, where all-in costs run around $1,824, than in Malmo at $2,050. In Varnamo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Varnamo costs $1,824 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 Varnamo. 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.