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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,047 per month in Malmo vs $1,786 in Varnamo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,170 per month in Malmo vs $2,813 in Varnamo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,292 per month in Malmo vs $3,841 in Varnamo, rent included.

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

Both Malmo and Varnamo sit above the global median – Malmo by 53%, Varnamo by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 SEK 128

$12.91 SEK 122

4.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 SEK 810

$86.1 SEK 814

-0.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 SEK 120

$11.90 SEK 113

6.47%

Cappuccino

$5.05 SEK 47.82

$5.02 SEK 47.49

0.60%

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

$2.69 SEK 25.42

$2.91 SEK 27.53

-7.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 SEK 20.36

$2.15 SEK 20.35

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 SEK 75.7

$8.05 SEK 76.2

-0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 SEK 77.6

$7.41 SEK 70.1

10.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SEK 15.83

$1.65 SEK 15.64

1.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 SEK 29.40

$2.18 SEK 20.58

42.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 34.18

$2.95 SEK 27.96

22.37%

Eggs

$4.42 SEK 41.80

$4.45 SEK 42.13

-0.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 SEK 114

$12.72 SEK 120

-5.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.78 SEK 121

$11.79 SEK 112

8.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.50 SEK 260

$16.89 SEK 160

62.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 SEK 30.91

$3.19 SEK 30.22

2.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 SEK 26.31

$2.86 SEK 27.09

-2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 SEK 30.67

$2.82 SEK 26.70

14.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 SEK 45.30

$4.37 SEK 41.36

9.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.31

$1.73 SEK 16.33

5.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 SEK 18.48

$1.57 SEK 14.83

24.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 SEK 24.32

$2.58 SEK 24.37

-0.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 12.67

$1.28 SEK 12.08

4.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 SEK 76.9

$8.14 SEK 77.0

-0.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.10 SEK 115

$10.82 SEK 102

11.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 SEK 23.92

$1.99 SEK 18.79

27.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 25.15

$2.17 SEK 20.55

22.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.36 SEK 31.81

$3.32 SEK 31.38

1.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.3 SEK 656

$73.1 SEK 692

-5.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 SEK 61.0

$5.69 SEK 53.9

13.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 24.98

$2.57 SEK 24.35

2.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.2 SEK 532

$64.3 SEK 608

-12.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.17

$1.96 SEK 18.53

-2.04%

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

$33.1K SEK 313.0K

$32.8K SEK 310.4K

0.84%

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

$33.8K SEK 319.8K

$33.7K SEK 319.1K

0.20%

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

$154 SEK 1,453

$120 SEK 1,133

28.22%

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

$30.36 SEK 287

$29.30 SEK 277

3.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.38 SEK 382

$41.64 SEK 394

-3.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.30 SEK 362

$39.74 SEK 376

-3.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.78 SEK 225

$24.89 SEK 236

-4.46%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 SEK 168

$18.07 SEK 171

-1.44%

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

$162 SEK 1,529

$178 SEK 1,681

-9.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,876 SEK 46.1K

$4,184 SEK 39.6K

16.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 990

$79.0 SEK 748

32.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.70 SEK 432

$61.6 SEK 583

-25.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 SEK 1,175

$106 SEK 999

17.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 SEK 1,563

$132 SEK 1,246

25.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 SEK 8,815

$843 SEK 7,977

10.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 SEK 7,317

$665 SEK 6,293

16.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,721 SEK 16.3K

$1,376 SEK 13.0K

25.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,343 SEK 12.7K

$1,064 SEK 10.1K

26.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,311 SEK 40.8K

$4,369 SEK 41.3K

-1.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,360 SEK 31.8K

$2,951 SEK 27.9K

13.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,353 SEK 31.7K

$2,179 SEK 20.6K

53.83%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $932 in Malmo versus $843 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 54% 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 $86.0 in Malmo versus $86.0 in Varnamo. Groceries tell a different story – $410 in Malmo vs $352 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 15% 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 $3,071 per month in Malmo and $2,679 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 $178 in Varnamo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $1,786, than in Malmo at $2,047. 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 $1,786 versus $2,047 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.