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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,083 per month in Malmo vs $1,803 in Varnamo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,191 per month in Malmo vs $2,833 in Varnamo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,299 per month in Malmo vs $3,863 in Varnamo, rent included.

Malmo costs about 16% more than Varnamo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malmo and Varnamo sit above the global median – Malmo by 57%, Varnamo by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.51 SEK 128

$12.77 SEK 121

5.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.8 SEK 787

$88.7 SEK 843

-6.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.55 SEK 119

$11.98 SEK 114

4.76%

Cappuccino

$4.90 SEK 46.51

$4.93 SEK 46.85

-0.61%

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

$2.71 SEK 25.78

$2.87 SEK 27.24

-5.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 19.78

$2.13 SEK 20.21

-2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 SEK 76.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 SEK 76.9

$7.58 SEK 72.0

6.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SEK 15.98

$1.60 SEK 15.25

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 SEK 29.07

$2.16 SEK 20.55

41.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 SEK 33.22

$3.06 SEK 29.04

14.38%

Eggs

$4.44 SEK 42.22

$4.62 SEK 43.84

-3.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 SEK 114

$12.84 SEK 122

-6.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.88 SEK 122

$11.69 SEK 111

10.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.59 SEK 262

$17.16 SEK 163

60.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 SEK 31.29

$3.21 SEK 30.47

2.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 27.90

$2.87 SEK 27.22

2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 SEK 32.16

$2.89 SEK 27.45

17.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 SEK 47.21

$4.45 SEK 42.23

11.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.35

$1.74 SEK 16.49

5.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 SEK 18.86

$1.59 SEK 15.06

25.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 SEK 23.62

$2.55 SEK 24.27

-2.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 12.69

$1.24 SEK 11.82

8.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SEK 74.5

Wine (Bottle)

$11.58 SEK 110

$11.27 SEK 107

2.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 SEK 23.59

$2.03 SEK 19.29

22.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 25.25

$2.23 SEK 21.21

19.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 SEK 31.22

$3.30 SEK 31.39

-0.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.2 SEK 676

$73.4 SEK 697

-2.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 SEK 61.4

$5.53 SEK 52.5

17.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 25.09

$2.53 SEK 24.08

4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.7 SEK 539

$63.9 SEK 607

-11.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.27

$1.97 SEK 18.69

-2.54%

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

$32.7K SEK 310.6K

$32.3K SEK 306.9K

1.22%

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

$33.8K SEK 321.0K

$34.2K SEK 325.1K

-1.26%

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

$156 SEK 1,478

$119 SEK 1,132

30.49%

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

$30.25 SEK 287

$29.16 SEK 277

3.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.72 SEK 387

$40.96 SEK 389

-0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 SEK 367

$41.18 SEK 391

-6.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.36 SEK 222

$25.42 SEK 242

-8.10%

Cinema Ticket

$18.05 SEK 171

$18.14 SEK 172

-0.50%

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

$159 SEK 1,515

$176 SEK 1,674

-9.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,792 SEK 45.5K

$4,148 SEK 39.4K

15.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 1,001

$81.4 SEK 774

29.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.78 SEK 425

$60.8 SEK 577

-26.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 SEK 1,169

$104 SEK 991

17.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 SEK 1,574

$128 SEK 1,217

29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 SEK 8,849

$852 SEK 8,094

9.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$796 SEK 7,557

$665 SEK 6,320

19.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 SEK 16.1K

$1,387 SEK 13.2K

21.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 SEK 13.0K

$1,098 SEK 10.4K

24.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,150 SEK 39.4K

$4,181 SEK 39.7K

-0.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,245 SEK 30.8K

$2,906 SEK 27.6K

11.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,144 SEK 29.9K

$2,092 SEK 19.9K

50.27%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $931 in Malmo versus $852 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 50% 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 $89.0 in Varnamo. Groceries tell a different story – $411 in Malmo vs $355 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 16% 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 $3,125 per month in Malmo and $2,704 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 $159 per month in Malmo and $176 in Varnamo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $1,803, than in Malmo at $2,083. 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 $1,803 versus $2,083 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.