Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Vasteras Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Vasteras

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,083 per month in Malmo vs $1,847 in Vasteras, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,221 per month in Malmo vs $2,840 in Vasteras, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,359 per month in Malmo vs $3,834 in Vasteras, rent included.

Malmo costs about 13% more than Vasteras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Malmo and Vasteras sit above the global median – Malmo by 52%, Vasteras by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.40 SEK 152

$14.33 SEK 141

7.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 SEK 756

$66.8 SEK 658

14.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 SEK 120

$10.18 SEK 100

20.04%

Cappuccino

$5.10 SEK 50.3

$4.37 SEK 43.09

16.70%

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

$3.37 SEK 33.24

$2.30 SEK 22.63

46.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 SEK 26.37

$2.25 SEK 22.21

19.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.97 SEK 88.4

$7.14 SEK 70.3

25.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.97 SEK 88.4

$7.03 SEK 69.3

27.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SEK 17.24

$1.43 SEK 14.12

22.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 SEK 29.88

$2.97 SEK 29.32

2.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 SEK 35.27

$3.75 SEK 36.93

-4.53%

Eggs

$4.23 SEK 41.71

$4.02 SEK 39.62

5.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 SEK 129

$12.44 SEK 123

5.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.22 SEK 120

$12.88 SEK 127

-5.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.01 SEK 217

$22.62 SEK 223

-2.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 SEK 30.04

$3.11 SEK 30.69

-1.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 25.85

$2.52 SEK 24.86

3.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 SEK 31.30

$3.72 SEK 36.66

-14.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 SEK 43.75

$4.01 SEK 39.51

10.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 17.14

$1.52 SEK 14.98

14.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 SEK 14.99

$1.78 SEK 17.49

-14.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 SEK 24.46

$2.24 SEK 22.08

10.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 SEK 12.89

$1.49 SEK 14.63

-12.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.79 SEK 76.7

$7.32 SEK 72.1

6.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.80 SEK 116

$12.37 SEK 122

-4.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SEK 19.72

$1.35 SEK 13.30

48.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SEK 22.85

$2.24 SEK 22.10

3.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 SEK 31.49

$3.45 SEK 33.97

-7.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 SEK 636

$74.0 SEK 729

-12.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.42 SEK 63.3

$3.51 SEK 34.56

82.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 SEK 24.00

$2.86 SEK 28.23

-14.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.8 SEK 510

$81.0 SEK 798

-36.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 SEK 17.33

$1.71 SEK 16.89

2.92%

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

$33.2K SEK 327.4K

$34.2K SEK 337.1K

-2.89%

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

$33.7K SEK 332.3K

$33.8K SEK 332.9K

-0.18%

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

$140 SEK 1,384

$188 SEK 1,856

-25.45%

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

$26.87 SEK 265

$22.71 SEK 224

18.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.50 SEK 370

$44.10 SEK 435

-14.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.40 SEK 428

$34.55 SEK 341

25.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.75 SEK 293

$20.65 SEK 203

44.07%

Cinema Ticket

$17.63 SEK 174

$16.81 SEK 166

4.88%

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

$172 SEK 1,695

$152 SEK 1,499

13.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,416 SEK 33.7K

$5,101 SEK 50.3K

-33.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 SEK 1,012

$106 SEK 1,047

-3.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.61 SEK 459

$40.51 SEK 399

15.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 SEK 1,120

$89.9 SEK 885

26.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 SEK 1,542

$140 SEK 1,379

11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 SEK 10.3K

$766 SEK 7,548

36.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 SEK 8,044

$605 SEK 5,964

34.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 SEK 17.2K

$1,403 SEK 13.8K

24.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 SEK 13.6K

$1,058 SEK 10.4K

30.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,211 SEK 41.5K

$3,672 SEK 36.2K

14.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,287 SEK 32.4K

$2,554 SEK 25.2K

28.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,113 SEK 30.7K

$3,069 SEK 30.2K

1.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.02

3.53

-14.45%

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

Last update for Malmo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Vasteras: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,044 in Malmo versus $766 in Vasteras. 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 $77.0 in Malmo versus $67.0 in Vasteras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $381 – making Vasteras 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 Vasteras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 13% more than Vasteras, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $2,770 in Vasteras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vasteras, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $172 per month in Malmo and $152 in Vasteras. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 Vasteras, where all-in costs run around $1,847, than in Malmo at $2,083. In Vasteras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Vasteras costs $1,847 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 Vasteras. 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.