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 $1,726 in Vasteras, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,191 per month in Malmo vs $2,721 in Vasteras, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,299 per month in Malmo vs $3,716 in Vasteras, rent included.

Malmo costs about 21% more than Vasteras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malmo and Vasteras sit above the global median – Malmo by 57%, Vasteras by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.51 SEK 128

$14.54 SEK 138

-7.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.8 SEK 787

$68.1 SEK 647

21.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.55 SEK 119

$10.47 SEK 99.5

19.87%

Cappuccino

$4.90 SEK 46.51

$4.48 SEK 42.53

9.37%

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

$2.71 SEK 25.78

$2.69 SEK 25.52

0.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 19.78

$2.52 SEK 23.97

-17.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 SEK 76.3

$7.42 SEK 70.5

8.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 SEK 76.9

$7.26 SEK 68.9

11.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SEK 15.98

$1.53 SEK 14.56

9.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 SEK 29.07

$2.73 SEK 25.89

12.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 SEK 33.22

$3.73 SEK 35.43

-6.17%

Eggs

$4.44 SEK 42.22

$4.05 SEK 38.49

9.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 SEK 114

$12.04 SEK 114

-0.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.88 SEK 122

$12.29 SEK 117

4.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.59 SEK 262

$15.62 SEK 148

76.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 SEK 31.29

$3.32 SEK 31.53

-0.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 27.90

$2.63 SEK 25.02

11.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 SEK 32.16

$3.61 SEK 34.28

-6.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 SEK 47.21

$3.79 SEK 36.00

31.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.35

$1.50 SEK 14.29

22.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 SEK 18.86

$2.01 SEK 19.09

-1.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 SEK 23.62

$2.68 SEK 25.45

-7.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 12.69

$1.76 SEK 16.70

-23.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SEK 74.5

$7.18 SEK 68.2

9.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.58 SEK 110

$12.56 SEK 119

-7.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 SEK 23.59

$1.46 SEK 13.82

69.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 25.25

$1.98 SEK 18.86

34.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 SEK 31.22

$3.41 SEK 32.40

-3.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.2 SEK 676

$73.7 SEK 700

-3.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 SEK 61.4

$3.78 SEK 35.92

71.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 25.09

$1.59 SEK 15.10

66.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.7 SEK 539

$84.8 SEK 806

-33.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.27

$1.99 SEK 18.86

-3.52%

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

$32.7K SEK 310.6K

$32.2K SEK 306.1K

1.48%

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

$33.8K SEK 321.0K

$34.8K SEK 330.2K

-2.78%

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

$156 SEK 1,478

$88.2 SEK 838

76.28%

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

$30.25 SEK 287

$28.82 SEK 274

4.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.72 SEK 387

$36.67 SEK 348

11.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 SEK 367

$37.42 SEK 356

3.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.36 SEK 222

$21.43 SEK 204

9.01%

Cinema Ticket

$18.05 SEK 171

$19.82 SEK 188

-8.93%

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

$159 SEK 1,515

$160 SEK 1,520

-0.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,792 SEK 45.5K

$5,216 SEK 49.6K

-8.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 1,001

$95.9 SEK 911

9.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.78 SEK 425

$42.87 SEK 407

4.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 SEK 1,169

$92.3 SEK 877

33.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 SEK 1,574

$125 SEK 1,183

33.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 SEK 8,849

$839 SEK 7,971

11.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$796 SEK 7,557

$597 SEK 5,673

33.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 SEK 16.1K

$1,482 SEK 14.1K

13.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 SEK 13.0K

$1,133 SEK 10.8K

20.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,150 SEK 39.4K

$3,751 SEK 35.6K

10.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,245 SEK 30.8K

$2,543 SEK 24.2K

27.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,144 SEK 29.9K

$3,080 SEK 29.3K

2.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

4.87

-0.21%

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

Last update for Malmo: July 28, 2026

Last update for Vasteras: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $931 in Malmo versus $839 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 2% 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 $68.0 in Vasteras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $361 – 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 21% more than Vasteras, 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 $2,588 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 $159 per month in Malmo and $160 in Vasteras. 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Vasteras, where all-in costs run around $1,726, 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 $1,726 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.