Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Ystad Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Ystad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,148 per month in Malmo vs $1,664 in Ystad, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,268 per month in Malmo vs $2,696 in Ystad, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,388 per month in Malmo vs $3,728 in Ystad, rent included.

Malmo costs about 29% more than Ystad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Malmo and Ystad sit above the global median – Malmo by 56%, Ystad by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.41 SEK 149

$12.39 SEK 120

24.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 SEK 775

$91.0 SEK 882

-12.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 SEK 119

$10.45 SEK 101

17.89%

Cappuccino

$4.96 SEK 48.04

$3.15 SEK 30.57

57.46%

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

$3.56 SEK 34.54

$3.06 SEK 29.63

16.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SEK 26.04

$2.40 SEK 23.23

12.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.81 SEK 85.5

$7.23 SEK 70.1

21.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.21 SEK 89.3

$7.65 SEK 74.1

20.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.88

$1.79 SEK 17.38

-2.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 SEK 28.32

$2.83 SEK 27.42

3.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 SEK 35.15

$3.20 SEK 31.00

13.44%

Eggs

$4.29 SEK 41.58

$3.17 SEK 30.68

35.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 SEK 129

$12.07 SEK 117

10.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.65 SEK 123

$9.54 SEK 92.4

32.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.12 SEK 214

$17.30 SEK 168

27.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 31.10

$3.21 SEK 31.13

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 26.29

$2.57 SEK 24.93

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 SEK 29.57

$3.14 SEK 30.41

-2.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.50 SEK 43.58

$4.51 SEK 43.69

-0.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 SEK 17.22

$1.59 SEK 15.40

11.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 15.55

$1.75 SEK 16.92

-8.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 SEK 25.92

$2.08 SEK 20.18

28.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 12.29

$1.73 SEK 16.74

-26.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 SEK 78.2

$8.10 SEK 78.5

-0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.80 SEK 114

$12.72 SEK 123

-7.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 20.05

$2.21 SEK 21.45

-6.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 SEK 23.74

$2.35 SEK 22.78

4.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 SEK 31.84

$3.40 SEK 33.00

-3.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 SEK 628

$79.0 SEK 766

-17.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 SEK 63.3

$6.22 SEK 60.3

4.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.60 SEK 25.24

$1.72 SEK 16.68

51.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.1 SEK 505

$62.5 SEK 606

-16.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 SEK 17.95

$1.87 SEK 18.11

-1.07%

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

$34.1K SEK 331.0K

$31.8K SEK 308.1K

7.43%

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

$34.4K SEK 333.6K

$34.5K SEK 334.0K

-0.13%

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

$144 SEK 1,400

$108 SEK 1,051

33.15%

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

$27.41 SEK 266

$19.86 SEK 192

38.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.23 SEK 371

$31.54 SEK 306

21.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.31 SEK 420

$39.45 SEK 382

9.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.14 SEK 292

$29.62 SEK 287

1.76%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 SEK 173

$12.52 SEK 121

42.73%

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

$180 SEK 1,742

$187 SEK 1,815

-4.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,500 SEK 33.9K

$4,480 SEK 43.4K

-21.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 1,011

$52.3 SEK 507

99.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.40 SEK 450

$33.97 SEK 329

36.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 SEK 1,127

$95.4 SEK 925

21.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 SEK 1,547

$135 SEK 1,309

18.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 SEK 10.1K

$825 SEK 7,993

26.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 SEK 7,968

$606 SEK 5,870

35.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,782 SEK 17.3K

$1,372 SEK 13.3K

29.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 SEK 13.6K

$1,046 SEK 10.1K

34.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,132 SEK 40.1K

$4,267 SEK 41.4K

-3.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,338 SEK 32.4K

$2,891 SEK 28.0K

15.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,184 SEK 30.9K

$1,951 SEK 18.9K

63.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.02

3.06

-1.31%

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

Last update for Malmo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ystad: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,046 in Malmo versus $825 in Ystad. 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 63% 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 $80.0 in Malmo versus $91.0 in Ystad. Groceries tell a different story – $388 in Malmo vs $353 in Ystad – so Ystad 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 Ystad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 29% more than Ystad, 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 $3,222 per month in Malmo and $2,496 in Ystad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Malmo and $187 in Ystad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 Ystad, where all-in costs run around $1,664, than in Malmo at $2,148. In Ystad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ystad costs $1,664 versus $2,148 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 Ystad. 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.