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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,078 per month in Malmo vs $1,760 in Ystad, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,236 per month in Malmo vs $2,784 in Ystad, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,394 per month in Malmo vs $3,809 in Ystad, rent included.

Malmo costs about 18% more than Ystad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malmo and Ystad sit above the global median – Malmo by 55%, Ystad by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.76 SEK 130

$11.51 SEK 109

19.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 SEK 812

$90.6 SEK 859

-5.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 SEK 122

$10.49 SEK 99.4

22.69%

Cappuccino

$4.94 SEK 46.81

$3.96 SEK 37.59

24.75%

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

$2.74 SEK 26.02

$3.00 SEK 28.44

-8.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SEK 20.54

$2.61 SEK 24.74

-16.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 SEK 74.0

$6.51 SEK 61.8

19.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 SEK 75.2

$8.07 SEK 76.6

-1.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 SEK 16.73

$1.76 SEK 16.70

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 SEK 28.65

$2.93 SEK 27.75

3.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 34.23

$3.20 SEK 30.36

12.81%

Eggs

$4.47 SEK 42.35

$3.13 SEK 29.71

42.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.20 SEK 116

$11.68 SEK 111

4.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.69 SEK 120

$9.71 SEK 92.1

30.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.69 SEK 253

$18.89 SEK 179

41.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 SEK 31.10

$3.14 SEK 29.73

4.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 27.86

$2.67 SEK 25.30

10.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 SEK 30.77

$3.04 SEK 28.82

6.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 SEK 45.10

$4.32 SEK 40.98

10.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 17.67

$1.66 SEK 15.73

12.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 SEK 18.79

$1.95 SEK 18.46

1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 SEK 24.42

$2.21 SEK 20.92

16.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 SEK 12.21

$1.62 SEK 15.33

-20.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.89 SEK 74.8

$8.11 SEK 76.9

-2.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 SEK 113

$12.78 SEK 121

-6.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.57

$2.26 SEK 21.43

10.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 SEK 24.92

$2.63 SEK 24.90

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.39 SEK 32.14

$3.35 SEK 31.80

1.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 SEK 676

$74.1 SEK 703

-3.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.55 SEK 62.1

$10.44 SEK 99.0

-37.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 SEK 23.97

$1.59 SEK 15.07

59.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.3 SEK 544

$62.7 SEK 595

-8.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.21

$1.88 SEK 17.84

2.13%

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

$32.8K SEK 311.4K

$26.0K SEK 246.4K

26.35%

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

$33.5K SEK 317.6K

$29.7K SEK 281.7K

12.74%

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

$152 SEK 1,443

$121 SEK 1,150

25.44%

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

$30.08 SEK 285

$20.71 SEK 196

45.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.52 SEK 384

$31.16 SEK 295

30.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 SEK 366

$40.52 SEK 384

-4.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.95 SEK 227

$25.39 SEK 241

-5.67%

Cinema Ticket

$18.09 SEK 172

$12.76 SEK 121

41.77%

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

$157 SEK 1,493

$176 SEK 1,670

-10.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,974 SEK 47.2K

$4,200 SEK 39.8K

18.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 SEK 1,001

$52.4 SEK 497

101.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.45 SEK 431

$39.20 SEK 372

15.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 SEK 1,156

$96.8 SEK 918

25.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 SEK 1,566

$151 SEK 1,434

9.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$896 SEK 8,499

$848 SEK 8,045

5.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 SEK 7,506

$644 SEK 6,104

22.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,730 SEK 16.4K

$1,396 SEK 13.2K

23.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 SEK 12.8K

$1,067 SEK 10.1K

26.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,244 SEK 40.2K

$4,373 SEK 41.5K

-2.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,353 SEK 31.8K

$2,924 SEK 27.7K

14.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,254 SEK 30.9K

$1,915 SEK 18.2K

69.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

21.50%

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

Last update for Malmo: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ystad: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $896 in Malmo versus $848 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 70% 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 $91.0 in Ystad. Groceries tell a different story – $408 in Malmo vs $357 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 18% more than Ystad, 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 $3,118 per month in Malmo and $2,640 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 $157 per month in Malmo and $176 in Ystad. 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 Ystad, where all-in costs run around $1,760, than in Malmo at $2,078. 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 $1,760 versus $2,078 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.