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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,050 per month in Malmo vs $1,767 in Ystad, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,204 per month in Malmo vs $2,748 in Ystad, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,359 per month in Malmo vs $3,728 in Ystad, rent included.

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

Both Malmo and Ystad sit above the global median – Malmo by 53%, Ystad by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.47 SEK 124

$11.51 SEK 106

17.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.6 SEK 769

$92.2 SEK 848

-9.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 SEK 115

$10.38 SEK 95.5

20.62%

Cappuccino

$5.02 SEK 46.14

$3.94 SEK 36.22

27.41%

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

$2.72 SEK 25.04

$2.95 SEK 27.17

-7.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 20.21

$2.53 SEK 23.24

-13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 SEK 72.3

$6.22 SEK 57.2

26.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 SEK 73.0

$8.01 SEK 73.7

-0.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 15.95

$1.70 SEK 15.62

1.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 SEK 27.76

$3.02 SEK 27.80

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 SEK 32.14

$3.19 SEK 29.31

9.40%

Eggs

$4.39 SEK 40.40

$3.13 SEK 28.82

40.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 SEK 112

$11.86 SEK 109

2.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.82 SEK 118

$9.61 SEK 88.4

33.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.50 SEK 253

$18.59 SEK 171

47.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 SEK 31.04

$3.18 SEK 29.22

5.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 SEK 25.73

$2.65 SEK 24.35

5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 SEK 31.30

$2.87 SEK 26.44

18.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 SEK 44.86

$4.28 SEK 39.42

14.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 17.07

$1.75 SEK 16.06

6.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 17.43

$1.86 SEK 17.13

1.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 24.02

$2.21 SEK 20.29

18.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 SEK 11.75

$1.56 SEK 14.38

-17.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SEK 72.0

$7.76 SEK 71.4

0.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.36 SEK 114

$11.73 SEK 108

5.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 23.12

$2.15 SEK 19.81

16.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 SEK 25.37

$2.52 SEK 23.19

9.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 SEK 30.73

$3.45 SEK 31.76

-3.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 SEK 651

$75.0 SEK 690

-5.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.77 SEK 62.3

$10.08 SEK 92.8

-32.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 24.27

$1.61 SEK 14.79

63.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.6 SEK 529

$62.7 SEK 577

-8.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.27

$1.86 SEK 17.16

6.99%

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

$32.6K SEK 299.6K

$26.4K SEK 242.5K

23.56%

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

$33.5K SEK 308.6K

$29.5K SEK 271.1K

13.81%

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

$157 SEK 1,446

$119 SEK 1,097

31.82%

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

$30.35 SEK 279

$20.97 SEK 193

44.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.91 SEK 367

$32.04 SEK 295

24.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.89 SEK 358

$41.24 SEK 379

-5.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.74 SEK 218

$25.32 SEK 233

-6.24%

Cinema Ticket

$18.27 SEK 168

$12.68 SEK 117

44.09%

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

$162 SEK 1,486

$176 SEK 1,618

-8.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,808 SEK 44.2K

$4,208 SEK 38.7K

14.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 959

$52.0 SEK 478

100.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.93 SEK 413

$39.35 SEK 362

14.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 SEK 1,131

$96.7 SEK 890

27.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 SEK 1,535

$155 SEK 1,422

7.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 SEK 8,305

$843 SEK 7,752

7.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 SEK 7,088

$651 SEK 5,992

18.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 SEK 15.5K

$1,374 SEK 12.6K

22.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 SEK 12.4K

$1,078 SEK 9,913

25.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,535 SEK 41.7K

$4,350 SEK 40.0K

4.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,494 SEK 32.1K

$3,197 SEK 29.4K

9.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,434 SEK 31.6K

$2,012 SEK 18.5K

70.67%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ystad: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Malmo versus $843 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 71% 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 $84 in Malmo versus $92 in Ystad. Groceries tell a different story – $412 in Malmo vs $352 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 16% 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 $3,075 per month in Malmo and $2,651 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 $162 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 17% 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 $1,767, than in Malmo at $2,050. 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 $1,767 versus $2,050 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.