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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,051 per month in Malmo vs $1,769 in Ystad, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,181 per month in Malmo vs $2,726 in Ystad, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,310 per month in Malmo vs $3,683 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 54%, Ystad by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.66 SEK 133

$11.51 SEK 112

18.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.9 SEK 805

$94.1 SEK 914

-11.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.76 SEK 124

$10.36 SEK 101

23.17%

Cappuccino

$4.98 SEK 48.33

$3.95 SEK 38.39

26.08%

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

$2.81 SEK 27.31

$3.08 SEK 29.91

-8.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 20.22

$2.62 SEK 25.41

-20.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 SEK 76.4

$6.14 SEK 59.7

28.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.30 SEK 80.6

$7.86 SEK 76.4

5.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.90

$1.76 SEK 17.07

-1.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 SEK 30.43

$2.97 SEK 28.81

5.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 SEK 35.85

$3.34 SEK 32.44

10.48%

Eggs

$4.48 SEK 43.55

$3.09 SEK 29.97

44.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.40 SEK 120

$11.61 SEK 113

6.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.84 SEK 125

$9.60 SEK 93.3

33.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.32 SEK 265

$18.57 SEK 180

47.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 SEK 31.67

$3.10 SEK 30.06

5.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 27.62

$2.77 SEK 26.92

2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 SEK 31.78

$2.87 SEK 27.89

13.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 SEK 45.69

$4.22 SEK 40.96

11.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.49

$1.67 SEK 16.22

7.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 SEK 19.27

$1.87 SEK 18.18

5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 SEK 24.36

$2.26 SEK 21.97

11.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 SEK 12.87

$1.56 SEK 15.17

-14.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 SEK 78.7

$8.00 SEK 77.7

1.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 SEK 115

$12.14 SEK 118

-2.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 23.36

$2.19 SEK 21.26

9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 SEK 26.39

$2.50 SEK 24.26

8.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.31 SEK 32.12

$3.35 SEK 32.52

-1.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 SEK 686

$74.7 SEK 725

-5.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 SEK 65.5

$10.19 SEK 99.0

-33.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SEK 25.42

$1.65 SEK 16.06

58.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$55.6 SEK 540

$61.6 SEK 598

-9.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 19.32

$1.87 SEK 18.21

6.42%

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

$32.5K SEK 316.0K

$26.3K SEK 255.3K

23.79%

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

$33.5K SEK 325.2K

$29.5K SEK 286.2K

13.62%

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

$153 SEK 1,485

$120 SEK 1,169

27.05%

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

$29.55 SEK 287

$21.33 SEK 207

38.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.88 SEK 397

$32.14 SEK 312

27.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.83 SEK 377

$40.38 SEK 392

-3.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 SEK 227

$25.42 SEK 247

-8.06%

Cinema Ticket

$17.86 SEK 173

$12.58 SEK 122

41.97%

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

$160 SEK 1,557

$173 SEK 1,677

-7.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,973 SEK 48.3K

$4,082 SEK 39.6K

21.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 1,007

$52.4 SEK 509

97.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.06 SEK 438

$39.33 SEK 382

14.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 SEK 1,165

$96.0 SEK 932

24.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 SEK 1,597

$155 SEK 1,504

6.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 SEK 8,805

$823 SEK 7,994

10.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$787 SEK 7,644

$653 SEK 6,346

20.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 SEK 16.4K

$1,380 SEK 13.4K

22.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 SEK 13.0K

$1,065 SEK 10.3K

25.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,191 SEK 40.7K

$4,121 SEK 40.0K

1.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,316 SEK 32.2K

$2,813 SEK 27.3K

17.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,219 SEK 31.3K

$1,895 SEK 18.4K

69.88%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Ystad: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $907 in Malmo versus $823 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 $83.0 in Malmo versus $94.0 in Ystad. Groceries tell a different story – $411 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 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 $3,076 per month in Malmo and $2,653 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 $160 per month in Malmo and $173 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 $1,769, than in Malmo at $2,051. 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 $1,769 versus $2,051 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.