Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Malmo

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,561 a month against $2,046 in Malmo, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,561
/mo nomad
Malmo
🇸🇪 Sweden
$2,046
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Malmo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Malmo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,561 per month in Mexico City vs $2,046 in Malmo, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,561
  • Malmo $2,046

A couple spends around $2,440 per month in Mexico City vs $3,083 in Malmo, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,440
  • Malmo $3,083

A family of three spends $3,319 per month in Mexico City vs $4,121 in Malmo, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,319
  • Malmo $4,121

Mexico City is about 24% cheaper than Malmo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mexico City and Malmo sit above the global median – Mexico City by 16%, Malmo by 53%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Malmo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.12 MX$204
$14.90 SEK 149
-25.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.99 MX$900
$74.0 SEK 740
-33.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.23 MX$206
$12.18 SEK 122
-7.80%
Cappuccino
$3.76 MX$69.0
$4.83 SEK 48.23
-22.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 MX$30.34
$3.35 SEK 33.52
-50.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.48
$2.70 SEK 26.97
-52.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.26 MX$59.8
$8.46 SEK 84.5
-61.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.66 MX$104
$9.10 SEK 90.9
-37.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Malmo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 MX$33.23
$1.73 SEK 17.26
4.62%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 MX$54.0
$2.87 SEK 28.67
2.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.05 MX$37.62
$3.32 SEK 33.22
-38.25%
Eggs
$2.93 MX$53.7
$4.11 SEK 41.10
-28.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.95 MX$219
$12.74 SEK 127
-6.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.51 MX$175
$11.86 SEK 119
-19.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.84 MX$273
$21.61 SEK 216
-31.33%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 MX$57.7
$2.99 SEK 29.93
5.02%
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 MX$36.99
$2.58 SEK 25.82
-22.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.08 MX$38.10
$2.96 SEK 29.61
-29.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.22 MX$40.72
$4.15 SEK 41.43
-46.51%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 MX$37.82
$1.66 SEK 16.62
24.10%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 MX$34.46
$1.53 SEK 15.29
22.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.18
$2.47 SEK 24.65
-40.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 MX$24.70
$1.23 SEK 12.24
9.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.41 MX$99.3
$7.72 SEK 77.1
-29.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.86 MX$310
$11.53 SEK 115
46.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$36.43
$2.01 SEK 20.05
-1.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.32 MX$79.4
$2.34 SEK 23.43
84.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Malmo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.33
$3.15 SEK 31.45
-89.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.23 MX$371
$63.5 SEK 635
-68.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.10 MX$38.47
$6.00 SEK 59.9
-65.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$9.74
$2.41 SEK 24.07
-78.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 MX$99.3
$49.13 SEK 491
-88.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$27.91
$1.74 SEK 17.36
-12.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.7K MX$399.0K
$32.3K SEK 322.6K
-32.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K MX$455.6K
$33.2K SEK 331.5K
-25.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Malmo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,156
$138 SEK 1,380
-54.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.88 MX$530
$26.21 SEK 262
10.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.93 MX$623
$36.07 SEK 361
-5.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Malmo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.8 MX$1,024
$39.93 SEK 399
39.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.90 MX$457
$28.69 SEK 287
-13.21%
Cinema Ticket
$6.77 MX$124
$17.17 SEK 172
-60.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Malmo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$428 MX$7,854
$167 SEK 1,666
156.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K MX$218.0K
$3,311 SEK 33.1K
258.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Malmo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.0 MX$1,286
$98.0 SEK 979
-28.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.7 MX$986
$44.19 SEK 442
21.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 MX$2,016
$113 SEK 1,125
-2.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 MX$2,115
$152 SEK 1,520
-24.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Malmo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,062 MX$19.5K
$1,063 SEK 10.6K
-0.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$671 MX$12.3K
$818 SEK 8,173
-17.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,379 MX$43.7K
$1,720 SEK 17.2K
38.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 MX$23.1K
$1,354 SEK 13.5K
-6.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,716 MX$68.2K
$4,026 SEK 40.2K
-7.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,976 MX$36.3K
$3,166 SEK 31.6K
-37.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Malmo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$997 MX$18.3K
$3,045 SEK 30.4K
-67.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
3.05
270.49%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 6, 2026

Last update for Malmo: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$671
Malmo
$818 21.9% $147
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$327
Malmo
$372 13.7% $45
Eating Out
Mexico City
$207
Malmo
$298 44.1% $91
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$157
Malmo
$183 16.7% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Malmo
$200 59.3% $75
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$69
Malmo
$74 7.1% $5
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Malmo
$94 257% $68

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Mexico City versus $1,063 in Malmo. 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 205% 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 $49.00 in Mexico City versus $74.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $372 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇸🇪 Malmo
🕒 Local time
23:06 11:06 PM
07:06 7:06 AM
8 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
316,588
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.59 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 9.99 SEK (1 SEK = 0.1 USD). 1 EUR = 11.21 SEK (100 SEK = 8.92 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Malmo 9,540 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Malmo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Mexico City vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mexico City or Malmo?
Malmo costs about 31% more than Mexico City, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Mexico City and in Malmo?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,341 per month in Mexico City and $3,069 in Malmo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Mexico City or Malmo?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Mexico City and in Malmo?
Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $167 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Mexico City or in Malmo?
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.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Mexico City or in Malmo?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,561, than in Malmo at $2,046. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mexico City or Malmo?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,561 versus $2,046 in Malmo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Mexico City or to Malmo?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. 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.

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