Cost of Living Comparison Between Middlesbrough and Kalmar Cost of Living Comparison Between Middlesbrough and Kalmar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,975 per month in Middlesbrough vs $1,862 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,797 per month in Middlesbrough vs $2,801 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,618 per month in Middlesbrough vs $3,740 in Kalmar, rent included.

Middlesbrough costs about 6% more than Kalmar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Middlesbrough and Kalmar sit above the global median – Middlesbrough by 47%, Kalmar by 39%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Middlesbrough
Kalmar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.05 £14.94
$16.05 SEK 151
24.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.3 £54.6
$74.3 SEK 697
-1.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.31 £7.68
$10.56 SEK 99.1
-2.37%
Cappuccino
$4.42 £3.29
$4.56 SEK 42.76
-3.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 £1.46
$2.89 SEK 27.11
-32.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 £1.06
$2.66 SEK 24.98
-46.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.45 £4.06
$9.71 SEK 91.1
-43.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.58 £4.16
$7.43 SEK 69.7
-24.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Middlesbrough
Kalmar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.60 £1.19
$1.48 SEK 13.84
8.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 £1.28
$2.39 SEK 22.40
-28.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.68 £1.99
$2.58 SEK 24.18
3.88%
Eggs
$3.98 £2.97
$4.88 SEK 45.76
-18.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.08 £5.27
$10.36 SEK 97.2
-31.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.47 £5.57
$11.73 SEK 110
-36.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.86 £7.35
$16.15 SEK 151
-38.95%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 £1.97
$2.62 SEK 24.55
1.15%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 £1.68
$2.79 SEK 26.16
-19.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.28 £1.70
$3.12 SEK 29.31
-26.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.64 £1.97
$3.70 SEK 34.69
-28.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.74 £1.30
$1.43 SEK 13.40
21.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.32 £0.99
$2.34 SEK 21.98
-43.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.38 £1.03
$2.06 SEK 19.29
-33.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 £1.39
$1.66 SEK 15.52
12.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.66 £13.90
$7.30 SEK 68.5
155.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.63 £10.90
$9.90 SEK 92.9
47.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.78 £2.82
$2.11 SEK 19.81
79.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.19 £3.87
$1.66 SEK 15.56
212.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Middlesbrough
Kalmar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.10 £3.05
$2.83 SEK 26.53
44.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.5 £71.9
$86.2 SEK 808
11.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.26 £4.66
$7.25 SEK 68.0
-13.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.15 £0.86
$1.56 SEK 14.61
-26.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.36 £12.19
$52.6 SEK 494
-68.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.96 £1.46
$1.95 SEK 18.28
0.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K £22.7K
$27.5K SEK 257.7K
10.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.6K £29.5K
$28.1K SEK 263.6K
40.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Middlesbrough
Kalmar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$286 £213
$118 SEK 1,110
142.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.07 £12.72
$28.08 SEK 263
-39.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.37 £31.57
$30.58 SEK 287
38.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Middlesbrough
Kalmar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.3 £40.44
$29.43 SEK 276
84.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.23 £15.82
$15.57 SEK 146
36.35%
Cinema Ticket
$13.02 £9.70
$14.22 SEK 133
-8.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Middlesbrough
Kalmar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$965 £719
$145 SEK 1,364
563.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.6K £15.4K
$4,155 SEK 39.0K
395.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Middlesbrough
Kalmar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.8 £58.7
$63.8 SEK 598
23.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.13 £32.87
$20.69 SEK 194
113.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.9 £63.2
$60.0 SEK 562
41.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.9 £52.8
$77.4 SEK 726
-8.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Middlesbrough
Kalmar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$920 £686
$939 SEK 8,805
-1.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$699 £521
$795 SEK 7,459
-12.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,039 £774
$1,389 SEK 13.0K
-25.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$964 £718
$1,183 SEK 11.1K
-18.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,738 £2,040
$4,304 SEK 40.4K
-36.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,284 £1,702
$2,931 SEK 27.5K
-22.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Middlesbrough
Kalmar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,380 £1,773
$3,061 SEK 28.7K
-22.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.6
4.66
20.17%

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

Last update for Middlesbrough: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $920 in Middlesbrough versus $939 in Kalmar. 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 29% higher in Kalmar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Middlesbrough versus $74.0 in Kalmar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $338 – making Middlesbrough the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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
Middlesbrough vs Kalmar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Middlesbrough and Kalmar compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,975 in Middlesbrough, $1,862 in Kalmar – roughly 6% apart. Middlesbrough costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Middlesbrough compared to Kalmar?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,963 per month in Middlesbrough and $2,793 in Kalmar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Middlesbrough and Kalmar?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kalmar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Middlesbrough and Kalmar?
Kindergarten costs $965 per month in Middlesbrough and $145 in Kalmar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Middlesbrough – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kalmar, where all-in costs run around $1,862, than in Middlesbrough at $1,975. In Kalmar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Middlesbrough it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Middlesbrough or Kalmar?
Families tend to lean toward Kalmar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Middlesbrough or Kalmar safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Middlesbrough and Kalmar?
If budget matters most, go with Kalmar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Middlesbrough makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Middlesbrough vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities