Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Vernon, WA and Kalmar Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Vernon, WA and Kalmar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,857 per month in Mount Vernon, WA vs $1,862 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,967 per month in Mount Vernon, WA vs $2,801 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,077 per month in Mount Vernon, WA vs $3,740 in Kalmar, rent included.

Mount Vernon, WA costs about 53% more than Kalmar, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mount Vernon, WA and Kalmar sit above the global median – Mount Vernon, WA by 113%, Kalmar by 39%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.41 $16.41

$16.05 SEK 150

2.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$74.3 SEK 693

-20.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

$10.56 SEK 98.6

17.80%

Cappuccino

$5.75 $5.75

$4.56 SEK 42.55

26.10%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$2.89 SEK 26.97

-23.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.66 SEK 24.85

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.57 $7.57

$9.71 SEK 90.6

-22.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.15 $12.15

$7.43 SEK 69.3

63.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.48 SEK 13.77

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.39 SEK 22.28

79.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.03 $8.03

$2.58 SEK 24.05

211.24%

Eggs

$4.94 $4.94

$4.88 SEK 45.52

1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 $11.16

$10.36 SEK 96.7

7.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 $6.72

$11.73 SEK 109

-42.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.30 $8.30

$16.15 SEK 151

-48.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.62 SEK 24.42

93.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.79 SEK 26.03

-38.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.12 SEK 29.16

38.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$3.70 SEK 34.51

36.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.43 SEK 13.33

135.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.34 SEK 21.87

-17.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.06 SEK 19.19

-6.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.66 SEK 15.44

18.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 $5.83

$7.30 SEK 68.1

-20.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.17 $18.17

$9.90 SEK 92.4

83.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.11 SEK 19.71

-18.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.66 SEK 15.48

54.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.83 SEK 26.39

-30.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 $29.43

$86.2 SEK 804

-65.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 $2.53

$7.25 SEK 67.6

-65.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.56 SEK 14.53

7.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.20 $30.20

$52.6 SEK 491

-42.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.95 SEK 18.19

-45.64%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$27.5K SEK 256.4K

-7.71%

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

$20.7K $20.7K

$28.1K SEK 262.2K

-26.20%

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

$230 $230

$118 SEK 1,104

94.65%

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

$45.43 $45.43

$28.08 SEK 262

61.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.1 $79.1

$30.58 SEK 285

158.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.46 $43.46

$29.43 SEK 275

47.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.57 SEK 145

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 $15.19

$14.22 SEK 133

6.82%

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

$2,108 $2,108

$145 SEK 1,357

1349.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.8K $31.8K

$4,155 SEK 38.8K

666.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.24 $43.24

$63.8 SEK 595

-32.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 $44.42

$20.69 SEK 193

114.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.4 $56.4

$60.0 SEK 560

-5.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.5 $80.5

$77.4 SEK 723

3.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 $1,679

$939 SEK 8,760

78.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 $1,569

$795 SEK 7,421

97.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 $2,670

$1,389 SEK 13.0K

92.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,430 $2,430

$1,183 SEK 11.0K

105.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,684 $2,684

$4,304 SEK 40.2K

-37.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,324 $2,324

$2,931 SEK 27.4K

-20.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,837 $3,837

$3,061 SEK 28.6K

25.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

4.66

36.91%

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

Last update for Mount Vernon, WA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,679 in Mount Vernon, WA 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 25% higher in Mount Vernon, WA, 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 $59.0 in Mount Vernon, WA versus $74.0 in Kalmar. Groceries tell a different story – $371 in Mount Vernon, WA vs $338 in Kalmar – so Kalmar 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

Mount Vernon, WA vs Kalmar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,857 in Mount Vernon, WA, $1,862 in Kalmar – roughly 53% apart. Mount Vernon, WA costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,286 per month in Mount Vernon, WA and $2,793 in Kalmar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $2,108 per month in Mount Vernon, WA and $145 in Kalmar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Mount Vernon, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kalmar, where all-in costs run around $1,862, than in Mount Vernon, WA at $2,857. In Kalmar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mount Vernon, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 Kalmar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mount Vernon, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.