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 $2,904 per month in Mount Vernon, WA vs $1,926 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,958 per month in Mount Vernon, WA vs $2,839 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,012 per month in Mount Vernon, WA vs $3,751 in Kalmar, rent included.

Mount Vernon, WA costs about 51% more than Kalmar, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mount Vernon, WA and Kalmar sit above the global median – Mount Vernon, WA by 117%, Kalmar by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.68 $16.68

$15.76 SEK 152

5.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.0 $61.0

$74.7 SEK 720

-18.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.38 $12.38

$10.34 SEK 99.7

19.73%

Cappuccino

$5.62 $5.62

$4.68 SEK 45.05

20.09%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$2.81 SEK 27.10

-21.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.73 SEK 26.33

-37.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.37 $7.37

$9.90 SEK 95.4

-25.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.03 $12.03

$7.59 SEK 73.1

58.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.50 SEK 14.50

-23.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.48 SEK 23.88

68.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.38 $8.38

$2.71 SEK 26.14

209.23%

Eggs

$4.80 $4.80

$4.88 SEK 47.04

-1.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.84 $10.84

$10.18 SEK 98.1

6.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 $6.63

$11.54 SEK 111

-42.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.11 $8.11

$16.07 SEK 155

-49.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$2.67 SEK 25.72

96.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.73 SEK 26.35

-37.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.17 SEK 30.54

38.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$3.78 SEK 36.43

34.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$1.49 SEK 14.31

117.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.33 SEK 22.42

-13.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.07 SEK 19.95

-5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.68 SEK 16.16

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.10 $6.10

$7.12 SEK 68.6

-14.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.73 $18.73

$9.11 SEK 87.8

105.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.00 SEK 19.31

-11.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.72 SEK 16.53

48.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.98 SEK 28.73

-31.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.55 $30.55

$87.1 SEK 839

-64.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$7.08 SEK 68.3

-63.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.59 SEK 15.36

3.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.11 $30.11

$52.6 SEK 507

-42.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.91 SEK 18.36

-44.50%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$27.6K SEK 265.6K

-10.48%

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

$20.5K $20.5K

$28.1K SEK 270.7K

-27.08%

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

$231 $231

$117 SEK 1,125

98.06%

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

$44.29 $44.29

$28.56 SEK 275

55.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 $79.6

$30.64 SEK 295

159.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.31 $43.31

$29.77 SEK 287

45.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 SEK 152

Cinema Ticket

$15.29 $15.29

$14.39 SEK 139

6.25%

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

$2,072 $2,072

$146 SEK 1,406

1320.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.8K $31.8K

$4,077 SEK 39.3K

680.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.29 $43.29

$64.2 SEK 619

-32.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.09 $44.09

$21.00 SEK 202

109.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.7 $56.7

$60.4 SEK 582

-6.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 $77.9

$75.9 SEK 731

2.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,666 $1,666

$947 SEK 9,125

75.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 $1,617

$812 SEK 7,820

99.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 $2,712

$1,363 SEK 13.1K

98.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,491 $2,491

$1,203 SEK 11.6K

107.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,003 $4,003

$4,262 SEK 41.1K

-6.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,943 $3,943

$2,835 SEK 27.3K

39.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,787 $3,787

$2,928 SEK 28.2K

29.34%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,666 in Mount Vernon, WA versus $947 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 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 $61.0 in Mount Vernon, WA versus $75.0 in Kalmar. Groceries tell a different story – $373 in Mount Vernon, WA vs $337 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: $2,904 in Mount Vernon, WA, $1,926 in Kalmar – roughly 51% apart. Mount Vernon, WA costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,357 per month in Mount Vernon, WA and $2,889 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 $2,072 per month in Mount Vernon, WA and $146 in Kalmar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $1,926, than in Mount Vernon, WA at $2,904. 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.