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 $2,986 per month in Mount Vernon, WA vs $1,981 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,144 per month in Mount Vernon, WA vs $2,973 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,301 per month in Mount Vernon, WA vs $3,966 in Kalmar, rent included.

Mount Vernon, WA costs about 51% more than Kalmar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.34 $24.34

$15.61 SEK 150

55.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 $60.6

$73.1 SEK 703

-17.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.03 $15.03

$11.08 SEK 107

35.65%

Cappuccino

$6.32 $6.32

$4.86 SEK 46.80

30.04%

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

$2.28 $2.28

$2.92 SEK 28.08

-21.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.65 SEK 25.47

-38.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 $7.17

$9.82 SEK 94.5

-26.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 $7.77

$7.25 SEK 69.8

7.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.52 SEK 14.60

-19.74%

White Bread (500g)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.98 SEK 28.62

41.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$3.20 SEK 30.75

92.50%

Eggs

$4.94 $4.94

$4.95 SEK 47.65

-0.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 $10.98

$11.66 SEK 112

-5.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 $6.77

$11.64 SEK 112

-41.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.39 $8.39

$23.58 SEK 227

-64.42%

Apples (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$2.65 SEK 25.51

127.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.83 SEK 27.22

-32.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$3.42 SEK 32.88

51.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$4.11 SEK 39.57

57.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.54 SEK 14.77

141.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.57 SEK 15.12

22.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.02 SEK 19.47

37.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.83 SEK 17.57

6.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.89 $5.89

$8.12 SEK 78.1

-27.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 $14.82

$9.32 SEK 89.7

59.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.02 SEK 19.46

44.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.57 SEK 24.71

-3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 SEK 34.18

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.91 $29.91

$81.1 SEK 780

-63.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$10.03 SEK 96.5

-73.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.75 SEK 16.80

-5.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.48 $29.48

$50.3 SEK 484

-41.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.81 SEK 17.46

-33.70%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$31.6K SEK 303.9K

16.06%

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

$19.5K $19.5K

$30.2K SEK 290.3K

-35.48%

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

$217 $217

$152 SEK 1,459

43.13%

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

$44.76 $44.76

$27.98 SEK 269

59.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 $69.4

$33.50 SEK 322

107.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.2 $71.2

$32.39 SEK 312

119.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.98 SEK 260

Cinema Ticket

$13.37 $13.37

$15.39 SEK 148

-13.13%

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

$3,049 $3,049

$146 SEK 1,409

1981.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K $31.7K

$5,205 SEK 50.1K

508.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.99 $39.99

$52.6 SEK 506

-24.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$45.15 SEK 434

21.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 $80.0

$85.3 SEK 821

-6.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 $79.9

$106 SEK 1,017

-24.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 $1,489

$945 SEK 9,088

57.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 $1,631

$812 SEK 7,807

100.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,539 $2,539

$1,368 SEK 13.2K

85.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,437 $2,437

$1,213 SEK 11.7K

100.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,072 $4,072

$4,269 SEK 41.1K

-4.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,969 $3,969

$2,887 SEK 27.8K

37.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,899 $3,899

$3,037 SEK 29.2K

28.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

3.93

63.36%

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

Last update for Mount Vernon, WA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,489 in Mount Vernon, WA versus $945 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 28% 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 $73.0 in Kalmar. Groceries tell a different story – $384 in Mount Vernon, WA vs $378 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: $2,986 in Mount Vernon, WA, $1,981 in Kalmar – roughly 51% apart. Mount Vernon, WA costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,479 per month in Mount Vernon, WA and $2,971 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 $3,049 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 2% 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 $1,981, than in Mount Vernon, WA at $2,986. 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.