Cost of Living Comparison Between Ostersund and Malmo Cost of Living Comparison Between Ostersund and Malmo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,842 per month in Ostersund vs $2,078 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,858 per month in Ostersund vs $3,236 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,874 per month in Ostersund vs $4,394 in Malmo, rent included.

Ostersund is about 11% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ostersund and Malmo sit above the global median – Ostersund by 37%, Malmo by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.59 SEK 128

$13.76 SEK 129

-1.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 SEK 681

$85.6 SEK 803

-15.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 SEK 99.7

$12.87 SEK 121

-17.40%

Cappuccino

$4.70 SEK 44.09

$4.94 SEK 46.31

-4.86%

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

$2.83 SEK 26.54

$2.74 SEK 25.74

3.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 22.48

$2.17 SEK 20.32

10.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 SEK 73.8

$7.81 SEK 73.2

0.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.78 SEK 73.0

$7.93 SEK 74.4

-1.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SEK 14.00

$1.76 SEK 16.55

-15.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 SEK 29.29

$3.02 SEK 28.35

3.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.11 SEK 47.92

$3.61 SEK 33.87

41.55%

Eggs

$3.53 SEK 33.08

$4.47 SEK 41.90

-21.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.49 SEK 136

$12.20 SEK 114

18.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.89 SEK 112

$12.69 SEK 119

-6.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.12 SEK 151

$26.69 SEK 250

-39.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 SEK 42.61

$3.28 SEK 30.77

38.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 SEK 28.06

$2.94 SEK 27.56

1.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 SEK 33.66

$3.25 SEK 30.44

10.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 SEK 38.64

$4.76 SEK 44.62

-13.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 SEK 35.24

$1.86 SEK 17.48

102.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 SEK 16.54

$1.98 SEK 18.59

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 SEK 24.25

$2.58 SEK 24.16

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SEK 14.85

$1.29 SEK 12.08

22.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.30 SEK 77.8

$7.89 SEK 74.0

5.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.58 SEK 99.2

$11.92 SEK 112

-11.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SEK 18.15

$2.49 SEK 23.32

-22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 SEK 17.84

$2.63 SEK 24.66

-27.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.31 SEK 31.07

$3.39 SEK 31.80

-2.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 SEK 706

$71.3 SEK 669

5.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 SEK 58.7

$6.55 SEK 61.4

-4.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.39

$2.53 SEK 23.71

-35.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.9 SEK 581

$57.3 SEK 538

8.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 SEK 19.54

$1.92 SEK 18.02

8.33%

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

$32.7K SEK 306.9K

$32.8K SEK 308.1K

-0.37%

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

$33.9K SEK 318.2K

$33.5K SEK 314.2K

1.27%

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

$113 SEK 1,063

$152 SEK 1,428

-25.54%

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

$28.49 SEK 267

$30.08 SEK 282

-5.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.65 SEK 344

$40.52 SEK 380

-9.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 SEK 379

$38.55 SEK 362

4.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.07 SEK 235

$23.95 SEK 225

4.68%

Cinema Ticket

$15.37 SEK 144

$18.09 SEK 170

-15.04%

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

$129 SEK 1,212

$157 SEK 1,477

-17.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,184 SEK 39.3K

$4,974 SEK 46.7K

-15.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.9 SEK 872

$106 SEK 990

-11.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.09 SEK 376

$45.45 SEK 426

-11.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 SEK 900

$122 SEK 1,144

-21.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 SEK 1,429

$165 SEK 1,549

-7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 SEK 7,741

$896 SEK 8,408

-7.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 SEK 6,048

$792 SEK 7,426

-18.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,386 SEK 13.0K

$1,730 SEK 16.2K

-19.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 SEK 9,966

$1,349 SEK 12.7K

-21.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,359 SEK 40.9K

$4,244 SEK 39.8K

2.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,949 SEK 27.7K

$3,353 SEK 31.5K

-12.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,254 SEK 30.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

4.86

-6.79%

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

Last update for Ostersund: June 8, 2026

Last update for Malmo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $825 in Ostersund versus $896 in Malmo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Ostersund versus $86.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 vs $408 – making Ostersund 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

Ostersund vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 13% more than Ostersund, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,762 per month in Ostersund and $3,118 in Malmo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ostersund, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $129 per month in Ostersund and $157 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Malmo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ostersund, where all-in costs run around $1,842, than in Malmo at $2,078. In Ostersund it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ostersund costs $1,842 versus $2,078 in Malmo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Ostersund. 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.