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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,843 per month in Ostersund vs $2,083 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,834 per month in Ostersund vs $3,191 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,825 per month in Ostersund vs $4,299 in Malmo, rent included.

Ostersund is about 12% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ostersund and Malmo sit above the global median – Ostersund by 38%, Malmo by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.50 SEK 128

$13.51 SEK 128

-0.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 SEK 689

$82.8 SEK 787

-12.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.73 SEK 102

$12.55 SEK 119

-14.50%

Cappuccino

$4.74 SEK 45.03

$4.90 SEK 46.51

-3.27%

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

$2.75 SEK 26.12

$2.71 SEK 25.78

1.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 23.81

$2.08 SEK 19.78

20.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 SEK 75.8

$8.03 SEK 76.3

-0.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.73 SEK 73.4

$8.09 SEK 76.9

-4.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SEK 14.17

$1.68 SEK 15.98

-11.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 SEK 28.60

$3.06 SEK 29.07

-1.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.89 SEK 46.48

$3.50 SEK 33.22

39.71%

Eggs

$3.42 SEK 32.53

$4.44 SEK 42.22

-22.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 SEK 137

$12.02 SEK 114

20.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.85 SEK 113

$12.88 SEK 122

-8.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.20 SEK 154

$27.59 SEK 262

-41.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 SEK 41.47

$3.29 SEK 31.29

32.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 SEK 28.00

$2.94 SEK 27.90

0.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 35.78

$3.39 SEK 32.16

11.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 SEK 41.02

$4.97 SEK 47.21

-13.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 SEK 35.69

$1.83 SEK 17.35

105.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 SEK 16.85

$1.99 SEK 18.86

-11.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 SEK 23.88

$2.49 SEK 23.62

0.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SEK 14.86

$1.34 SEK 12.69

16.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 SEK 77.7

$7.84 SEK 74.5

4.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.11 SEK 96.0

$11.58 SEK 110

-12.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 18.71

$2.48 SEK 23.59

-20.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SEK 18.84

$2.66 SEK 25.25

-25.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 SEK 32.73

$3.29 SEK 31.22

4.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 SEK 695

$71.2 SEK 676

2.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 SEK 61.3

$6.47 SEK 61.4

-0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 SEK 15.68

$2.64 SEK 25.09

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.8 SEK 596

$56.7 SEK 539

10.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 SEK 19.64

$1.92 SEK 18.27

7.81%

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

$32.9K SEK 313.0K

$32.7K SEK 310.6K

0.77%

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

$34.2K SEK 325.3K

$33.8K SEK 321.0K

1.33%

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

$116 SEK 1,101

$156 SEK 1,478

-25.45%

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

$29.20 SEK 277

$30.25 SEK 287

-3.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.09 SEK 352

$40.72 SEK 387

-8.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.91 SEK 389

$38.68 SEK 367

5.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.43 SEK 242

$23.36 SEK 222

8.86%

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 SEK 145

$18.05 SEK 171

-15.57%

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

$129 SEK 1,227

$159 SEK 1,515

-19.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,066 SEK 38.6K

$4,792 SEK 45.5K

-15.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.5 SEK 916

$105 SEK 1,001

-8.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.03 SEK 380

$44.78 SEK 425

-10.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 SEK 929

$123 SEK 1,169

-20.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 SEK 1,411

$166 SEK 1,574

-10.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 SEK 7,895

$931 SEK 8,849

-10.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 SEK 6,336

$796 SEK 7,557

-16.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 SEK 13.3K

$1,690 SEK 16.1K

-16.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 SEK 10.3K

$1,368 SEK 13.0K

-21.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,798 SEK 36.1K

$4,150 SEK 39.4K

-8.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,909 SEK 27.6K

$3,245 SEK 30.8K

-10.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,144 SEK 29.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Malmo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $831 in Ostersund versus $931 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 $72.0 in Ostersund versus $83.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $411 – 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 Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,764 per month in Ostersund and $3,125 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 $159 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $1,843, than in Malmo at $2,083. 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 $1,843 versus $2,083 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.