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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,853 per month in Ostersund vs $2,106 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,860 per month in Ostersund vs $3,222 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,867 per month in Ostersund vs $4,338 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

$13.21 SEK 122

$13.61 SEK 126

-2.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 SEK 683

$84.2 SEK 781

-12.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 SEK 98.3

$12.88 SEK 119

-17.70%

Cappuccino

$4.50 SEK 41.74

$5.01 SEK 46.40

-10.18%

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

$2.79 SEK 25.84

$2.74 SEK 25.36

1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.08

$2.12 SEK 19.68

17.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 SEK 72.8

$8.09 SEK 75.0

-2.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 SEK 68.8

$8.10 SEK 75.1

-8.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 14.23

$1.70 SEK 15.79

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 SEK 28.58

$3.11 SEK 28.79

-0.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.10 SEK 47.32

$3.62 SEK 33.56

40.88%

Eggs

$3.61 SEK 33.51

$4.48 SEK 41.49

-19.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.49 SEK 134

$12.25 SEK 114

18.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.74 SEK 109

$12.78 SEK 119

-8.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.97 SEK 148

$27.29 SEK 253

-41.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 SEK 42.10

$3.43 SEK 31.76

32.36%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 SEK 27.80

$2.90 SEK 26.89

3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 SEK 34.54

$3.38 SEK 31.32

10.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 SEK 38.88

$4.87 SEK 45.14

-13.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 SEK 34.36

$1.83 SEK 16.92

102.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 SEK 17.12

$1.89 SEK 17.54

-2.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 SEK 24.36

$2.59 SEK 24.05

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SEK 14.14

$1.28 SEK 11.87

19.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.20 SEK 76.0

$7.95 SEK 73.7

3.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.06 SEK 103

$12.24 SEK 113

-9.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 18.23

$2.43 SEK 22.53

-18.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SEK 18.04

$2.78 SEK 25.76

-29.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 SEK 30.43

$3.40 SEK 31.56

-3.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.6 SEK 692

$70.0 SEK 649

6.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 SEK 56.7

$6.61 SEK 61.3

-7.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 SEK 15.44

$2.64 SEK 24.49

-36.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.5 SEK 570

$57.1 SEK 530

7.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 SEK 19.38

$1.94 SEK 18.01

7.73%

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

$32.8K SEK 303.6K

$33.0K SEK 305.7K

-0.68%

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

$34.4K SEK 318.8K

$33.8K SEK 313.0K

1.85%

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

$115 SEK 1,062

$157 SEK 1,456

-27.07%

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

$28.51 SEK 264

$30.03 SEK 278

-5.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.11 SEK 344

$40.01 SEK 371

-7.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.73 SEK 368

$39.47 SEK 366

0.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.92 SEK 231

$23.84 SEK 221

4.53%

Cinema Ticket

$15.69 SEK 145

$17.91 SEK 166

-12.40%

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

$129 SEK 1,198

$159 SEK 1,472

-18.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,151 SEK 38.5K

$4,807 SEK 44.6K

-13.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 SEK 875

$106 SEK 984

-11.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.27 SEK 383

$44.76 SEK 415

-7.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 SEK 885

$122 SEK 1,127

-21.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 SEK 1,414

$164 SEK 1,524

-7.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 SEK 7,690

$927 SEK 8,591

-10.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 SEK 5,993

$771 SEK 7,145

-16.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,420 SEK 13.2K

$1,719 SEK 15.9K

-17.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 SEK 9,840

$1,342 SEK 12.4K

-20.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,517 SEK 41.9K

$4,420 SEK 41.0K

2.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,965 SEK 27.5K

$3,390 SEK 31.4K

-12.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,361 SEK 31.2K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Malmo: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Ostersund versus $927 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 $74.0 in Ostersund versus $84.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $413 – 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 14% 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 $2,780 per month in Ostersund and $3,160 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 $1,853, than in Malmo at $2,106. 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 $1,853 versus $2,106 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.