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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,776 per month in Ostersund vs $2,083 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,833 per month in Ostersund vs $3,221 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,890 per month in Ostersund vs $4,359 in Malmo, rent included.

Ostersund is about 15% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ostersund and Malmo sit above the global median – Ostersund by 30%, Malmo by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.02 SEK 138

$15.40 SEK 152

-8.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 SEK 773

$76.7 SEK 756

2.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.49 SEK 103

$12.22 SEK 120

-14.16%

Cappuccino

$4.84 SEK 47.68

$5.10 SEK 50.3

-5.10%

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

$2.81 SEK 27.68

$3.37 SEK 33.24

-16.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SEK 22.13

$2.68 SEK 26.37

-16.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 SEK 72.6

$8.97 SEK 88.4

-17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 SEK 70.0

$8.97 SEK 88.4

-20.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 SEK 15.18

$1.75 SEK 17.24

-12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 SEK 29.36

$3.03 SEK 29.88

-1.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.93 SEK 48.60

$3.58 SEK 35.27

37.71%

Eggs

$3.46 SEK 34.08

$4.23 SEK 41.71

-18.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.28 SEK 141

$13.07 SEK 129

9.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 SEK 117

$12.22 SEK 120

-3.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 SEK 155

$22.01 SEK 217

-28.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 SEK 43.94

$3.05 SEK 30.04

46.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 SEK 29.13

$2.62 SEK 25.85

12.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 SEK 34.97

$3.18 SEK 31.30

11.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 SEK 42.21

$4.44 SEK 43.75

-3.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 SEK 16.23

$1.74 SEK 17.14

-5.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.94

$1.52 SEK 14.99

6.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 SEK 23.53

$2.48 SEK 24.46

-3.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 SEK 15.20

$1.31 SEK 12.89

17.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.08 SEK 79.6

$7.79 SEK 76.7

3.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 SEK 104

$11.80 SEK 116

-10.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SEK 19.65

$2.00 SEK 19.72

-0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SEK 21.99

$2.32 SEK 22.85

-3.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 SEK 33.55

$3.20 SEK 31.49

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.2 SEK 801

$64.5 SEK 636

25.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 SEK 61.7

$6.42 SEK 63.3

-2.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 SEK 16.96

$2.44 SEK 24.00

-29.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.2 SEK 603

$51.8 SEK 510

18.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 SEK 18.55

$1.76 SEK 17.33

6.82%

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

$34.9K SEK 344.2K

$33.2K SEK 327.4K

5.13%

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

$34.3K SEK 338.2K

$33.7K SEK 332.3K

1.79%

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

$107 SEK 1,054

$140 SEK 1,384

-23.82%

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

$27.13 SEK 267

$26.87 SEK 265

0.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.47 SEK 389

$37.50 SEK 370

5.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 SEK 391

$43.40 SEK 428

-8.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.20 SEK 258

$29.75 SEK 293

-11.93%

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 SEK 150

$17.63 SEK 174

-13.39%

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

$131 SEK 1,291

$172 SEK 1,695

-23.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,237 SEK 51.6K

$3,416 SEK 33.7K

53.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.6 SEK 932

$103 SEK 1,012

-7.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.68 SEK 430

$46.61 SEK 459

-6.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 SEK 965

$114 SEK 1,120

-13.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 SEK 1,424

$156 SEK 1,542

-7.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 SEK 8,316

$1,044 SEK 10.3K

-19.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 SEK 5,955

$816 SEK 8,044

-25.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,420 SEK 14.0K

$1,750 SEK 17.2K

-18.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 SEK 10.5K

$1,377 SEK 13.6K

-22.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,145 SEK 40.8K

$4,211 SEK 41.5K

-1.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,859 SEK 28.2K

$3,287 SEK 32.4K

-13.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,113 SEK 30.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.42

3.02

13.25%

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

Last update for Ostersund: September 15, 2026

Last update for Malmo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $844 in Ostersund versus $1,044 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 $78.0 in Ostersund versus $77.0 in Malmo. Groceries tell a different story – $375 in Ostersund vs $383 in Malmo – so Ostersund 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

Ostersund vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 17% more than Ostersund, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,664 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 $131 per month in Ostersund and $172 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $1,776, 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 $1,776 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.