Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Kalmar Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Kalmar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,701 per month in Stockholm vs $2,023 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,056 per month in Stockholm vs $2,964 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,411 per month in Stockholm vs $3,906 in Kalmar, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 34% more than Kalmar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Stockholm and Kalmar sit above the global median – Stockholm by 96%, Kalmar by 47%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.46 SEK 179

$15.61 SEK 151

18.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 SEK 1,019

$72.3 SEK 701

45.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.59 SEK 112

$11.02 SEK 107

5.17%

Cappuccino

$5.11 SEK 49.56

$4.63 SEK 44.92

10.37%

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

$3.77 SEK 36.59

$2.85 SEK 27.69

32.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 SEK 31.84

$2.67 SEK 25.90

22.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 SEK 79.4

$9.86 SEK 95.6

-17.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.31 SEK 90.3

$7.18 SEK 69.6

29.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 SEK 17.25

$1.47 SEK 14.25

21.09%

White Bread (500g)

$4.02 SEK 39.00

$2.90 SEK 28.11

38.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 SEK 39.99

$3.21 SEK 31.12

28.35%

Eggs

$5.43 SEK 52.7

$4.78 SEK 46.41

13.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 SEK 131

$11.57 SEK 112

16.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.56 SEK 132

$11.38 SEK 110

19.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.13 SEK 215

$22.74 SEK 221

-2.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 SEK 35.86

$2.53 SEK 24.58

46.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 27.43

$2.90 SEK 28.17

-2.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 SEK 31.44

$3.25 SEK 31.57

-0.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 SEK 46.52

$4.10 SEK 39.76

16.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 18.18

$1.47 SEK 14.25

27.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 18.06

$1.63 SEK 15.81

14.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 SEK 24.89

$1.99 SEK 19.27

29.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 23.33

$1.74 SEK 16.87

37.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.12 SEK 88.5

$8.06 SEK 78.2

13.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 SEK 122

$9.21 SEK 89.4

36.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 SEK 20.86

$1.99 SEK 19.34

8.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 SEK 25.02

$2.58 SEK 25.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 SEK 44.56

$3.52 SEK 34.16

30.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 SEK 1,077

$80.9 SEK 785

37.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 SEK 60.3

$10.29 SEK 99.8

-39.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 SEK 15.00

$1.75 SEK 16.96

-11.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.6 SEK 569

$49.43 SEK 480

18.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.43

$1.84 SEK 17.85

3.26%

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

$34.9K SEK 338.2K

$31.4K SEK 305.1K

10.83%

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

$34.9K SEK 338.7K

$29.7K SEK 288.1K

17.56%

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

$287 SEK 2,784

$152 SEK 1,472

89.17%

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

$21.96 SEK 213

$27.85 SEK 270

-21.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.97 SEK 388

$33.20 SEK 322

20.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.02 SEK 476

$31.12 SEK 302

57.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.25 SEK 391

$25.71 SEK 249

56.55%

Cinema Ticket

$19.94 SEK 194

$15.24 SEK 148

30.84%

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

$168 SEK 1,633

$145 SEK 1,411

15.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K SEK 169.0K

$4,972 SEK 48.2K

250.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 SEK 1,140

$52.8 SEK 512

122.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 SEK 550

$45.03 SEK 437

25.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 SEK 1,365

$83.7 SEK 812

68.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 SEK 1,937

$103 SEK 998

94.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 SEK 17.2K

$921 SEK 8,937

92.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 SEK 10.8K

$801 SEK 7,769

38.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,309 SEK 32.1K

$1,369 SEK 13.3K

141.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,920 SEK 18.6K

$1,158 SEK 11.2K

65.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.6K SEK 112.8K

$4,269 SEK 41.4K

172.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,540 SEK 63.5K

$2,902 SEK 28.2K

125.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,645 SEK 35.4K

$2,984 SEK 29.0K

22.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.31

3.93

-15.78%

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

Last update for Stockholm: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,773 in Stockholm versus $921 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 22% higher in Stockholm, 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 $105 in Stockholm versus $72.0 in Kalmar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 vs $369 – making Kalmar 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

Stockholm vs Kalmar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,701 in Stockholm, $2,023 in Kalmar – roughly 34% apart. Stockholm costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,052 per month in Stockholm and $3,035 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 $168 per month in Stockholm and $145 in Kalmar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Stockholm, 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 $2,023, than in Stockholm at $2,701. In Kalmar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Stockholm has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,023 in Kalmar to $2,701 in Stockholm. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Stockholm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.