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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,505 per month in Stockholm vs $1,862 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,800 per month in Stockholm vs $2,801 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,096 per month in Stockholm vs $3,740 in Kalmar, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 35% more than Kalmar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Stockholm and Kalmar sit above the global median – Stockholm by 87%, Kalmar by 39%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.12 SEK 150

$16.05 SEK 150

0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 SEK 1,045

$74.3 SEK 693

50.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 SEK 108

$10.56 SEK 98.6

9.66%

Cappuccino

$5.08 SEK 47.40

$4.56 SEK 42.55

11.40%

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

$3.30 SEK 30.79

$2.89 SEK 26.97

14.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 23.35

$2.66 SEK 24.85

-6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 SEK 80.9

$9.71 SEK 90.6

-10.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.30 SEK 77.5

$7.43 SEK 69.3

11.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SEK 16.03

$1.48 SEK 13.77

16.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 SEK 32.29

$2.39 SEK 22.28

44.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 SEK 37.28

$2.58 SEK 24.05

54.65%

Eggs

$4.72 SEK 44.00

$4.88 SEK 45.52

-3.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 SEK 122

$10.36 SEK 96.7

25.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 SEK 120

$11.73 SEK 109

10.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.56 SEK 183

$16.15 SEK 151

21.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 SEK 33.73

$2.62 SEK 24.42

38.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 26.37

$2.79 SEK 26.03

1.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 SEK 31.62

$3.12 SEK 29.16

8.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 SEK 42.88

$3.70 SEK 34.51

24.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 SEK 17.70

$1.43 SEK 13.33

32.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 SEK 17.54

$2.34 SEK 21.87

-19.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 24.27

$2.06 SEK 19.19

26.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 14.98

$1.66 SEK 15.44

-3.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SEK 73.0

$7.30 SEK 68.1

7.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 SEK 120

$9.90 SEK 92.4

29.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 SEK 20.15

$2.11 SEK 19.71

2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 20.95

$1.66 SEK 15.48

34.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.57 SEK 42.60

$2.83 SEK 26.39

61.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 SEK 1,028

$86.2 SEK 804

27.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 SEK 58.5

$7.25 SEK 67.6

-13.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 SEK 14.67

$1.56 SEK 14.53

0.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.5 SEK 583

$52.6 SEK 491

18.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 16.98

$1.95 SEK 18.19

-6.67%

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

$33.0K SEK 307.6K

$27.5K SEK 256.4K

19.98%

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

$35.4K SEK 330.5K

$28.1K SEK 262.2K

26.01%

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

$229 SEK 2,133

$118 SEK 1,104

93.21%

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

$28.82 SEK 269

$28.08 SEK 262

2.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.69 SEK 389

$30.58 SEK 285

36.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.58 SEK 435

$29.43 SEK 275

58.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.46 SEK 359

$15.57 SEK 145

147.01%

Cinema Ticket

$17.65 SEK 165

$14.22 SEK 133

24.12%

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

$165 SEK 1,541

$145 SEK 1,357

13.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,662 SEK 62.2K

$4,155 SEK 38.8K

60.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.4 SEK 909

$63.8 SEK 595

52.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.44 SEK 461

$20.69 SEK 193

138.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 SEK 1,090

$60.0 SEK 560

94.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$204 SEK 1,907

$77.4 SEK 723

164.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 SEK 14.8K

$939 SEK 8,760

69.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 SEK 10.3K

$795 SEK 7,421

39.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 SEK 25.8K

$1,389 SEK 13.0K

99.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 SEK 16.8K

$1,183 SEK 11.0K

52.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K SEK 114.3K

$4,304 SEK 40.2K

184.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,689 SEK 62.4K

$2,931 SEK 27.4K

128.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,779 SEK 35.3K

$3,061 SEK 28.6K

23.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.66

-10.73%

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

Last update for Stockholm: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,589 in Stockholm versus $939 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 23% 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 $112 in Stockholm versus $74.0 in Kalmar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $338 – 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: $2,505 in Stockholm, $1,862 in Kalmar – roughly 35% apart. Stockholm costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,758 per month in Stockholm and $2,793 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 $165 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 18% 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 $1,862, than in Stockholm at $2,505. 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 $1,862 in Kalmar to $2,505 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.