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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,582 per month in Stockholm vs $1,926 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,840 per month in Stockholm vs $2,839 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,098 per month in Stockholm vs $3,751 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 93%, Kalmar by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.09 SEK 156

$15.76 SEK 152

2.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 SEK 1,065

$74.7 SEK 722

47.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 SEK 113

$10.34 SEK 100.0

12.96%

Cappuccino

$5.20 SEK 50.3

$4.68 SEK 45.19

11.11%

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

$3.28 SEK 31.74

$2.81 SEK 27.19

16.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 23.85

$2.73 SEK 26.42

-9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.51 SEK 82.3

$9.90 SEK 95.7

-14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.31 SEK 80.3

$7.59 SEK 73.3

9.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.38

$1.50 SEK 14.55

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 SEK 32.94

$2.48 SEK 23.95

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 SEK 39.31

$2.71 SEK 26.23

50.18%

Eggs

$4.70 SEK 45.47

$4.88 SEK 47.18

-3.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 SEK 123

$10.18 SEK 98.4

25.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.23 SEK 128

$11.54 SEK 112

14.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.40 SEK 187

$16.07 SEK 155

20.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 SEK 34.77

$2.67 SEK 25.80

34.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 28.01

$2.73 SEK 26.44

6.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 SEK 32.64

$3.17 SEK 30.63

6.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 SEK 44.35

$3.78 SEK 36.54

21.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 SEK 18.98

$1.49 SEK 14.36

31.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 18.23

$2.33 SEK 22.49

-18.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 SEK 24.32

$2.07 SEK 20.01

21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 15.60

$1.68 SEK 16.21

-4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 SEK 77.9

$7.12 SEK 68.8

13.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 SEK 121

$9.11 SEK 88.1

37.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 SEK 21.15

$2.00 SEK 19.37

9.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 SEK 22.83

$1.72 SEK 16.58

37.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 SEK 44.02

$2.98 SEK 28.82

52.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 SEK 1,083

$87.1 SEK 842

28.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 SEK 61.9

$7.08 SEK 68.5

-9.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 16.00

$1.59 SEK 15.40

4.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.3 SEK 612

$52.6 SEK 509

20.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 SEK 17.97

$1.91 SEK 18.42

-2.62%

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

$33.0K SEK 319.3K

$27.6K SEK 266.5K

19.84%

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

$34.5K SEK 333.9K

$28.1K SEK 271.5K

22.96%

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

$227 SEK 2,196

$117 SEK 1,129

94.53%

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

$29.59 SEK 286

$28.56 SEK 276

3.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.03 SEK 406

$30.64 SEK 296

37.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.01 SEK 445

$29.77 SEK 288

54.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.09 SEK 368

$15.73 SEK 152

142.15%

Cinema Ticket

$17.78 SEK 172

$14.39 SEK 139

23.56%

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

$164 SEK 1,587

$146 SEK 1,410

12.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,573 SEK 63.5K

$4,077 SEK 39.4K

61.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.6 SEK 944

$64.2 SEK 621

51.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.76 SEK 481

$21.00 SEK 203

136.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 SEK 1,163

$60.4 SEK 584

99.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 SEK 1,951

$75.9 SEK 734

165.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 SEK 15.1K

$947 SEK 9,154

65.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

$812 SEK 7,845

33.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,754 SEK 26.6K

$1,363 SEK 13.2K

102.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 SEK 17.4K

$1,203 SEK 11.6K

49.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.8K SEK 113.7K

$4,262 SEK 41.2K

175.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,496 SEK 62.8K

$2,835 SEK 27.4K

129.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,643 SEK 35.2K

$2,928 SEK 28.3K

24.44%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,566 in Stockholm versus $947 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 24% 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 $110 in Stockholm versus $75.0 in Kalmar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $337 – 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: $2,582 in Stockholm, $1,926 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 $3,873 per month in Stockholm and $2,889 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 $164 per month in Stockholm and $146 in Kalmar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $1,926, than in Stockholm at $2,582. 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 $1,926 in Kalmar to $2,582 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.