Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Malmo Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Malmo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,505 per month in Stockholm vs $2,047 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,800 per month in Stockholm vs $3,170 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,096 per month in Stockholm vs $4,292 in Malmo, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 22% more than Malmo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Stockholm and Malmo sit above the global median – Stockholm by 87%, Malmo by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.12 SEK 150

$13.48 SEK 126

19.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 SEK 1,045

$85.6 SEK 799

30.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 SEK 108

$12.67 SEK 118

-8.60%

Cappuccino

$5.08 SEK 47.40

$5.05 SEK 47.16

0.59%

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

$3.30 SEK 30.79

$2.69 SEK 25.07

22.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 23.35

$2.15 SEK 20.07

16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 SEK 80.9

$8.00 SEK 74.7

8.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.30 SEK 77.5

$8.20 SEK 76.5

1.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SEK 16.03

$1.67 SEK 15.62

2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 SEK 32.29

$3.11 SEK 28.99

11.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 SEK 37.28

$3.61 SEK 33.71

10.53%

Eggs

$4.72 SEK 44.00

$4.42 SEK 41.22

6.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 SEK 122

$12.05 SEK 112

8.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 SEK 120

$12.78 SEK 119

1.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.56 SEK 183

$27.50 SEK 257

-28.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 SEK 33.73

$3.27 SEK 30.49

10.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 26.37

$2.78 SEK 25.94

1.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 SEK 31.62

$3.24 SEK 30.25

4.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 SEK 42.88

$4.79 SEK 44.68

-3.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 SEK 17.70

$1.83 SEK 17.07

3.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 SEK 17.54

$1.95 SEK 18.22

-3.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 24.27

$2.57 SEK 23.98

1.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 14.98

$1.34 SEK 12.50

20.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SEK 73.0

$8.13 SEK 75.9

-3.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 SEK 120

$12.10 SEK 113

6.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 SEK 20.15

$2.53 SEK 23.59

-14.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 20.95

$2.66 SEK 24.80

-15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.57 SEK 42.60

$3.36 SEK 31.37

36.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 SEK 1,028

$69.3 SEK 647

58.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 SEK 58.5

$6.44 SEK 60.1

-2.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 SEK 14.67

$2.64 SEK 24.63

-40.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.5 SEK 583

$56.2 SEK 524

11.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 16.98

$1.92 SEK 17.92

-5.21%

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

$33.0K SEK 307.6K

$33.1K SEK 308.6K

-0.34%

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

$35.4K SEK 330.5K

$33.8K SEK 315.3K

4.80%

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

$229 SEK 2,133

$154 SEK 1,433

48.88%

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

$28.82 SEK 269

$30.36 SEK 283

-5.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.69 SEK 389

$40.38 SEK 377

3.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.58 SEK 435

$38.30 SEK 357

21.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.46 SEK 359

$23.78 SEK 222

61.73%

Cinema Ticket

$17.65 SEK 165

$17.81 SEK 166

-0.90%

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

$165 SEK 1,541

$162 SEK 1,508

2.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,662 SEK 62.2K

$4,876 SEK 45.5K

36.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.4 SEK 909

$105 SEK 977

-6.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.44 SEK 461

$45.70 SEK 426

8.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 SEK 1,090

$124 SEK 1,159

-5.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$204 SEK 1,907

$165 SEK 1,542

23.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 SEK 14.8K

$932 SEK 8,693

70.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 SEK 10.3K

$773 SEK 7,215

43.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 SEK 25.8K

$1,721 SEK 16.1K

60.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 SEK 16.8K

$1,343 SEK 12.5K

34.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K SEK 114.3K

$4,311 SEK 40.2K

184.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,689 SEK 62.4K

$3,360 SEK 31.3K

99.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,779 SEK 35.3K

$3,353 SEK 31.3K

12.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.86

-14.40%

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

Last update for Stockholm: June 1, 2026

Last update for Malmo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,589 in Stockholm versus $932 in Malmo. 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 13% 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 $86.0 in Malmo. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in Stockholm vs $410 in Malmo – so Stockholm 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

Stockholm vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stockholm costs about 22% more than Malmo, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,758 per month in Stockholm and $3,071 in Malmo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malmo, 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 $162 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Stockholm – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malmo, where all-in costs run around $2,047, than in Stockholm at $2,505. In Malmo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malmo costs $2,047 versus $2,505 in Stockholm. 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 Malmo. 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.