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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,732 per month in Stockholm vs $2,093 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,130 per month in Stockholm vs $3,234 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,527 per month in Stockholm vs $4,376 in Malmo, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 31% more than Malmo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Stockholm and Malmo sit above the global median – Stockholm by 99%, Malmo by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 SEK 177

$15.36 SEK 148

19.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 SEK 988

$79.8 SEK 768

28.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 SEK 110

$12.28 SEK 118

-6.92%

Cappuccino

$5.35 SEK 51.5

$4.87 SEK 46.91

9.86%

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

$3.89 SEK 37.43

$3.55 SEK 34.19

9.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 SEK 30.85

$2.84 SEK 27.31

12.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.46 SEK 81.5

$9.09 SEK 87.6

-6.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.19 SEK 88.5

$9.34 SEK 90.0

-1.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.80

$1.83 SEK 17.66

-4.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 SEK 40.14

$3.00 SEK 28.89

39.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 SEK 39.39

$3.64 SEK 35.06

12.36%

Eggs

$5.19 SEK 49.96

$4.18 SEK 40.28

24.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.23 SEK 127

$13.29 SEK 128

-0.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.55 SEK 131

$12.35 SEK 119

9.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.30 SEK 215

$22.05 SEK 212

1.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 SEK 34.19

$3.12 SEK 30.06

13.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 SEK 28.63

$2.57 SEK 24.72

15.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 30.57

$3.07 SEK 29.58

3.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 SEK 45.23

$4.42 SEK 42.61

6.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 17.97

$1.76 SEK 16.98

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.37

$1.60 SEK 15.39

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 SEK 23.95

$2.64 SEK 25.44

-5.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.95

$1.29 SEK 12.38

93.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.10 SEK 87.7

$7.95 SEK 76.6

14.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 SEK 122

$11.86 SEK 114

6.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 SEK 20.66

$2.14 SEK 20.64

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 SEK 24.64

$2.43 SEK 23.39

5.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.61 SEK 44.44

$3.27 SEK 31.47

40.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 SEK 1,085

$66.5 SEK 641

69.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 SEK 59.7

$6.29 SEK 60.6

-1.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 SEK 14.74

$2.50 SEK 24.12

-38.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.2 SEK 570

$52.8 SEK 508

12.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 17.55

$1.81 SEK 17.39

0.55%

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

$34.5K SEK 332.1K

$34.1K SEK 328.5K

1.08%

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

$35.1K SEK 338.3K

$35.1K SEK 338.4K

-0.03%

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

$281 SEK 2,709

$143 SEK 1,376

96.82%

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

$22.69 SEK 218

$27.75 SEK 267

-18.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.70 SEK 392

$39.07 SEK 376

4.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 SEK 463

$45.75 SEK 441

5.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.41 SEK 399

$30.43 SEK 293

36.08%

Cinema Ticket

$19.78 SEK 191

$18.13 SEK 175

9.10%

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

$172 SEK 1,658

$176 SEK 1,692

-2.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K SEK 162.2K

$3,485 SEK 33.6K

383.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 SEK 1,157

$104 SEK 1,000

15.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 SEK 557

$46.39 SEK 447

24.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 SEK 1,365

$119 SEK 1,150

18.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 SEK 1,952

$159 SEK 1,535

27.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 SEK 17.2K

$1,054 SEK 10.2K

69.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 SEK 10.6K

$845 SEK 8,142

29.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,323 SEK 32.0K

$1,733 SEK 16.7K

91.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 SEK 17.9K

$1,421 SEK 13.7K

30.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.7K SEK 113.0K

$4,223 SEK 40.7K

177.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,611 SEK 63.7K

$3,338 SEK 32.1K

98.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,662 SEK 35.3K

$3,200 SEK 30.8K

14.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.31

3.02

9.60%

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

Last update for Stockholm: August 29, 2026

Last update for Malmo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,787 in Stockholm versus $1,054 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 14% 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 $103 in Stockholm versus $80.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 vs $387 – making Malmo 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 Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stockholm costs about 31% 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 $4,098 per month in Stockholm and $3,139 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 $172 per month in Stockholm and $176 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malmo, where all-in costs run around $2,093, than in Stockholm at $2,732. 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 $2,093 versus $2,732 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.