Cost of Living Comparison Between Uppsala and Malmo Cost of Living Comparison Between Uppsala and Malmo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,999 per month in Uppsala vs $2,047 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,014 per month in Uppsala vs $3,170 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,028 per month in Uppsala vs $4,292 in Malmo, rent included.

Uppsala is about 2% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Uppsala and Malmo sit above the global median – Uppsala by 49%, Malmo by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 SEK 148

$13.48 SEK 127

17.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 SEK 656

$85.6 SEK 804

-18.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.40 SEK 107

$12.67 SEK 119

-10.02%

Cappuccino

$5.00 SEK 47.00

$5.05 SEK 47.48

-0.99%

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

$2.67 SEK 25.05

$2.69 SEK 25.24

-0.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 SEK 20.56

$2.15 SEK 20.21

1.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.39 SEK 78.8

$8.00 SEK 75.2

4.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.66 SEK 81.4

$8.20 SEK 77.1

5.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SEK 15.33

$1.67 SEK 15.72

-2.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 SEK 25.83

$3.11 SEK 29.19

-11.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 SEK 42.59

$3.61 SEK 33.93

25.48%

Eggs

$5.10 SEK 47.92

$4.42 SEK 41.49

15.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 SEK 112

$12.05 SEK 113

-1.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.97 SEK 131

$12.78 SEK 120

9.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.80 SEK 158

$27.50 SEK 258

-38.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 SEK 35.09

$3.27 SEK 30.69

14.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 SEK 26.21

$2.78 SEK 26.12

0.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 SEK 33.51

$3.24 SEK 30.45

10.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 SEK 48.69

$4.79 SEK 44.97

8.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 14.82

$1.83 SEK 17.19

-13.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 SEK 16.81

$1.95 SEK 18.34

-8.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 SEK 24.72

$2.57 SEK 24.14

2.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SEK 12.41

$1.34 SEK 12.58

-1.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.14 SEK 76.4

$8.13 SEK 76.4

0.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 SEK 102

$12.10 SEK 114

-10.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.62

$2.53 SEK 23.75

-4.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 SEK 24.13

$2.66 SEK 24.96

-3.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 SEK 37.63

$3.36 SEK 31.58

19.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 SEK 1,023

$69.3 SEK 651

57.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 SEK 53.4

$6.44 SEK 60.5

-11.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 SEK 11.17

$2.64 SEK 24.80

-54.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.5 SEK 597

$56.2 SEK 528

13.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 SEK 18.84

$1.92 SEK 18.04

4.69%

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

$33.2K SEK 311.7K

$33.1K SEK 310.7K

0.31%

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

$33.8K SEK 317.6K

$33.8K SEK 317.4K

0.05%

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

$111 SEK 1,040

$154 SEK 1,442

-27.88%

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

$29.67 SEK 279

$30.36 SEK 285

-2.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.81 SEK 412

$40.38 SEK 379

8.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.15 SEK 358

$38.30 SEK 360

-0.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.06 SEK 264

$23.78 SEK 223

18.00%

Cinema Ticket

$19.76 SEK 186

$17.81 SEK 167

10.95%

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

$149 SEK 1,400

$162 SEK 1,518

-7.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,570 SEK 52.3K

$4,876 SEK 45.8K

14.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.7 SEK 833

$105 SEK 983

-15.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.94 SEK 394

$45.70 SEK 429

-8.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 SEK 927

$124 SEK 1,166

-20.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 SEK 1,471

$165 SEK 1,552

-5.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$943 SEK 8,862

$932 SEK 8,751

1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 SEK 7,087

$773 SEK 7,264

-2.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,503 SEK 14.1K

$1,721 SEK 16.2K

-12.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 SEK 10.1K

$1,343 SEK 12.6K

-19.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,511 SEK 51.8K

$4,311 SEK 40.5K

27.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,972 SEK 27.9K

$3,360 SEK 31.6K

-11.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,097 SEK 29.1K

$3,353 SEK 31.5K

-7.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.86

-1.23%

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

Last update for Uppsala: May 31, 2026

Last update for Malmo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $943 in Uppsala 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 8% higher in Malmo, 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 $70.0 in Uppsala versus $86.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $410 – making Uppsala 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

Uppsala vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 2% more than Uppsala, 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 $2,999 per month in Uppsala 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 Uppsala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $149 per month in Uppsala and $162 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Malmo, 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 Uppsala, where all-in costs run around $1,999, than in Malmo at $2,047. In Uppsala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Uppsala costs $1,999 versus $2,047 in Malmo. 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 Uppsala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Malmo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.