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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,972 per month in Uppsala vs $2,081 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,967 per month in Uppsala vs $3,224 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,962 per month in Uppsala vs $4,368 in Malmo, rent included.

Uppsala is about 5% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Uppsala and Malmo sit above the global median – Uppsala by 48%, Malmo by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.00 SEK 155

$13.74 SEK 133

16.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 SEK 665

$83.5 SEK 808

-17.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 SEK 113

$12.74 SEK 123

-8.01%

Cappuccino

$4.89 SEK 47.37

$5.15 SEK 49.81

-5.05%

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

$2.68 SEK 25.91

$2.68 SEK 25.96

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 SEK 21.87

$2.10 SEK 20.32

7.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.31 SEK 80.5

$7.81 SEK 75.6

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.53 SEK 82.6

$8.01 SEK 77.6

6.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SEK 15.81

$1.73 SEK 16.79

-5.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 SEK 27.97

$3.08 SEK 29.78

-6.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 SEK 45.21

$3.48 SEK 33.72

34.20%

Eggs

$5.19 SEK 50.2

$4.53 SEK 43.87

14.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.16 SEK 118

$12.41 SEK 120

-2.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.90 SEK 135

$13.01 SEK 126

6.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.40 SEK 168

$26.83 SEK 260

-35.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 SEK 37.69

$3.40 SEK 32.89

14.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 27.40

$2.94 SEK 28.48

-3.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 34.94

$3.29 SEK 31.88

9.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 SEK 50.2

$4.83 SEK 46.76

7.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 16.10

$1.87 SEK 18.13

-11.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 18.01

$1.94 SEK 18.79

-4.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 SEK 26.17

$2.55 SEK 24.72

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 SEK 12.73

$1.34 SEK 13.02

-2.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.15 SEK 78.9

$7.88 SEK 76.3

3.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.44 SEK 101

$11.67 SEK 113

-10.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 23.88

$2.40 SEK 23.28

2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 SEK 25.50

$2.73 SEK 26.43

-3.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.17 SEK 40.38

$3.46 SEK 33.46

20.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 SEK 1,050

$71.0 SEK 687

52.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 SEK 54.6

$6.76 SEK 65.4

-16.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 SEK 11.60

$2.64 SEK 25.53

-54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.2 SEK 621

$57.1 SEK 553

12.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 19.26

$1.90 SEK 18.44

4.74%

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

$32.1K SEK 310.4K

$33.0K SEK 319.1K

-2.74%

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

$33.9K SEK 328.1K

$33.9K SEK 328.7K

-0.18%

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

$110 SEK 1,063

$155 SEK 1,498

-29.04%

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

$28.97 SEK 280

$29.60 SEK 287

-2.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 SEK 416

$39.55 SEK 383

8.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.06 SEK 378

$39.29 SEK 380

-0.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.76 SEK 269

$23.47 SEK 227

18.28%

Cinema Ticket

$20.37 SEK 197

$17.81 SEK 172

14.37%

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

$145 SEK 1,406

$157 SEK 1,523

-7.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,535 SEK 53.6K

$4,884 SEK 47.3K

13.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 SEK 850

$105 SEK 1,015

-16.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.63 SEK 403

$45.70 SEK 442

-8.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 SEK 964

$124 SEK 1,201

-19.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 SEK 1,517

$166 SEK 1,609

-5.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$928 SEK 8,982

$916 SEK 8,870

1.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 SEK 7,323

$791 SEK 7,655

-4.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 SEK 14.5K

$1,702 SEK 16.5K

-11.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

$1,378 SEK 13.3K

-21.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,452 SEK 52.8K

$4,179 SEK 40.5K

30.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 SEK 25.4K

$3,318 SEK 32.1K

-20.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,066 SEK 29.7K

$3,148 SEK 30.5K

-2.62%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Malmo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $928 in Uppsala versus $916 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 3% 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 $69.0 in Uppsala versus $83.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 vs $412 – 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 6% 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 $2,958 per month in Uppsala and $3,121 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 $145 per month in Uppsala and $157 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $1,972, than in Malmo at $2,081. 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 $1,972 versus $2,081 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.