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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,989 per month in Uppsala vs $2,083 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,078 per month in Uppsala vs $3,221 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,167 per month in Uppsala vs $4,359 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 45%, Malmo by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.53 SEK 152

$15.40 SEK 151

0.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.1 SEK 803

$76.7 SEK 750

7.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 SEK 99.4

$12.22 SEK 120

-16.86%

Cappuccino

$4.99 SEK 48.80

$5.10 SEK 49.91

-2.16%

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

$3.14 SEK 30.73

$3.37 SEK 32.99

-6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 SEK 23.33

$2.68 SEK 26.17

-10.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 SEK 77.9

$8.97 SEK 87.7

-11.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.15 SEK 99.2

$8.97 SEK 87.7

13.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.74

$1.75 SEK 17.11

3.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 SEK 29.69

$3.03 SEK 29.66

0.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 SEK 40.39

$3.58 SEK 35.01

15.36%

Eggs

$5.17 SEK 50.6

$4.23 SEK 41.39

22.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 SEK 99.9

$13.07 SEK 128

-21.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.82 SEK 145

$12.22 SEK 120

21.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.98 SEK 176

$22.01 SEK 215

-18.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 SEK 42.41

$3.05 SEK 29.81

42.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 SEK 27.50

$2.62 SEK 25.66

7.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 36.87

$3.18 SEK 31.07

18.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.49 SEK 53.7

$4.44 SEK 43.42

23.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 SEK 17.67

$1.74 SEK 17.01

4.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 SEK 16.71

$1.52 SEK 14.87

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 SEK 25.65

$2.48 SEK 24.27

5.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SEK 12.91

$1.31 SEK 12.79

0.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.98 SEK 78.1

$7.79 SEK 76.2

2.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.27 SEK 100

$11.80 SEK 115

-12.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 24.56

$2.00 SEK 19.57

25.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 26.03

$2.32 SEK 22.67

14.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 SEK 38.48

$3.20 SEK 31.25

22.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 SEK 1,102

$64.5 SEK 631

74.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 SEK 55.6

$6.42 SEK 62.8

-11.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SEK 12.66

$2.44 SEK 23.81

-46.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.1 SEK 617

$51.8 SEK 506

21.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.66

$1.76 SEK 17.19

2.84%

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

$33.7K SEK 329.9K

$33.2K SEK 324.9K

1.53%

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

$33.2K SEK 324.5K

$33.7K SEK 329.8K

-1.60%

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

$116 SEK 1,133

$140 SEK 1,374

-17.51%

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

$19.04 SEK 186

$26.87 SEK 263

-29.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.43 SEK 434

$37.50 SEK 367

18.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.93 SEK 391

$43.40 SEK 424

-8.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.26 SEK 237

$29.75 SEK 291

-18.45%

Cinema Ticket

$19.65 SEK 192

$17.63 SEK 172

11.46%

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

$128 SEK 1,253

$172 SEK 1,682

-25.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,416 SEK 33.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.8 SEK 907

$103 SEK 1,005

-9.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 SEK 494

$46.61 SEK 456

8.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 SEK 944

$114 SEK 1,112

-15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$208 SEK 2,038

$156 SEK 1,530

33.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$906 SEK 8,861

$1,044 SEK 10.2K

-13.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 SEK 7,007

$816 SEK 7,983

-12.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,795 SEK 17.6K

$1,750 SEK 17.1K

2.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 SEK 11.3K

$1,377 SEK 13.5K

-15.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,446 SEK 53.3K

$4,211 SEK 41.2K

29.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 SEK 25.6K

$3,287 SEK 32.1K

-20.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,073 SEK 30.1K

$3,113 SEK 30.4K

-1.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.94

3.02

30.46%

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

Last update for Uppsala: September 13, 2026

Last update for Malmo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $906 in Uppsala versus $1,044 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 1% 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 $82.0 in Uppsala versus $77.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $383 – 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

Uppsala vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 5% 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 $2,984 per month in Uppsala and $3,125 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 $128 per month in Uppsala and $172 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Malmo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Uppsala, where all-in costs run around $1,989, than in Malmo at $2,083. 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 $1,989 versus $2,083 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.