Cost of Living Comparison Between Utrecht and Malmo Cost of Living Comparison Between Utrecht and Malmo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,947 per month in Utrecht vs $2,047 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,160 per month in Utrecht vs $3,170 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,373 per month in Utrecht vs $4,292 in Malmo, rent included.

Utrecht costs about 44% more than Malmo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Utrecht and Malmo sit above the global median – Utrecht by 120%, Malmo by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.14 €18.20

$13.48 SEK 127

56.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 €75.4

$85.6 SEK 804

2.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.95 €12.01

$12.67 SEK 119

10.10%

Cappuccino

$4.39 €3.78

$5.05 SEK 47.48

-13.07%

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

$3.95 €3.40

$2.69 SEK 25.24

46.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 €2.71

$2.15 SEK 20.21

46.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 €6.06

$8.00 SEK 75.2

-12.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 €5.04

$8.20 SEK 77.1

-28.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.67 SEK 15.72

-19.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 €2.17

$3.11 SEK 29.19

-18.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 €2.59

$3.61 SEK 33.93

-16.90%

Eggs

$5.39 €4.64

$4.42 SEK 41.49

21.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.04 €12.09

$12.05 SEK 113

16.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.53 €14.24

$12.78 SEK 120

29.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.40 €14.98

$27.50 SEK 258

-36.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.02

$3.27 SEK 30.69

-28.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$2.78 SEK 26.12

-10.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.66

$3.24 SEK 30.45

-40.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 €3.19

$4.79 SEK 44.97

-22.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.83 SEK 17.19

6.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.95 SEK 18.34

14.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.57 SEK 24.14

-47.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.98

$1.34 SEK 12.58

-15.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.32 €12.33

$8.13 SEK 76.4

76.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 €6.21

$12.10 SEK 114

-40.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 €1.26

$2.53 SEK 23.75

-42.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.30

$2.66 SEK 24.96

0.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 €3.00

$3.36 SEK 31.58

3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.2 €64.7

$69.3 SEK 651

8.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 €3.17

$6.44 SEK 60.5

-42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 €2.19

$2.64 SEK 24.80

-3.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.59 €22.89

$56.2 SEK 528

-52.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.92 SEK 18.04

18.23%

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

$39.8K €34.3K

$33.1K SEK 310.7K

20.30%

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

$39.8K €34.3K

$33.8K SEK 317.4K

17.86%

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

$296 €255

$154 SEK 1,442

92.60%

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

$26.03 €22.42

$30.36 SEK 285

-14.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.51 €40.05

$40.38 SEK 379

15.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.94 €40.42

$38.30 SEK 360

22.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.19 €19.97

$23.78 SEK 223

-2.48%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 €13.71

$17.81 SEK 167

-10.61%

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

$2,609 €2,247

$162 SEK 1,518

1514.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K €9,630

$4,876 SEK 45.8K

129.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €98.6

$105 SEK 983

9.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 €52.2

$45.70 SEK 429

32.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €92.7

$124 SEK 1,166

-13.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €112

$165 SEK 1,552

-21.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 €1,626

$932 SEK 8,751

102.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 €1,310

$773 SEK 7,264

96.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,826 €2,433

$1,721 SEK 16.2K

64.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,241 €1,930

$1,343 SEK 12.6K

66.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,022 €6,908

$4,311 SEK 40.5K

86.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,872 €5,057

$3,360 SEK 31.6K

74.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,615 €3,974

$3,353 SEK 31.5K

37.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.39

4.86

-9.67%

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

Last update for Utrecht: May 30, 2026

Last update for Malmo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,888 in Utrecht 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 38% higher in Utrecht, 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 $88.0 in Utrecht versus $86.0 in Malmo. Groceries tell a different story – $358 in Utrecht vs $410 in Malmo – so Utrecht 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

Utrecht vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Utrecht costs about 44% more than Malmo, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,420 per month in Utrecht 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 $2,609 per month in Utrecht 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 14% cheaper in Utrecht – 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 Utrecht at $2,947. In Malmo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Utrecht it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malmo costs $2,047 versus $2,947 in Utrecht. 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, Utrecht makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.