Cost of Living Comparison Between Vasteras and Malmo Cost of Living Comparison Between Vasteras and Malmo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,918 per month in Vasteras vs $2,093 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,919 per month in Vasteras vs $3,234 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,920 per month in Vasteras vs $4,376 in Malmo, rent included.

Vasteras is about 8% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Vasteras and Malmo sit above the global median – Vasteras by 40%, Malmo by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.84 SEK 141

$15.36 SEK 146

-3.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 SEK 638

$79.8 SEK 761

-16.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.49 SEK 100

$12.28 SEK 117

-14.58%

Cappuccino

$4.57 SEK 43.57

$4.87 SEK 46.44

-6.16%

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

$2.44 SEK 23.22

$3.55 SEK 33.85

-31.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SEK 21.17

$2.84 SEK 27.04

-21.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.33 SEK 69.9

$9.09 SEK 86.7

-19.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 SEK 69.5

$9.34 SEK 89.1

-21.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SEK 14.00

$1.83 SEK 17.48

-19.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 SEK 29.91

$3.00 SEK 28.60

4.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 SEK 35.88

$3.64 SEK 34.71

3.30%

Eggs

$4.21 SEK 40.11

$4.18 SEK 39.88

0.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.34 SEK 118

$13.29 SEK 127

-7.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.49 SEK 129

$12.35 SEK 118

9.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.27 SEK 222

$22.05 SEK 210

5.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 SEK 30.98

$3.12 SEK 29.76

4.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 SEK 24.27

$2.57 SEK 24.47

-0.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 SEK 35.56

$3.07 SEK 29.28

21.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 SEK 38.90

$4.42 SEK 42.19

-7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 SEK 14.16

$1.76 SEK 16.81

-15.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 SEK 17.03

$1.60 SEK 15.23

11.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 SEK 21.34

$2.64 SEK 25.19

-15.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SEK 14.49

$1.29 SEK 12.26

17.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.47 SEK 71.3

$7.95 SEK 75.8

-6.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 SEK 117

$11.86 SEK 113

3.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 SEK 13.27

$2.14 SEK 20.44

-35.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SEK 21.14

$2.43 SEK 23.16

-8.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 32.53

$3.27 SEK 31.16

4.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 SEK 695

$66.5 SEK 634

9.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 SEK 33.90

$6.29 SEK 60.0

-43.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.94 SEK 28.08

$2.50 SEK 23.88

17.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.1 SEK 812

$52.8 SEK 503

61.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 SEK 17.63

$1.81 SEK 17.21

2.21%

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

$34.6K SEK 329.4K

$34.1K SEK 325.2K

1.29%

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

$34.8K SEK 331.3K

$35.1K SEK 335.0K

-1.11%

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

$188 SEK 1,788

$143 SEK 1,362

31.25%

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

$23.51 SEK 224

$27.75 SEK 265

-15.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.39 SEK 433

$39.07 SEK 372

16.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.95 SEK 333

$45.75 SEK 436

-23.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.25 SEK 203

$30.43 SEK 290

-30.17%

Cinema Ticket

$17.16 SEK 164

$18.13 SEK 173

-5.35%

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

$156 SEK 1,484

$176 SEK 1,675

-11.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 SEK 49.3K

$3,485 SEK 33.2K

48.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 SEK 1,045

$104 SEK 990

5.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.98 SEK 391

$46.39 SEK 442

-11.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 SEK 859

$119 SEK 1,138

-24.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 SEK 1,340

$159 SEK 1,520

-11.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 SEK 7,328

$1,054 SEK 10.1K

-27.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 SEK 5,916

$845 SEK 8,060

-26.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 SEK 13.3K

$1,733 SEK 16.5K

-19.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 SEK 9,972

$1,421 SEK 13.5K

-26.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,789 SEK 36.1K

$4,223 SEK 40.3K

-10.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,552 SEK 24.3K

$3,338 SEK 31.8K

-23.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,133 SEK 29.9K

$3,200 SEK 30.5K

-2.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.53

3.02

16.89%

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

Last update for Vasteras: August 29, 2026

Last update for Malmo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Vasteras 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 2% 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 $67.0 in Vasteras versus $80.0 in Malmo. Groceries tell a different story – $390 in Vasteras vs $387 in Malmo – so Malmo 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

Vasteras vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 9% more than Vasteras, 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 $2,878 per month in Vasteras 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 Vasteras, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $156 per month in Vasteras and $176 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Malmo – 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 Vasteras, where all-in costs run around $1,918, than in Malmo at $2,093. In Vasteras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Vasteras costs $1,918 versus $2,093 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 Vasteras. 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.