Cost of living in Malmö

Is Malmö expensive?

No, not by Swedish standards — Malmö is the cheapest of the three big cities. Rents are noticeably lower than in Stockholm, roughly half as high for the same kind of flat. The city is also a short train ride from Copenhagen, so some people live cheaply in Malmö and work in Denmark. Malmö is also one of Sweden's most international cities.

• Single person: ~11,500–17,800 kr/month including rent
• Family of four: ~24,000–32,000 kr/month including rent
• Cheapest of the big cities — rent about 50% lower than Stockholm
• A short commute to Copenhagen across the Öresund

Costs at a glance

Rent and housing

First-hand contracts are mostly allocated through Boplats Syd, the municipal housing queue. The queue is shorter than in the larger cities: around three years on average, and a sizeable share of flats go to people with under a year of queue time. Second-hand is dearer but easier to get quickly. Buying is cheap compared with Stockholm.

• First-hand: studio ~5,500–7,500 kr, one-bed ~7,000–9,500 kr, two-bed ~9,000–12,500 kr
• Second-hand: a room ~5,000–6,500 kr, a flat ~10,000 kr on average
• The queue (Boplats Syd, ~300 kr/year): ~3 years on average, ~2-year median
• Buying a co-op flat: ~35,000 kr/m² on average, 50,000–60,000 kr/m² in Västra Hamnen

Electricity, insurance and internet

Heating and water are usually included in the rent. Malmö is in electricity zone SE4, the far south, where power tends to be the most expensive in the country. On top of the rent you pay electricity, home insurance, broadband and mobile.

• Household electricity: ~400–900 kr/month (SE4, often the dearest)
• Home insurance: ~150–200 kr/month
• Broadband: ~300–400 kr/month
• Mobile plan: ~150–260 kr/month

Food and eating out

Food costs much as elsewhere in the country, but Malmö has many cheap grocery shops and international food stores, especially around Möllevången, which can keep the bill down. Lidl and Willys are cheapest, ICA and Coop dearest.

• Grocery budget: single ~2,500–4,000 kr/month, family ~6,000–10,000 kr/month
• Set weekday lunch: ~110–150 kr
• Three-course dinner for two: ~700–900 kr
• Fika (coffee + bun): ~40–60 kr, a beer at a bar ~75–90 kr

Getting around

Skånetrafiken runs the buses and trains in Skåne. Malmö is compact and very bike-friendly, so a car is rarely needed. If you want to commute to Copenhagen there is a dedicated Öresund pass valid on both sides.

• Monthly pass, city of Malmö: ~640–660 kr
• Single ticket in the city: ~32 kr
• Öresund pass Malmö–Copenhagen: ~2,670 kr/month
• Petrol: ~17–18 kr/litre; add the bridge toll if you drive across the Öresund

Healthcare and preschool

Healthcare and preschool are capped, as across the country. In Region Skåne a care visit costs 200 kr, and after 1,450 kr in a year the rest is free. Children under 20 have free care. Malmö also has some of the most generous preschool fees, with lower or no fee for low incomes.

• Care visit: 200 kr, free after 1,450 kr per 12 months
• Prescription medicine: its own ceiling ~2,950–3,800 kr per 12 months
• Preschool: at most ~1,547 kr/month for the first child, lower or no fee on a low income
• Under 20: free care; 15 hours a week of free preschool for ages 3–5

An example monthly budget

A rough month in Malmö — the cheapest big city.

• Single person: rent 6,500–9,500 + food 2,500–3,800 + transport 650 + bills 800–1,400 + other 1,000–2,500 ≈ 11,500–17,800 kr
• Family of four: rent 10,000–13,000 + food 7,000–9,000 + transport 1,300 + preschool 2,000–2,600 + bills 1,500–2,200 + other 2,000–4,000 ≈ 24,000–32,000 kr

Neighbourhoods and good to know

Malmö is one of Sweden's most international cities — nearly six in ten residents have a foreign background. The most affordable areas with established immigrant communities include Rosengård (among the lowest rents), Lindängen and Fosie, while Möllevången is central, multicultural and lively at a mid-range price. Västra Hamnen by the water is the dearest.

Join Boplats Syd straight away to start accruing queue time. SVI Fokus is not an authority; always check current rents, fees and rules against the sources below and the responsible authority.

Compare with Stockholm and Gothenburg, or go back to the overview of the cost of living in Sweden.