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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Cost of living in Kalmar, Sweden (2026): cost index 90 (-11 vs national avg), rent 7 200 kr/mo, median income 347 000 kr/yr. Rent takes 25% of gross income. Full breakdown vs Kalmar peers below.
Cost of living in Kalmar, Sweden (2026): cost index 90 (-11 vs national avg), rent 7 200 kr/mo, median income 347 000 kr/yr. Rent takes 25% of gross income. Full breakdown vs Kalmar peers below.
Kalmar: cost index 90 (-11 vs national avg 101), rent 7 200 kr/month.
Kalmar region average cost index: 101. Kalmar is -11 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 72/100 — safety 78, healthcare 72, walkability 70.
Safety score: 78/100 (crime rate 40.8/1k). National average: 73/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kalmar | 90 | 7 200 kr | 347 000 kr |
| 2 | Karlskrona | 90 | 6 900 kr | 341 000 kr |
| 3 | Falun | 93 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 4 | Gävle | 93 | 7 500 kr | 352 000 kr |
| 5 | Sundsvall | 93 | 7 400 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 6 | Karlstad | 94 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 7 | Östersund | 94 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 8 | Växjö | 95 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 9 | Norrköping | 96 | 8 100 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 10 | Jönköping | 96 | 7 900 kr | 362 000 kr |
| 11 | Luleå | 96 | 7 600 kr | 378 000 kr |
| 12 | Eskilstuna | 96 | 7 700 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 13 | Örebro | 97 | 8 000 kr | 362 000 kr |
| 14 | Västerås | 99 | 8 000 kr | 362 000 kr |
| 15 | Visby | 100 | 8 200 kr | 347 000 kr |
| 16 | Umeå | 101 | 8 300 kr | 373 000 kr |
| 17 | Linköping | 102 | 8 700 kr | 378 000 kr |
| 18 | Helsingborg | 103 | 9 000 kr | 368 000 kr |
| 19 | Halmstad | 104 | 8 700 kr | 383 000 kr |
| 20 | Malmö | 108 | 9 500 kr | 378 000 kr |
Here's the finding that keeps coming up in different analyses: Kalmar has a cost index of 90 — 11 points below the Sweden national average of 101. Median income is 347 000 kr with rent at 7 200 kr/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 25%. For anyone running the numbers, this is where it clicks.
And there's one more thing: looking at Kalmar as a whole, the spread across all 24 cities is 46 points on the cost index. Stockholm sits at the other end with index 136 and rent of 13 200 kr/mo. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Kalmar scores a composite score of 72/100 — reflecting its safety (78), healthcare (72), and walkability (70) metrics. Zooming out, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Sweden is a good example of that tension.
Kalmar — cost index 90, rent 7 200 kr/mo, income 347 000 kr, QoL 72/100.
Karlskrona — cost index 90, rent 6 900 kr/mo, income 341 000 kr, QoL 71/100.
Falun — cost index 93, rent 7 500 kr/mo, income 357 000 kr, QoL 70/100.
Gävle — cost index 93, rent 7 500 kr/mo, income 352 000 kr, QoL 69/100.
Sundsvall — cost index 93, rent 7 400 kr/mo, income 357 000 kr, QoL 69/100.
Kalmar has a cost index of 90 (national avg: 101). Median rent is 7 200 kr/month, median income 347 000 kr/year, giving a rent-to-income ratio of 25%.
The Kalmar region of average QoL score is 69/100. Kalmar leads with 72/100, reflecting safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include SCB, Lantmäteriet, Skatteverket.
Kalmar: cost index 90, rent 7 200 kr/mo, income 347 000 kr/yr, QoL 72/100. Karlskrona: cost index 90, rent 6 900 kr/mo, income 341 000 kr/yr, QoL 71/100.
This analysis uses data from SCB, Lantmäteriet, Skatteverket to rank cities in Sweden. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.