Cost of Living Comparison Between Bålsta and Malmo Cost of Living Comparison Between Bålsta and Malmo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,596 in Bålsta versus $2,083 in Malmo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,543 in Bålsta versus $3,191 in Malmo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Bålsta versus $4,299 in Malmo.

Living in Bålsta costs roughly 23% less than in Malmo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bålsta 20% above, Malmo 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.40 SEK 127

$13.51 SEK 128

-0.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 SEK 661

$82.8 SEK 787

-16.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 SEK 87.2

$12.55 SEK 119

-26.85%

Cappuccino

$4.17 SEK 39.60

$4.90 SEK 46.51

-14.90%

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

$2.69 SEK 25.54

$2.71 SEK 25.78

-0.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 23.47

$2.08 SEK 19.78

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.56 SEK 71.8

$8.03 SEK 76.3

-5.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 SEK 70.6

$8.09 SEK 76.9

-8.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 SEK 15.28

$1.68 SEK 15.98

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 SEK 19.83

$3.06 SEK 29.07

-31.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 SEK 35.58

$3.50 SEK 33.22

7.14%

Eggs

$3.81 SEK 36.22

$4.44 SEK 42.22

-14.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 SEK 109

$12.02 SEK 114

-4.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.86 SEK 113

$12.88 SEK 122

-7.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.81 SEK 112

$27.59 SEK 262

-57.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 SEK 25.35

$3.29 SEK 31.29

-18.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 SEK 24.64

$2.94 SEK 27.90

-11.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 SEK 21.86

$3.39 SEK 32.16

-32.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 SEK 27.75

$4.97 SEK 47.21

-41.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 SEK 14.63

$1.83 SEK 17.35

-15.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SEK 11.91

$1.99 SEK 18.86

-37.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 SEK 15.35

$2.49 SEK 23.62

-34.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 SEK 10.23

$1.34 SEK 12.69

-19.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.59 SEK 72.1

$7.84 SEK 74.5

-3.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 SEK 96.2

$11.58 SEK 110

-12.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 SEK 15.36

$2.48 SEK 23.59

-34.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 SEK 18.03

$2.66 SEK 25.25

-28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.47 SEK 33.01

$3.29 SEK 31.22

5.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.3 SEK 696

$71.2 SEK 676

2.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 SEK 58.5

$6.47 SEK 61.4

-4.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 SEK 11.71

$2.64 SEK 25.09

-53.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.5 SEK 784

$56.7 SEK 539

45.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 SEK 18.44

$1.92 SEK 18.27

1.04%

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

$32.9K SEK 312.2K

$32.7K SEK 310.6K

0.51%

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

$34.0K SEK 322.6K

$33.8K SEK 321.0K

0.50%

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

$52.4 SEK 498

$156 SEK 1,478

-66.31%

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

$20.96 SEK 199

$30.25 SEK 287

-30.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.17 SEK 353

$40.72 SEK 387

-8.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.28 SEK 392

$38.68 SEK 367

6.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.99 SEK 237

$23.36 SEK 222

6.98%

Cinema Ticket

$13.88 SEK 132

$18.05 SEK 171

-23.10%

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

$125 SEK 1,188

$159 SEK 1,515

-21.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$732 SEK 6,951

$4,792 SEK 45.5K

-84.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 SEK 702

$105 SEK 1,001

-29.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.41 SEK 98.9

$44.78 SEK 425

-76.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.8 SEK 787

$123 SEK 1,169

-32.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 SEK 1,098

$166 SEK 1,574

-30.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 SEK 7,841

$931 SEK 8,849

-11.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 SEK 6,218

$796 SEK 7,557

-17.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 SEK 13.5K

$1,690 SEK 16.1K

-15.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 SEK 10.3K

$1,368 SEK 13.0K

-20.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,504 SEK 33.3K

$4,150 SEK 39.4K

-15.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,134 SEK 29.8K

$3,245 SEK 30.8K

-3.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,952 SEK 37.5K

$3,144 SEK 29.9K

25.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

-38.27%

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

Last update for Bålsta: July 25, 2026

Last update for Malmo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $825 in Bålsta and $931 in Malmo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Bålsta vs $83.0 in Malmo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $411 per month, with Bålsta cheaper across the board.

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

Bålsta vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bålsta wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Malmo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bålsta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Bålsta, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $825 in Bålsta versus $931 in Malmo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,596 per month in Bålsta versus $2,083 in Malmo – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 3% less than in Malmo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,596 in Bålsta versus $2,083 in Malmo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bålsta but tight or insufficient in Malmo. The gap between the two cities makes Bålsta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bålsta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,596 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bålsta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bålsta and Malmo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bålsta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Malmo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.