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: $1,619 in Bålsta versus $2,083 in Malmo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,516 in Bålsta versus $3,221 in Malmo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,413 in Bålsta versus $4,359 in Malmo.

Living in Bålsta costs roughly 22% less than in Malmo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bålsta 18% above, Malmo 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.12 SEK 139

$15.40 SEK 152

-8.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 SEK 665

$76.7 SEK 756

-11.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 SEK 89.2

$12.22 SEK 120

-25.94%

Cappuccino

$4.13 SEK 40.75

$5.10 SEK 50.3

-19.02%

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

$2.76 SEK 27.22

$3.37 SEK 33.24

-18.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 22.07

$2.68 SEK 26.37

-16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 SEK 73.9

$8.97 SEK 88.4

-16.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 SEK 73.2

$8.97 SEK 88.4

-17.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 SEK 15.61

$1.75 SEK 17.24

-9.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 SEK 19.95

$3.03 SEK 29.88

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 SEK 35.37

$3.58 SEK 35.27

0.28%

Eggs

$3.73 SEK 36.79

$4.23 SEK 41.71

-11.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.52 SEK 114

$13.07 SEK 129

-11.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.47 SEK 123

$12.22 SEK 120

2.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.53 SEK 114

$22.01 SEK 217

-47.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 SEK 26.16

$3.05 SEK 30.04

-13.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 27.34

$2.62 SEK 25.85

5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 SEK 21.01

$3.18 SEK 31.30

-33.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 28.55

$4.44 SEK 43.75

-34.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 SEK 14.47

$1.74 SEK 17.14

-15.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 SEK 12.66

$1.52 SEK 14.99

-15.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 SEK 15.55

$2.48 SEK 24.46

-36.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 SEK 9.94

$1.31 SEK 12.89

-22.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.26 SEK 71.6

$7.79 SEK 76.7

-6.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 SEK 101

$11.80 SEK 116

-13.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SEK 15.54

$2.00 SEK 19.72

-21.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 SEK 21.10

$2.32 SEK 22.85

-7.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 SEK 33.73

$3.20 SEK 31.49

6.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.7 SEK 805

$64.5 SEK 636

26.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 SEK 62.2

$6.42 SEK 63.3

-1.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 SEK 15.21

$2.44 SEK 24.00

-36.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.6 SEK 784

$51.8 SEK 510

53.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.88

$1.76 SEK 17.33

2.84%

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

$34.8K SEK 343.0K

$33.2K SEK 327.4K

4.75%

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

$33.9K SEK 333.7K

$33.7K SEK 332.3K

0.43%

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

$51.4 SEK 506

$140 SEK 1,384

-63.42%

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

$20.63 SEK 203

$26.87 SEK 265

-23.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.94 SEK 403

$37.50 SEK 370

9.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.69 SEK 391

$43.40 SEK 428

-8.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.10 SEK 257

$29.75 SEK 293

-12.27%

Cinema Ticket

$13.79 SEK 136

$17.63 SEK 174

-21.78%

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

$126 SEK 1,245

$172 SEK 1,695

-26.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,266 SEK 51.9K

$3,416 SEK 33.7K

54.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.8 SEK 727

$103 SEK 1,012

-28.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.48 SEK 103

$46.61 SEK 459

-77.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 SEK 825

$114 SEK 1,120

-26.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 SEK 1,131

$156 SEK 1,542

-26.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 SEK 8,191

$1,044 SEK 10.3K

-20.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 SEK 5,964

$816 SEK 8,044

-25.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 SEK 14.0K

$1,750 SEK 17.2K

-19.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 SEK 10.3K

$1,377 SEK 13.6K

-24.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,263 SEK 42.0K

$4,211 SEK 41.5K

1.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,890 SEK 28.5K

$3,287 SEK 32.4K

-12.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,987 SEK 39.3K

$3,113 SEK 30.7K

28.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.02

-0.66%

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

Last update for Bålsta: September 14, 2026

Last update for Malmo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $831 in Bålsta and $1,044 in Malmo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Bålsta vs $77.0 in Malmo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $383 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 29% 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 28% 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: $831 in Bålsta versus $1,044 in Malmo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,619 per month in Bålsta versus $2,083 in Malmo – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 27% less than in Malmo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,619 in Bålsta versus $2,083 in Malmo, a $2,000 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 $1,619 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 29% less than in Malmo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.