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: $1,638 in Bålsta versus $2,106 in Malmo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,559 in Bålsta versus $3,222 in Malmo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,481 in Bålsta versus $4,338 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 22% above, Malmo 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 SEK 121

$13.61 SEK 126

-4.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 SEK 648

$84.2 SEK 781

-17.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.48 SEK 87.9

$12.88 SEK 119

-26.40%

Cappuccino

$4.28 SEK 39.68

$5.01 SEK 46.40

-14.57%

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

$2.79 SEK 25.88

$2.74 SEK 25.36

1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.31

$2.12 SEK 19.68

13.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.19 SEK 66.7

$8.09 SEK 75.0

-11.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 SEK 68.6

$8.10 SEK 75.1

-8.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 14.99

$1.70 SEK 15.79

-4.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 SEK 19.96

$3.11 SEK 28.79

-30.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 SEK 33.80

$3.62 SEK 33.56

0.83%

Eggs

$3.71 SEK 34.43

$4.48 SEK 41.49

-17.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.53 SEK 107

$12.25 SEK 114

-5.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 SEK 109

$12.78 SEK 119

-7.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.55 SEK 107

$27.29 SEK 253

-57.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 25.15

$3.43 SEK 31.76

-20.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 23.86

$2.90 SEK 26.89

-11.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 SEK 21.36

$3.38 SEK 31.32

-31.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 SEK 27.44

$4.87 SEK 45.14

-39.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SEK 14.05

$1.83 SEK 16.92

-16.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SEK 11.67

$1.89 SEK 17.54

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 SEK 14.79

$2.59 SEK 24.05

-38.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 SEK 9.51

$1.28 SEK 11.87

-19.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.32 SEK 67.9

$7.95 SEK 73.7

-7.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.76 SEK 99.8

$12.24 SEK 113

-12.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.37

$2.43 SEK 22.53

-36.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SEK 18.39

$2.78 SEK 25.76

-28.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 31.59

$3.40 SEK 31.56

0.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 SEK 671

$70.0 SEK 649

3.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 SEK 56.1

$6.61 SEK 61.3

-8.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 SEK 11.48

$2.64 SEK 24.49

-53.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.3 SEK 772

$57.1 SEK 530

45.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 17.78

$1.94 SEK 18.01

-1.03%

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

$32.8K SEK 303.6K

$33.0K SEK 305.7K

-0.68%

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

$34.8K SEK 322.2K

$33.8K SEK 313.0K

2.95%

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

$52.7 SEK 488

$157 SEK 1,456

-66.45%

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

$20.59 SEK 191

$30.03 SEK 278

-31.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.27 SEK 345

$40.01 SEK 371

-6.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.89 SEK 370

$39.47 SEK 366

1.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.82 SEK 230

$23.84 SEK 221

4.11%

Cinema Ticket

$13.91 SEK 129

$17.91 SEK 166

-22.33%

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

$125 SEK 1,156

$159 SEK 1,472

-21.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$747 SEK 6,925

$4,807 SEK 44.6K

-84.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.6 SEK 673

$106 SEK 984

-31.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.72 SEK 99.4

$44.76 SEK 415

-76.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 SEK 771

$122 SEK 1,127

-31.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 SEK 1,092

$164 SEK 1,524

-28.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 SEK 7,926

$927 SEK 8,591

-7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 SEK 6,077

$771 SEK 7,145

-14.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 SEK 13.0K

$1,719 SEK 15.9K

-18.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 SEK 9,989

$1,342 SEK 12.4K

-19.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,367 SEK 40.5K

$4,420 SEK 41.0K

-1.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,982 SEK 27.6K

$3,390 SEK 31.4K

-12.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,261 SEK 39.5K

$3,361 SEK 31.2K

26.78%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Malmo: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $855 in Bålsta and $927 in Malmo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 27% 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 $84.0 in Malmo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $413 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.

Bålsta pays 27% more on average, 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: $855 in Bålsta versus $927 in Malmo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,638 per month in Bålsta versus $2,106 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 3% less than in Malmo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,638 in Bålsta versus $2,106 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 $1,638 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.