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: $1,592 in Bålsta versus $2,078 in Malmo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,508 in Bålsta versus $3,236 in Malmo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,424 in Bålsta versus $4,394 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 18% above, Malmo 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.97 SEK 122

$13.76 SEK 129

-5.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 SEK 652

$85.6 SEK 803

-18.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 SEK 89.3

$12.87 SEK 121

-26.03%

Cappuccino

$4.26 SEK 39.97

$4.94 SEK 46.31

-13.77%

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

$2.84 SEK 26.66

$2.74 SEK 25.74

3.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.63

$2.17 SEK 20.32

11.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.49 SEK 70.3

$7.81 SEK 73.2

-4.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.26 SEK 68.2

$7.93 SEK 74.4

-8.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 SEK 14.45

$1.76 SEK 16.55

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 SEK 19.29

$3.02 SEK 28.35

-31.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 SEK 34.32

$3.61 SEK 33.87

1.39%

Eggs

$3.69 SEK 34.62

$4.47 SEK 41.90

-17.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 SEK 110

$12.20 SEK 114

-3.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.01 SEK 113

$12.69 SEK 119

-5.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 SEK 107

$26.69 SEK 250

-57.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 SEK 24.28

$3.28 SEK 30.77

-21.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 SEK 25.24

$2.94 SEK 27.56

-8.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 SEK 21.62

$3.25 SEK 30.44

-29.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 SEK 27.94

$4.76 SEK 44.62

-37.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.50

$1.86 SEK 17.48

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SEK 12.17

$1.98 SEK 18.59

-34.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 SEK 15.15

$2.58 SEK 24.16

-37.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 SEK 10.07

$1.29 SEK 12.08

-17.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SEK 71.1

$7.89 SEK 74.0

-3.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.33 SEK 96.9

$11.92 SEK 112

-13.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 15.14

$2.49 SEK 23.32

-35.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SEK 17.75

$2.63 SEK 24.66

-28.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.31 SEK 31.03

$3.39 SEK 31.80

-2.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 SEK 684

$71.3 SEK 669

2.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 SEK 57.3

$6.55 SEK 61.4

-6.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 SEK 11.24

$2.53 SEK 23.71

-52.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.0 SEK 778

$57.3 SEK 538

44.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 17.89

$1.92 SEK 18.02

-0.52%

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

$32.4K SEK 303.9K

$32.8K SEK 308.1K

-1.35%

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

$34.2K SEK 321.2K

$33.5K SEK 314.2K

2.21%

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

$51.8 SEK 486

$152 SEK 1,428

-65.97%

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

$21.14 SEK 198

$30.08 SEK 282

-29.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.91 SEK 337

$40.52 SEK 380

-11.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.95 SEK 375

$38.55 SEK 362

3.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.28 SEK 237

$23.95 SEK 225

5.55%

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 SEK 126

$18.09 SEK 170

-25.65%

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

$129 SEK 1,206

$157 SEK 1,477

-18.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$736 SEK 6,904

$4,974 SEK 46.7K

-85.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 SEK 700

$106 SEK 990

-29.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.50 SEK 98.5

$45.45 SEK 426

-76.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 SEK 788

$122 SEK 1,144

-31.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 SEK 1,099

$165 SEK 1,549

-29.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 SEK 7,825

$896 SEK 8,408

-6.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 SEK 6,146

$792 SEK 7,426

-17.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 SEK 12.9K

$1,730 SEK 16.2K

-20.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.2K

$1,349 SEK 12.7K

-19.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,805 SEK 45.1K

$4,244 SEK 39.8K

13.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,705 SEK 25.4K

$3,353 SEK 31.5K

-19.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,170 SEK 39.1K

$3,254 SEK 30.5K

28.18%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Malmo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $834 in Bålsta and $896 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: $70.0 in Bålsta vs $86.0 in Malmo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $408 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.

Bålsta pays 28% 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: $834 in Bålsta versus $896 in Malmo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,592 per month in Bålsta versus $2,078 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 2% less than in Malmo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,592 in Bålsta versus $2,078 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 $1,592 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.