Cost of Living Comparison Between Bray and Malden, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Bray and Malden, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,619 per month in Bray vs $3,326 in Malden, MA, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,846 per month in Bray vs $4,556 in Malden, MA, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,074 per month in Bray vs $5,787 in Malden, MA, rent included.

Bray is about 21% cheaper than Malden, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bray and Malden, MA sit above the global median – Bray by 96%, Malden, MA by 148%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.45 €20.07

$19.75 $19.75

18.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.3 €83.3

$64.4 $64.4

51.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.69 €10.86

$12.06 $12.06

5.22%

Cappuccino

$4.68 €4.01

$4.44 $4.44

5.41%

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

$2.48 €2.12

$2.28 $2.28

8.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 €1.89

$1.79 $1.79

23.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 €6.22

$5.99 $5.99

21.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 €5.34

$6.95 $6.95

-10.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 €1.43

$1.22 $1.22

36.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.91

$3.47 $3.47

-35.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 €1.76

$5.89 $5.89

-65.03%

Eggs

$3.99 €3.42

$4.12 $4.12

-3.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 €9.40

$17.10 $17.10

-35.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.59 €9.06

$13.70 $13.70

-22.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.96 €10.24

$19.12 $19.12

-37.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 €2.45

$3.71 $3.71

-22.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.76

$1.43 $1.43

44.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 €2.34

$3.83 $3.83

-28.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 €3.04

$4.05 $4.05

-12.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 €1.23

$3.24 $3.24

-55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 €1.26

$2.48 $2.48

-40.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 €1.16

$2.70 $2.70

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.42

$2.27 $2.27

-26.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.97 €16.24

$12.80 $12.80

48.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.33 €12.27

$14.86 $14.86

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.51 €3.01

$1.78 $1.78

97.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 €3.30

$5.64 $5.64

-31.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.02

$2.46 $2.46

-4.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.1 €83.1

$90.8 $90.8

6.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.00 €4.28

$2.58 $2.58

93.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.76 $1.76

15.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.71 €33.14

$27.68 $27.68

39.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$0.89 $0.89

125.84%

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

$42.1K €36.1K

$30.6K $30.6K

37.66%

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

$38.4K €32.9K

$24.7K $24.7K

55.40%

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

$279 €238

$198 $198

40.82%

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

$22.84 €19.56

$53.5 $53.5

-57.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 €48.27

$65.6 $65.6

-14.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 €45.02

$35.13 $35.13

49.70%

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 €12.76

$15.66 $15.66

-4.85%

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

$1,047 €896

$1,757 $1,757

-40.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,193 €7,013

$27.3K $27.3K

-69.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 €75.7

$48.00 $48.00

84.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.19 €34.40

$33.61 $33.61

19.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 €85.1

$86.4 $86.4

15.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 €91.9

$145 $145

-26.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,497 €1,281

$2,392 $2,392

-37.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 €1,062

$2,031 $2,031

-38.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,427 €2,078

$3,560 $3,560

-31.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 €1,693

$2,771 $2,771

-28.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K €9,155

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,088 €6,067

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,393 €2,904

$4,560 $4,560

-25.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

6.43

-25.35%

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

Last update for Bray: April 26, 2026

Last update for Malden, MA: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,497 in Bray versus $2,392 in Malden, MA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 34% higher in Malden, MA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97.0 in Bray versus $64.0 in Malden, MA. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in Bray vs $429 in Malden, MA – so Bray wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bray vs Malden, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Malden, MA is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,928 per month in Bray and $4,989 in Malden, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bray, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,619 in Bray and $3,326 in Malden, MA. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Bray. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,619 in Bray and $3,326 in Malden, MA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Bray – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bray. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Malden, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.