Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bray and Malden, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Bray: $3,136 a month against $3,435 in Malden, MA, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bray, Ireland
Malden, MA, United States
Bray
🇮🇪 Ireland
$3,136
/mo nomad
Malden, MA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,435
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bray and in Malden, MA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bray and in Malden, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,136 per month in Bray vs $3,435 in Malden, MA, rent included.

  • Bray $3,136
  • Malden, MA $3,435

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Bray vs $4,750 in Malden, MA, rent included.

  • Bray $4,545
  • Malden, MA $4,750

A family of three spends $5,954 per month in Bray vs $6,065 in Malden, MA, rent included.

  • Bray $5,954
  • Malden, MA $6,065

Bray is about 9% cheaper than Malden, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bray and Malden, MA sit above the global median – Bray by 130%, Malden, MA by 152%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bray
Malden, MA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.27 €20.84
$19.65 $19.65
18.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.9 €89.5
$95.0 $95.0
5.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.19 €11.82
$13.72 $13.72
-3.86%
Cappuccino
$4.81 €4.31
$5.31 $5.31
-9.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 €2.72
$2.97 $2.97
2.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 €2.00
$2.23 $2.23
0.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.67 €6.87
$5.68 $5.68
35.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.94 €6.22
$8.10 $8.10
-14.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bray
Malden, MA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 €1.46
$1.25 $1.25
30.40%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 €2.06
$3.90 $3.90
-41.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.06 €1.84
$5.49 $5.49
-62.48%
Eggs
$4.25 €3.80
$4.77 $4.77
-10.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.06 €9.01
$12.32 $12.32
-18.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.00 €9.85
$14.03 $14.03
-21.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.23 €11.85
$17.57 $17.57
-24.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 €2.46
$6.63 $6.63
-58.52%
Banana (1kg)
$2.23 €2.00
$1.72 $1.72
29.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.77 €2.48
$5.52 $5.52
-49.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.21 €3.77
$5.50 $5.50
-23.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.83 €1.64
$4.42 $4.42
-58.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 €1.33
$1.89 $1.89
-21.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 €1.18
$2.59 $2.59
-49.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 €1.62
$2.23 $2.23
-18.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.50 €18.36
$13.06 $13.06
56.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.32 €11.93
$13.43 $13.43
-0.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.33 €2.98
$2.17 $2.17
53.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 €3.10
$4.40 $4.40
-21.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Bray
Malden, MA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.40 €2.15
$2.55 $2.55
-5.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$109 €97.5
$88.3 $88.3
23.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.23 €4.69
$2.53 $2.53
106.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.42 €1.27
$1.79 $1.79
-20.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.82 €33.87
$27.47 $27.47
37.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.15 €1.92
$1.09 $1.09
97.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.1K €34.1K
$27.9K $27.9K
36.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.8K €33.9K
$26.7K $26.7K
41.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bray
Malden, MA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$273 €244
$247 $247
10.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.21 €19.00
$54.2 $54.2
-60.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.2 €45.83
$86.1 $86.1
-40.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bray
Malden, MA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.0 €57.3
$34.66 $34.66
84.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.97 €15.20
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.41 €13.80
$15.85 $15.85
-2.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bray
Malden, MA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$990 €887
$1,848 $1,848
-46.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.1K €12.6K
$29.4K $29.4K
-52.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bray
Malden, MA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.7 €88.4
$56.0 $56.0
76.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.29 €42.35
$37.57 $37.57
25.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 €97.9
$79.5 $79.5
37.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 €104
$99.9 $99.9
15.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bray
Malden, MA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,198 €1,969
$2,422 $2,422
-9.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,707 €1,529
$1,975 $1,975
-13.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,739 €3,349
$3,534 $3,534
5.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,763 €2,475
$2,834 $2,834
-2.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.1K €9,007
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,752 €6,047
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bray
Malden, MA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,193 €2,860
$4,644 $4,644
-31.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.81
6.64
-42.62%

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

Last update for Bray: October 26, 2026

Last update for Malden, MA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bray
$1.7K
Malden, MA
$2K 15.7% $268
Eating Out
Bray
$357
Malden, MA
$327 8.2% $29
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bray
$345
Malden, MA
$387 12.2% $42
Groceries & Markets
Bray
$334
Malden, MA
$446 33.4% $112
Clothing & Footwear
Bray
$167
Malden, MA
$123 26.4% $44
Getting Around
Bray
$131
Malden, MA
$110 16% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Bray
$95
Malden, MA
$66 30% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,198 in Bray versus $2,422 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 45% higher in Malden, MA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Bray versus $95 in Malden, MA. Groceries tell a different story – $334 in Bray vs $446 in Malden, MA – so Bray wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇮🇪 Bray
🇺🇸 Malden, MA
🕒 Local time
05:21 5:21 AM
00:21 12:21 AM
5 h behind Bray
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
33,512
59,450
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bray Malden, MA 4,820 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bray
  • Malden, MA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Bray cheaper than Malden, MA?
Yes – Malden, MA is pricier by about 10%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,704 per month in Bray and $5,152 in Malden, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Bray and Malden, MA?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,198 in Bray and $2,422 in Malden, MA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What are total monthly expenses in Bray and in Malden, MA?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,136 in Bray and $3,435 in Malden, MA. That makes Bray about 9% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 19% less in Malden, MA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Bray or in Malden, MA?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,136 in Bray and $3,435 in Malden, MA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Bray or Malden, MA more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Bray or Malden, MA?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Bray. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Malden, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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