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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,462 per month in Malden, MA vs $3,230 in Bray, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,808 per month in Malden, MA vs $4,748 in Bray, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,154 per month in Malden, MA vs $6,267 in Bray, rent included.

Malden, MA costs about 7% more than Bray, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malden, MA and Bray sit above the global median – Malden, MA by 152%, Bray by 135%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.32 $20.32

$25.50 €22.00

-20.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.6 $96.6

$91.5 €78.9

5.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.24 $13.24

$13.36 €11.52

-0.90%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$4.42 €3.81

14.71%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$3.06 €2.64

-2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.31 €2.00

5.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 $5.78

$7.64 €6.59

-24.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 $8.18

$7.45 €6.43

9.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.69 €1.46

-27.81%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.43 €2.10

67.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$1.98 €1.70

168.18%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$4.75 €4.10

3.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 $12.04

$10.13 €8.74

18.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.31 €11.49

3.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 $17.46

$17.00 €14.67

2.71%

Apples (1kg)

$6.80 $6.80

$3.06 €2.64

122.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.39 €2.06

-25.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$3.04 €2.62

81.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$5.03 €4.34

8.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.02 €1.74

91.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.59 €1.37

19.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.37 €1.18

95.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.07 €1.79

7.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.62 $12.62

$21.30 €18.38

-40.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.64 $13.64

$14.16 €12.22

-3.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.43 €2.96

-37.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 $5.36

$3.46 €2.99

54.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.53 €2.18

1.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 $89.8

$114 €98.0

-20.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 $2.56

$5.38 €4.64

-52.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.54 €1.33

10.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.97 $27.97

$33.63 €29.02

-16.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.12 €1.83

-54.25%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$40.7K €35.1K

-11.27%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$39.5K €34.1K

-35.03%

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

$261 $261

$277 €239

-5.71%

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

$54.0 $54.0

$22.65 €19.54

138.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.0 $82.0

$56.5 €48.76

45.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.47 $35.47

$66.8 €57.7

-46.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 €14.92

Cinema Ticket

$15.61 $15.61

$14.98 €12.92

4.21%

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

$1,860 $1,860

$1,117 €964

66.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K $30.2K

$5,529 €4,771

445.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 $57.0

$98.3 €84.8

-42.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.64 $38.64

$44.40 €38.31

-12.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 $81.4

$110 €94.7

-25.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 $98.2

$125 €108

-21.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,409 $2,409

$2,272 €1,960

6.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,999 $1,999

$1,761 €1,519

13.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 $3,561

$3,979 €3,434

-10.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,792 $2,792

$2,888 €2,492

-3.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K €8,956

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,098 €6,125

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,510 $4,510

$3,366 €2,905

33.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.04

4.14

45.89%

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

Last update for Malden, MA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Bray: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,409 in Malden, MA versus $2,272 in Bray. 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 Malden, MA versus $91.0 in Bray. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $375 – making Bray the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Malden, MA is pricier by about 7%, 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 $5,193 per month in Malden, MA and $4,844 in Bray. 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 $3,462 in Malden, MA and $3,230 in Bray. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 26% 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 $3,462 in Malden, MA and $3,230 in Bray. 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.