Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Bålsta Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Bålsta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,148 in Malmo versus $1,629 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,268 in Malmo versus $2,561 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,388 in Malmo versus $3,494 in Bålsta.

Living in Malmo is roughly 32% more expensive than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Malmo 56% above, Bålsta 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.41 SEK 149

$14.37 SEK 139

7.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 SEK 775

$68.3 SEK 662

17.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 SEK 119

$9.49 SEK 92.0

29.82%

Cappuccino

$4.96 SEK 48.04

$4.26 SEK 41.26

16.43%

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

$3.56 SEK 34.54

$2.75 SEK 26.63

29.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SEK 26.04

$2.21 SEK 21.39

21.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.81 SEK 85.5

$7.08 SEK 68.7

24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.21 SEK 89.3

$7.16 SEK 69.4

28.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.88

$1.59 SEK 15.38

9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 SEK 28.32

$2.09 SEK 20.27

39.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 SEK 35.15

$3.60 SEK 34.87

0.83%

Eggs

$4.29 SEK 41.58

$3.80 SEK 36.87

12.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 SEK 129

$11.32 SEK 110

17.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.65 SEK 123

$12.32 SEK 119

2.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.12 SEK 214

$11.39 SEK 110

94.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 31.10

$2.65 SEK 25.71

21.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 26.29

$2.65 SEK 25.72

2.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 SEK 29.57

$2.05 SEK 19.89

48.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.50 SEK 43.58

$2.86 SEK 27.72

57.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 SEK 17.22

$1.48 SEK 14.35

20.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 15.55

$1.28 SEK 12.39

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 SEK 25.92

$1.52 SEK 14.71

75.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 12.29

$1.02 SEK 9.90

24.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 SEK 78.2

$7.47 SEK 72.4

7.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.80 SEK 114

$10.47 SEK 101

12.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 20.05

$1.59 SEK 15.42

30.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 SEK 23.74

$2.13 SEK 20.62

15.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 SEK 31.84

$3.34 SEK 32.39

-1.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 SEK 628

$81.2 SEK 787

-20.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 SEK 63.3

$6.19 SEK 60.0

5.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.60 SEK 25.24

$1.60 SEK 15.48

62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.1 SEK 505

$79.5 SEK 771

-34.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 SEK 17.95

$1.81 SEK 17.58

2.21%

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

$34.1K SEK 331.0K

$34.1K SEK 330.5K

0.16%

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

$34.4K SEK 333.6K

$34.6K SEK 335.6K

-0.60%

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

$144 SEK 1,400

$52.1 SEK 505

177.10%

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

$27.41 SEK 266

$20.49 SEK 199

33.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.23 SEK 371

$41.88 SEK 406

-8.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.31 SEK 420

$38.64 SEK 375

12.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.14 SEK 292

$26.33 SEK 255

14.47%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 SEK 173

$13.79 SEK 134

29.59%

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

$180 SEK 1,742

$126 SEK 1,226

42.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,500 SEK 33.9K

$4,996 SEK 48.4K

-29.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 1,011

$73.2 SEK 710

42.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.40 SEK 450

$10.57 SEK 103

338.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 SEK 1,127

$84.1 SEK 815

38.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 SEK 1,547

$117 SEK 1,130

36.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 SEK 10.1K

$846 SEK 8,201

23.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 SEK 7,968

$616 SEK 5,969

33.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,782 SEK 17.3K

$1,371 SEK 13.3K

29.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 SEK 13.6K

$1,052 SEK 10.2K

33.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,132 SEK 40.1K

$4,664 SEK 45.2K

-11.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,338 SEK 32.4K

$2,726 SEK 26.4K

22.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,184 SEK 30.9K

$4,057 SEK 39.3K

-21.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.02

0.67%

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

Last update for Malmo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,046 in Malmo and $846 in Bålsta. 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: $80.0 in Malmo vs $68.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 vs $306 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

Malmo vs Bålsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bålsta wins on cost – living expenses run 32% 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.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Bålsta. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,046 in Malmo versus $846 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,148 per month in Malmo versus $1,629 in Bålsta – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 25% less than in Malmo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,629 in Bålsta versus $2,148 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 $1,629 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bålsta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Malmo and Bålsta 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 32% less than in Malmo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.