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: $2,092 in Malmo versus $1,626 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,273 in Malmo versus $2,547 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,454 in Malmo versus $3,468 in Bålsta.

Living in Malmo is roughly 29% more expensive than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Malmo 57% above, Bålsta 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.93 SEK 134

$12.98 SEK 124

7.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 SEK 812

$68.9 SEK 660

23.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.56 SEK 120

$9.65 SEK 92.4

30.16%

Cappuccino

$5.11 SEK 48.95

$4.10 SEK 39.31

24.63%

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

$2.83 SEK 27.13

$2.79 SEK 26.72

1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 SEK 20.88

$2.50 SEK 23.96

-12.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 SEK 76.4

$7.26 SEK 69.6

9.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 SEK 77.2

$7.54 SEK 72.3

6.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SEK 16.15

$1.61 SEK 15.39

4.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 SEK 30.25

$2.09 SEK 20.08

51.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 SEK 35.00

$3.59 SEK 34.45

1.67%

Eggs

$4.46 SEK 42.74

$3.74 SEK 35.85

19.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 SEK 118

$11.77 SEK 113

4.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.84 SEK 123

$11.86 SEK 114

8.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.92 SEK 258

$11.72 SEK 112

129.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 SEK 32.62

$2.57 SEK 24.65

32.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 27.19

$2.66 SEK 25.46

6.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 SEK 31.62

$2.35 SEK 22.49

40.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.71 SEK 45.10

$2.87 SEK 27.49

64.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 SEK 17.75

$1.55 SEK 14.83

19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 SEK 18.69

$1.30 SEK 12.48

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 SEK 24.81

$1.61 SEK 15.38

60.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 SEK 12.43

$1.03 SEK 9.87

26.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.26 SEK 79.2

$7.47 SEK 71.6

10.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.03 SEK 115

$10.36 SEK 99.3

16.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 SEK 23.24

$1.54 SEK 14.74

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 SEK 26.45

$1.92 SEK 18.35

43.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.33 SEK 31.89

$3.36 SEK 32.24

-0.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.5 SEK 675

$72.6 SEK 695

-2.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 SEK 62.9

$6.13 SEK 58.8

7.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.67 SEK 25.58

$1.24 SEK 11.92

115.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.4 SEK 550

$80.6 SEK 772

-28.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 19.03

$2.01 SEK 19.28

-1.00%

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

$32.2K SEK 308.3K

$32.3K SEK 309.6K

-0.44%

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

$33.6K SEK 321.8K

$33.6K SEK 322.5K

-0.20%

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

$151 SEK 1,452

$51.8 SEK 496

192.62%

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

$30.27 SEK 290

$21.10 SEK 202

43.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 SEK 384

$36.03 SEK 345

11.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.38 SEK 377

$40.88 SEK 392

-3.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.06 SEK 231

$25.03 SEK 240

-3.88%

Cinema Ticket

$17.99 SEK 172

$13.44 SEK 129

33.85%

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

$161 SEK 1,546

$127 SEK 1,221

26.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,852 SEK 46.5K

$735 SEK 7,040

560.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 995

$73.2 SEK 702

41.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 SEK 421

$10.66 SEK 102

312.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 SEK 1,180

$83.5 SEK 800

47.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 SEK 1,596

$116 SEK 1,114

43.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 SEK 8,622

$856 SEK 8,205

5.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 SEK 7,420

$654 SEK 6,267

18.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 SEK 16.1K

$1,387 SEK 13.3K

21.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 SEK 12.8K

$1,065 SEK 10.2K

25.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,382 SEK 42.0K

$3,989 SEK 38.2K

9.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,406 SEK 32.6K

$3,268 SEK 31.3K

4.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,257 SEK 31.2K

$4,094 SEK 39.2K

-20.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

62.00%

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

Last update for Malmo: June 13, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $900 in Malmo and $856 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Malmo vs $69.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $307 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 29% 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 26% 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: $900 in Malmo versus $856 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,092 per month in Malmo versus $1,626 in Bålsta – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 3% less than in Malmo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,626 in Bålsta versus $2,092 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 $1,626 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 29% less than in Malmo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.