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: $2,106 in Malmo versus $1,638 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,222 in Malmo versus $2,559 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,338 in Malmo versus $3,481 in Bålsta.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.61 SEK 127

$13.05 SEK 121

4.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.2 SEK 783

$69.9 SEK 650

20.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.88 SEK 120

$9.48 SEK 88.1

35.86%

Cappuccino

$5.01 SEK 46.55

$4.28 SEK 39.80

17.06%

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

$2.74 SEK 25.45

$2.79 SEK 25.97

-1.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SEK 19.74

$2.41 SEK 22.38

-12.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 SEK 75.2

$7.19 SEK 66.9

12.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 SEK 75.3

$7.40 SEK 68.8

9.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SEK 15.84

$1.62 SEK 15.03

4.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 SEK 28.88

$2.15 SEK 20.03

44.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.62 SEK 33.67

$3.65 SEK 33.91

-0.82%

Eggs

$4.48 SEK 41.62

$3.71 SEK 34.54

20.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.25 SEK 114

$11.53 SEK 107

6.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.78 SEK 119

$11.81 SEK 110

8.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.29 SEK 254

$11.55 SEK 107

136.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 SEK 31.86

$2.71 SEK 25.23

26.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 26.97

$2.57 SEK 23.94

12.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 SEK 31.42

$2.30 SEK 21.43

46.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 SEK 45.29

$2.96 SEK 27.53

64.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 16.98

$1.52 SEK 14.10

20.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 17.60

$1.26 SEK 11.71

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 SEK 24.13

$1.60 SEK 14.84

61.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 SEK 11.91

$1.03 SEK 9.54

24.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.95 SEK 74.0

$7.32 SEK 68.1

8.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 SEK 114

$10.76 SEK 100

13.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 SEK 22.61

$1.55 SEK 14.41

56.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 SEK 25.84

$1.98 SEK 18.45

40.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 SEK 31.67

$3.41 SEK 31.70

-0.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.0 SEK 651

$72.4 SEK 673

-3.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 SEK 61.5

$6.05 SEK 56.2

9.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 24.57

$1.24 SEK 11.52

112.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.1 SEK 531

$83.3 SEK 775

-31.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 SEK 18.07

$1.92 SEK 17.84

1.04%

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

$33.0K SEK 306.7K

$32.8K SEK 304.6K

0.69%

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

$33.8K SEK 314.0K

$34.8K SEK 323.3K

-2.86%

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

$157 SEK 1,461

$52.7 SEK 490

198.06%

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

$30.03 SEK 279

$20.59 SEK 192

45.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.01 SEK 372

$37.27 SEK 347

7.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.47 SEK 367

$39.89 SEK 371

-1.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 SEK 222

$24.82 SEK 231

-3.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.91 SEK 167

$13.91 SEK 129

28.76%

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

$159 SEK 1,477

$125 SEK 1,160

27.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,807 SEK 44.7K

$747 SEK 6,948

543.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 SEK 987

$72.6 SEK 675

46.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.76 SEK 416

$10.72 SEK 99.7

317.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 SEK 1,130

$83.2 SEK 774

46.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 SEK 1,528

$118 SEK 1,095

39.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 SEK 8,619

$855 SEK 7,952

8.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 SEK 7,168

$656 SEK 6,097

17.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,719 SEK 16.0K

$1,404 SEK 13.1K

22.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 SEK 12.5K

$1,078 SEK 10.0K

24.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,420 SEK 41.1K

$4,367 SEK 40.6K

1.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,390 SEK 31.5K

$2,982 SEK 27.7K

13.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,361 SEK 31.3K

$4,261 SEK 39.6K

-21.13%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $927 in Malmo and $855 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: $84.0 in Malmo vs $70.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 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, Bålsta earns 27% less. 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: $927 in Malmo versus $855 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,106 per month in Malmo versus $1,638 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 $1,638 in Bålsta versus $2,106 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 $1,638 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.