Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Boras Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Boras

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,047 in Malmo versus $1,947 in Boras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,170 in Malmo versus $2,766 in Boras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,292 in Malmo versus $3,586 in Boras.

Living in Malmo is roughly 5% more expensive than Boras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Malmo 53% above, Boras 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 SEK 126

$12.77 SEK 119

5.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 SEK 799

$70.4 SEK 656

21.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 SEK 118

$10.65 SEK 99.4

18.97%

Cappuccino

$5.05 SEK 47.16

$4.56 SEK 42.56

10.75%

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

$2.69 SEK 25.07

$2.24 SEK 20.89

20.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 SEK 20.07

$2.14 SEK 20.00

0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 SEK 74.7

$7.94 SEK 74.1

0.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 SEK 76.5

$7.27 SEK 67.9

12.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SEK 15.62

$1.67 SEK 15.57

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 SEK 28.99

$2.23 SEK 20.82

39.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 33.71

$3.04 SEK 28.33

18.75%

Eggs

$4.42 SEK 41.22

$4.50 SEK 42.00

-1.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 SEK 112

$13.10 SEK 122

-8.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.78 SEK 119

$11.63 SEK 109

9.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.50 SEK 257

$17.39 SEK 162

58.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 SEK 30.49

$2.69 SEK 25.13

21.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 SEK 25.94

$2.87 SEK 26.78

-3.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 SEK 30.25

$2.81 SEK 26.25

15.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 SEK 44.68

$3.59 SEK 33.45

33.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.07

$1.61 SEK 15.06

13.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 SEK 18.22

$1.60 SEK 14.94

21.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 SEK 23.98

$1.42 SEK 13.25

80.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 12.50

$1.46 SEK 13.67

-8.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 SEK 75.9

$8.24 SEK 76.9

-1.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.10 SEK 113

$9.83 SEK 91.8

23.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 SEK 23.59

$1.94 SEK 18.13

30.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 24.80

$1.71 SEK 15.99

55.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.36 SEK 31.37

$3.73 SEK 34.82

-9.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.3 SEK 647

$86.6 SEK 808

-19.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 SEK 60.1

$6.18 SEK 57.7

4.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 24.63

$1.89 SEK 17.68

39.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.2 SEK 524

$63.9 SEK 596

-12.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 17.92

$1.90 SEK 17.76

1.05%

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

$33.1K SEK 308.6K

$26.3K SEK 245.5K

25.72%

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

$33.8K SEK 315.3K

$25.0K SEK 233.5K

35.07%

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

$154 SEK 1,433

$75.9 SEK 709

102.23%

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

$30.36 SEK 283

$28.10 SEK 262

8.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.38 SEK 377

$27.50 SEK 257

46.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.30 SEK 357

$34.14 SEK 319

12.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.78 SEK 222

$23.96 SEK 224

-0.75%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 SEK 166

$15.89 SEK 148

12.08%

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

$162 SEK 1,508

$160 SEK 1,496

0.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,876 SEK 45.5K

$4,124 SEK 38.5K

18.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 977

$81.5 SEK 761

28.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.70 SEK 426

$40.01 SEK 373

14.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 SEK 1,159

$95.3 SEK 889

30.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 SEK 1,542

$110 SEK 1,027

50.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 SEK 8,693

$846 SEK 7,891

10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 SEK 7,215

$902 SEK 8,419

-14.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,721 SEK 16.1K

$1,367 SEK 12.8K

25.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,343 SEK 12.5K

$1,096 SEK 10.2K

22.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,311 SEK 40.2K

$3,942 SEK 36.8K

9.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,360 SEK 31.3K

$3,388 SEK 31.6K

-0.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,353 SEK 31.3K

$2,547 SEK 23.8K

31.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

4.8

1.25%

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

Last update for Malmo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Boras: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $932 in Malmo and $846 in Boras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Malmo pays 32% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $86.0 in Malmo vs $70.0 in Boras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $343 per month, with Boras 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 Boras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boras is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Malmo pays 32% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $932 in Malmo versus $846 in Boras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,047 per month in Malmo versus $1,947 in Boras – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,947 in Boras versus $2,047 in Malmo, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Boras but tight or insufficient in Malmo. The gap between the two cities makes Boras the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Boras is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Malmo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Malmo and Boras 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 Boras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Malmo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.