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: $2,081 in Malmo versus $1,958 in Boras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,224 in Malmo versus $2,789 in Boras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Malmo versus $3,619 in Boras.

Living in Malmo is roughly 6% more expensive than in Boras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Malmo 56% above, Boras 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.74 SEK 133

$12.83 SEK 124

7.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.5 SEK 808

$72.6 SEK 703

14.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.74 SEK 123

$10.63 SEK 103

19.85%

Cappuccino

$5.15 SEK 49.81

$4.37 SEK 42.27

17.85%

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

$2.68 SEK 25.96

$2.22 SEK 21.53

20.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SEK 20.32

$2.07 SEK 20.02

1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 SEK 75.6

$8.15 SEK 78.9

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 SEK 77.6

$7.42 SEK 71.9

7.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 16.79

$1.67 SEK 16.20

3.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 SEK 29.78

$2.15 SEK 20.84

43.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 SEK 33.72

$3.07 SEK 29.68

13.36%

Eggs

$4.53 SEK 43.87

$4.48 SEK 43.37

1.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.41 SEK 120

$13.07 SEK 127

-5.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.01 SEK 126

$11.49 SEK 111

13.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.83 SEK 260

$16.85 SEK 163

59.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 SEK 32.89

$2.68 SEK 25.92

26.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 28.48

$2.77 SEK 26.82

6.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 SEK 31.88

$2.82 SEK 27.29

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 SEK 46.76

$3.77 SEK 36.47

28.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 18.13

$1.54 SEK 14.92

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 SEK 18.79

$1.62 SEK 15.64

19.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 SEK 24.72

$1.41 SEK 13.68

80.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 13.02

$1.50 SEK 14.51

-10.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.88 SEK 76.3

$8.23 SEK 79.7

-4.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 SEK 113

$9.40 SEK 91.0

24.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 23.28

$2.03 SEK 19.66

18.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SEK 26.43

$1.73 SEK 16.74

57.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.46 SEK 33.46

$3.74 SEK 36.16

-7.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.0 SEK 687

$86.2 SEK 834

-17.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 SEK 65.4

$6.46 SEK 62.6

4.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 25.53

$1.87 SEK 18.15

41.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.1 SEK 553

$62.5 SEK 605

-8.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.44

$1.96 SEK 19.02

-3.06%

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

$33.0K SEK 319.1K

$26.2K SEK 253.5K

25.90%

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

$33.9K SEK 328.7K

$25.4K SEK 245.8K

33.73%

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

$155 SEK 1,498

$74.9 SEK 725

106.76%

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

$29.60 SEK 287

$28.64 SEK 277

3.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.55 SEK 383

$27.88 SEK 270

41.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.29 SEK 380

$34.39 SEK 333

14.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.47 SEK 227

$23.82 SEK 231

-1.47%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 SEK 172

$15.85 SEK 153

12.37%

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

$157 SEK 1,523

$157 SEK 1,519

0.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,884 SEK 47.3K

$4,162 SEK 40.3K

17.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 1,015

$81.2 SEK 787

28.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.70 SEK 442

$39.45 SEK 382

15.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 SEK 1,201

$94.5 SEK 915

31.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 SEK 1,609

$108 SEK 1,045

53.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 SEK 8,870

$849 SEK 8,223

7.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$791 SEK 7,655

$927 SEK 8,975

-14.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 SEK 16.5K

$1,384 SEK 13.4K

22.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 SEK 13.3K

$1,064 SEK 10.3K

29.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,179 SEK 40.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,318 SEK 32.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 SEK 30.5K

$2,480 SEK 24.0K

26.94%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Boras: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $916 in Malmo and $849 in Boras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Malmo pays 27% 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: $83.0 in Malmo vs $73.0 in Boras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $412 vs $340 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Malmo, 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: $916 in Malmo versus $849 in Boras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,081 per month in Malmo versus $1,958 in Boras – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Boras runs roughly 21% less than in Malmo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,958 in Boras versus $2,081 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 6% less than in Malmo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.