Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Sala Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Sala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,083 per month in Malmo vs $1,478 in Sala, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,191 per month in Malmo vs $2,218 in Sala, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,299 per month in Malmo vs $2,957 in Sala, rent included.

Malmo costs about 41% more than Sala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Malmo and Sala sit above the global median – Malmo by 57%, Sala by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.51 SEK 128

$12.53 SEK 119

7.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.8 SEK 787

$63.7 SEK 605

30.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.55 SEK 119

$10.20 SEK 96.9

23.04%

Cappuccino

$4.90 SEK 46.51

$3.19 SEK 30.28

53.61%

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

$2.71 SEK 25.78

$1.86 SEK 17.70

45.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 19.78

$2.39 SEK 22.67

-12.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 SEK 76.3

$7.42 SEK 70.5

8.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 SEK 76.9

$7.24 SEK 68.8

11.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SEK 15.98

$1.78 SEK 16.87

-5.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 SEK 29.07

$2.69 SEK 25.53

13.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 SEK 33.22

$3.63 SEK 34.44

-3.58%

Eggs

$4.44 SEK 42.22

$3.86 SEK 36.68

15.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 SEK 114

$12.12 SEK 115

-0.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.88 SEK 122

$11.89 SEK 113

8.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.59 SEK 262

$15.97 SEK 152

72.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 SEK 31.29

$3.14 SEK 29.85

4.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 27.90

$2.57 SEK 24.45

14.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 SEK 32.16

$2.84 SEK 27.01

19.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 SEK 47.21

$5.13 SEK 48.74

-3.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.35

$1.56 SEK 14.78

17.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 SEK 18.86

$1.18 SEK 11.17

68.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 SEK 23.62

$2.71 SEK 25.77

-8.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 12.69

$1.02 SEK 9.71

31.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SEK 74.5

$7.20 SEK 68.4

8.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.58 SEK 110

$6.24 SEK 59.3

85.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 SEK 23.59

$2.50 SEK 23.73

-0.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 25.25

$1.92 SEK 18.28

38.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 SEK 31.22

$3.25 SEK 30.83

1.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.2 SEK 676

$22.30 SEK 212

219.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 SEK 61.4

$6.15 SEK 58.5

5.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 25.09

$1.58 SEK 15.05

67.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.7 SEK 539

$21.29 SEK 202

166.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.27

$1.97 SEK 18.69

-2.54%

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

$32.7K SEK 310.6K

$41.4K SEK 393.5K

-21.06%

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

$33.8K SEK 321.0K

$34.5K SEK 328.1K

-2.16%

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

$156 SEK 1,478

$89.6 SEK 852

73.51%

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

$30.25 SEK 287

$21.17 SEK 201

42.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.72 SEK 387

$36.99 SEK 351

10.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 SEK 367

$48.67 SEK 462

-20.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.36 SEK 222

$21.31 SEK 202

9.62%

Cinema Ticket

$18.05 SEK 171

$18.75 SEK 178

-3.73%

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

$159 SEK 1,515

$148 SEK 1,404

7.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,792 SEK 45.5K

$1,284 SEK 12.2K

273.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 1,001

$45.96 SEK 437

129.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.78 SEK 425

$36.96 SEK 351

21.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 SEK 1,169

$54.4 SEK 517

126.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 SEK 1,574

$58.4 SEK 554

183.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 SEK 8,849

$764 SEK 7,261

21.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$796 SEK 7,557

$531 SEK 5,044

49.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 SEK 16.1K

$985 SEK 9,354

71.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 SEK 13.0K

$737 SEK 7,002

85.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,150 SEK 39.4K

$4,100 SEK 38.9K

1.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,245 SEK 30.8K

$3,033 SEK 28.8K

7.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,144 SEK 29.9K

$2,507 SEK 23.8K

25.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

4.53

7.28%

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

Last update for Malmo: July 28, 2026

Last update for Sala: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $931 in Malmo versus $764 in Sala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Malmo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Malmo versus $64.0 in Sala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $345 – making Sala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Sala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 41% more than Sala, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,125 per month in Malmo and $2,217 in Sala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $159 per month in Malmo and $148 in Sala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Malmo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sala, where all-in costs run around $1,478, than in Malmo at $2,083. In Sala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sala costs $1,478 versus $2,083 in Malmo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Malmo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.