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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,078 per month in Malmo vs $1,491 in Sala, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,236 per month in Malmo vs $2,247 in Sala, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,394 per month in Malmo vs $3,003 in Sala, rent included.

Malmo costs about 39% more than Sala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Malmo and Sala sit above the global median – Malmo by 55%, Sala by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.76 SEK 129

$12.55 SEK 118

9.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 SEK 803

$62.9 SEK 590

36.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 SEK 121

$10.48 SEK 98.4

22.81%

Cappuccino

$4.94 SEK 46.31

$3.20 SEK 29.99

54.38%

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

$2.74 SEK 25.74

$1.81 SEK 17.00

51.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SEK 20.32

$2.40 SEK 22.50

-9.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 SEK 73.2

$7.53 SEK 70.6

3.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 SEK 74.4

$7.57 SEK 71.0

4.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 SEK 16.55

$1.84 SEK 17.26

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 SEK 28.35

$2.69 SEK 25.26

12.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 33.87

$3.74 SEK 35.07

-3.48%

Eggs

$4.47 SEK 41.90

$4.04 SEK 37.93

10.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.20 SEK 114

$11.78 SEK 111

3.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.69 SEK 119

$11.64 SEK 109

9.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.69 SEK 250

$15.84 SEK 149

68.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 SEK 30.77

$3.15 SEK 29.59

4.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 27.56

$2.70 SEK 25.35

8.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 SEK 30.44

$2.82 SEK 26.43

15.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 SEK 44.62

$5.04 SEK 47.26

-5.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 17.48

$1.55 SEK 14.57

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 SEK 18.59

$1.19 SEK 11.15

66.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 SEK 24.16

$2.71 SEK 25.46

-4.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 SEK 12.08

$1.04 SEK 9.73

24.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.89 SEK 74.0

$7.54 SEK 70.7

4.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 SEK 112

$6.41 SEK 60.2

85.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.32

$2.50 SEK 23.45

-0.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 SEK 24.66

$1.93 SEK 18.14

36.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.39 SEK 31.80

$3.15 SEK 29.51

7.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 SEK 669

$21.82 SEK 205

226.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.55 SEK 61.4

$6.30 SEK 59.1

3.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 SEK 23.71

$1.58 SEK 14.84

60.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.3 SEK 538

$20.87 SEK 196

174.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.02

$2.00 SEK 18.78

-4.00%

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

$32.8K SEK 308.1K

$42.2K SEK 395.7K

-22.15%

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

$33.5K SEK 314.2K

$34.2K SEK 321.0K

-2.12%

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

$152 SEK 1,428

$88.8 SEK 833

71.41%

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

$30.08 SEK 282

$20.84 SEK 196

44.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.52 SEK 380

$37.20 SEK 349

8.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 SEK 362

$47.92 SEK 450

-19.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.95 SEK 225

$20.95 SEK 197

14.32%

Cinema Ticket

$18.09 SEK 170

$19.22 SEK 180

-5.88%

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

$157 SEK 1,477

$146 SEK 1,373

7.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,974 SEK 46.7K

$1,254 SEK 11.8K

296.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 SEK 990

$46.54 SEK 437

126.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.45 SEK 426

$37.23 SEK 349

22.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 SEK 1,144

$54.8 SEK 514

122.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 SEK 1,549

$57.4 SEK 538

187.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$896 SEK 8,408

$774 SEK 7,256

15.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 SEK 7,426

$545 SEK 5,113

45.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,730 SEK 16.2K

$965 SEK 9,049

79.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 SEK 12.7K

$726 SEK 6,811

85.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,244 SEK 39.8K

$4,001 SEK 37.5K

6.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,353 SEK 31.5K

$3,328 SEK 31.2K

0.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,254 SEK 30.5K

$2,569 SEK 24.1K

26.65%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $896 in Malmo versus $774 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 27% 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 $86.0 in Malmo versus $63.0 in Sala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $408 vs $346 – 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 39% 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 $3,118 per month in Malmo and $2,236 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 $157 per month in Malmo and $146 in Sala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $1,491, than in Malmo at $2,078. 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 $1,491 versus $2,078 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.