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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Sala is about 28% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.55 SEK 118

$13.76 SEK 129

-8.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 SEK 590

$85.6 SEK 803

-26.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.48 SEK 98.4

$12.87 SEK 121

-18.57%

Cappuccino

$3.20 SEK 29.99

$4.94 SEK 46.31

-35.22%

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

$1.81 SEK 17.00

$2.74 SEK 25.74

-33.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 22.50

$2.17 SEK 20.32

10.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 SEK 70.6

$7.81 SEK 73.2

-3.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 SEK 71.0

$7.93 SEK 74.4

-4.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 SEK 17.26

$1.76 SEK 16.55

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 SEK 25.26

$3.02 SEK 28.35

-10.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 SEK 35.07

$3.61 SEK 33.87

3.60%

Eggs

$4.04 SEK 37.93

$4.47 SEK 41.90

-9.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 SEK 111

$12.20 SEK 114

-3.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 SEK 109

$12.69 SEK 119

-8.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 SEK 149

$26.69 SEK 250

-40.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 SEK 29.59

$3.28 SEK 30.77

-3.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 25.35

$2.94 SEK 27.56

-8.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 26.43

$3.25 SEK 30.44

-13.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 SEK 47.26

$4.76 SEK 44.62

5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.57

$1.86 SEK 17.48

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 SEK 11.15

$1.98 SEK 18.59

-39.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 SEK 25.46

$2.58 SEK 24.16

5.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 SEK 9.73

$1.29 SEK 12.08

-19.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SEK 70.7

$7.89 SEK 74.0

-4.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.41 SEK 60.2

$11.92 SEK 112

-46.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 23.45

$2.49 SEK 23.32

0.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SEK 18.14

$2.63 SEK 24.66

-26.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 SEK 29.51

$3.39 SEK 31.80

-7.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.82 SEK 205

$71.3 SEK 669

-69.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.30 SEK 59.1

$6.55 SEK 61.4

-3.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 SEK 14.84

$2.53 SEK 23.71

-37.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.87 SEK 196

$57.3 SEK 538

-63.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 SEK 18.78

$1.92 SEK 18.02

4.17%

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

$42.2K SEK 395.7K

$32.8K SEK 308.1K

28.45%

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

$34.2K SEK 321.0K

$33.5K SEK 314.2K

2.16%

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

$88.8 SEK 833

$152 SEK 1,428

-41.66%

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

$20.84 SEK 196

$30.08 SEK 282

-30.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.20 SEK 349

$40.52 SEK 380

-8.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.92 SEK 450

$38.55 SEK 362

24.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.95 SEK 197

$23.95 SEK 225

-12.53%

Cinema Ticket

$19.22 SEK 180

$18.09 SEK 170

6.25%

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

$146 SEK 1,373

$157 SEK 1,477

-7.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,254 SEK 11.8K

$4,974 SEK 46.7K

-74.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.54 SEK 437

$106 SEK 990

-55.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.23 SEK 349

$45.45 SEK 426

-18.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.8 SEK 514

$122 SEK 1,144

-55.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.4 SEK 538

$165 SEK 1,549

-65.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$774 SEK 7,256

$896 SEK 8,408

-13.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 SEK 5,113

$792 SEK 7,426

-31.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 SEK 9,049

$1,730 SEK 16.2K

-44.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 SEK 6,811

$1,349 SEK 12.7K

-46.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 SEK 37.5K

$4,244 SEK 39.8K

-5.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,328 SEK 31.2K

$3,353 SEK 31.5K

-0.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,569 SEK 24.1K

$3,254 SEK 30.5K

-21.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

4.86

-6.79%

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

Last update for Sala: June 8, 2026

Last update for Malmo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $774 in Sala versus $896 in Malmo. 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 $63.0 in Sala versus $86.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $408 – 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

Sala vs Malmo: 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 $2,236 per month in Sala and $3,118 in Malmo. 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 $146 per month in Sala and $157 in Malmo. 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.