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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Sala is about 29% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.53 SEK 119

$13.51 SEK 128

-7.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 SEK 605

$82.8 SEK 787

-23.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 SEK 96.9

$12.55 SEK 119

-18.73%

Cappuccino

$3.19 SEK 30.28

$4.90 SEK 46.51

-34.90%

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

$1.86 SEK 17.70

$2.71 SEK 25.78

-31.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 SEK 22.67

$2.08 SEK 19.78

14.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.42 SEK 70.5

$8.03 SEK 76.3

-7.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 SEK 68.8

$8.09 SEK 76.9

-10.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 SEK 16.87

$1.68 SEK 15.98

5.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 SEK 25.53

$3.06 SEK 29.07

-12.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 SEK 34.44

$3.50 SEK 33.22

3.71%

Eggs

$3.86 SEK 36.68

$4.44 SEK 42.22

-13.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 SEK 115

$12.02 SEK 114

0.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.89 SEK 113

$12.88 SEK 122

-7.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.97 SEK 152

$27.59 SEK 262

-42.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 SEK 29.85

$3.29 SEK 31.29

-4.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 24.45

$2.94 SEK 27.90

-12.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 27.01

$3.39 SEK 32.16

-16.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 SEK 48.74

$4.97 SEK 47.21

3.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 14.78

$1.83 SEK 17.35

-14.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 SEK 11.17

$1.99 SEK 18.86

-40.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 SEK 25.77

$2.49 SEK 23.62

8.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 SEK 9.71

$1.34 SEK 12.69

-23.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.20 SEK 68.4

$7.84 SEK 74.5

-8.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.24 SEK 59.3

$11.58 SEK 110

-46.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 23.73

$2.48 SEK 23.59

0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 SEK 18.28

$2.66 SEK 25.25

-27.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.25 SEK 30.83

$3.29 SEK 31.22

-1.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.30 SEK 212

$71.2 SEK 676

-68.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 SEK 58.5

$6.47 SEK 61.4

-4.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 SEK 15.05

$2.64 SEK 25.09

-40.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.29 SEK 202

$56.7 SEK 539

-62.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 SEK 18.69

$1.92 SEK 18.27

2.60%

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

$41.4K SEK 393.5K

$32.7K SEK 310.6K

26.69%

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

$34.5K SEK 328.1K

$33.8K SEK 321.0K

2.21%

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

$89.6 SEK 852

$156 SEK 1,478

-42.36%

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

$21.17 SEK 201

$30.25 SEK 287

-30.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.99 SEK 351

$40.72 SEK 387

-9.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.67 SEK 462

$38.68 SEK 367

25.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.31 SEK 202

$23.36 SEK 222

-8.78%

Cinema Ticket

$18.75 SEK 178

$18.05 SEK 171

3.88%

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

$148 SEK 1,404

$159 SEK 1,515

-7.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,284 SEK 12.2K

$4,792 SEK 45.5K

-73.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.96 SEK 437

$105 SEK 1,001

-56.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 SEK 351

$44.78 SEK 425

-17.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.4 SEK 517

$123 SEK 1,169

-55.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 SEK 554

$166 SEK 1,574

-64.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 SEK 7,261

$931 SEK 8,849

-17.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 SEK 5,044

$796 SEK 7,557

-33.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 SEK 9,354

$1,690 SEK 16.1K

-41.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 SEK 7,002

$1,368 SEK 13.0K

-46.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,100 SEK 38.9K

$4,150 SEK 39.4K

-1.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,033 SEK 28.8K

$3,245 SEK 30.8K

-6.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,507 SEK 23.8K

$3,144 SEK 29.9K

-20.25%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Malmo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $764 in Sala versus $931 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 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 $64.0 in Sala versus $83.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $411 – 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 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 $2,217 per month in Sala and $3,125 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 $148 per month in Sala and $159 in Malmo. 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.