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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Sala vs $2,083 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,351 per month in Sala vs $3,221 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,083 per month in Sala vs $4,359 in Malmo, rent included.

Sala is about 22% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sala and Malmo sit above the global median – Sala by 18%, Malmo by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.46 SEK 123

$15.40 SEK 152

-19.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 SEK 608

$76.7 SEK 756

-19.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 SEK 99.2

$12.22 SEK 120

-17.68%

Cappuccino

$3.30 SEK 32.50

$5.10 SEK 50.3

-35.29%

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

$1.87 SEK 18.44

$3.37 SEK 33.24

-44.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 SEK 23.01

$2.68 SEK 26.37

-13.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 SEK 70.2

$8.97 SEK 88.4

-20.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 SEK 72.2

$8.97 SEK 88.4

-18.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.88

$1.75 SEK 17.24

3.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 SEK 25.85

$3.03 SEK 29.88

-13.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 SEK 35.85

$3.58 SEK 35.27

1.68%

Eggs

$5.00 SEK 49.28

$4.23 SEK 41.71

18.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 SEK 117

$13.07 SEK 129

-9.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.80 SEK 136

$12.22 SEK 120

12.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.79 SEK 225

$22.01 SEK 217

3.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 SEK 30.39

$3.05 SEK 30.04

0.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 SEK 26.39

$2.62 SEK 25.85

2.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 26.85

$3.18 SEK 31.30

-14.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 SEK 48.51

$4.44 SEK 43.75

10.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 SEK 15.16

$1.74 SEK 17.14

-11.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SEK 12.06

$1.52 SEK 14.99

-19.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 SEK 26.82

$2.48 SEK 24.46

9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 SEK 10.05

$1.31 SEK 12.89

-22.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.33 SEK 72.2

$7.79 SEK 76.7

-5.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 SEK 62.1

$11.80 SEK 116

-46.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 SEK 19.80

$2.00 SEK 19.72

0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SEK 19.00

$2.32 SEK 22.85

-16.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 SEK 30.65

$3.20 SEK 31.49

-2.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.82 SEK 215

$64.5 SEK 636

-66.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 SEK 59.4

$6.42 SEK 63.3

-6.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SEK 18.17

$2.44 SEK 24.00

-24.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.3 SEK 820

$51.8 SEK 510

60.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 SEK 17.31

$1.76 SEK 17.33

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

$34.5K SEK 339.8K

$33.2K SEK 327.4K

3.77%

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

$34.3K SEK 337.7K

$33.7K SEK 332.3K

1.62%

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

$186 SEK 1,835

$140 SEK 1,384

32.61%

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

$21.01 SEK 207

$26.87 SEK 265

-21.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.07 SEK 385

$37.50 SEK 370

4.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.16 SEK 465

$43.40 SEK 428

8.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.57 SEK 203

$29.75 SEK 293

-30.86%

Cinema Ticket

$16.44 SEK 162

$17.63 SEK 174

-6.75%

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

$164 SEK 1,618

$172 SEK 1,695

-4.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,266 SEK 12.5K

$3,416 SEK 33.7K

-62.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.96 SEK 453

$103 SEK 1,012

-55.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.55 SEK 360

$46.61 SEK 459

-21.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.3 SEK 544

$114 SEK 1,120

-51.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 SEK 570

$156 SEK 1,542

-63.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 SEK 7,464

$1,044 SEK 10.3K

-27.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 SEK 5,285

$816 SEK 8,044

-34.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 SEK 9,533

$1,750 SEK 17.2K

-44.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 SEK 7,040

$1,377 SEK 13.6K

-48.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,196 SEK 41.3K

$4,211 SEK 41.5K

-0.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,926 SEK 28.8K

$3,287 SEK 32.4K

-11.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,489 SEK 24.5K

$3,113 SEK 30.7K

-20.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

3.02

5.96%

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

Last update for Sala: September 14, 2026

Last update for Malmo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $757 in Sala versus $1,044 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 $62.0 in Sala versus $77.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $376 vs $383 – 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 29% 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 $2,429 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 $164 per month in Sala and $172 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sala, where all-in costs run around $1,619, 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 $1,619 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.