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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,496 per month in Sala vs $2,106 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,234 per month in Sala vs $3,222 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,973 per month in Sala vs $4,338 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 12%, Malmo by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.80 SEK 119

$13.61 SEK 126

-5.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 SEK 589

$84.2 SEK 781

-24.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 SEK 94.1

$12.88 SEK 119

-21.20%

Cappuccino

$3.18 SEK 29.46

$5.01 SEK 46.40

-36.53%

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

$1.83 SEK 17.00

$2.74 SEK 25.36

-33.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 22.92

$2.12 SEK 19.68

16.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 SEK 67.6

$8.09 SEK 75.0

-9.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 SEK 70.1

$8.10 SEK 75.1

-6.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 SEK 17.01

$1.70 SEK 15.79

7.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 SEK 24.57

$3.11 SEK 28.79

-14.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 SEK 34.12

$3.62 SEK 33.56

1.66%

Eggs

$4.07 SEK 37.73

$4.48 SEK 41.49

-9.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.73 SEK 109

$12.25 SEK 114

-4.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.91 SEK 110

$12.78 SEK 119

-6.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 SEK 148

$27.29 SEK 253

-41.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 SEK 28.01

$3.43 SEK 31.76

-11.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 25.03

$2.90 SEK 26.89

-6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 25.25

$3.38 SEK 31.32

-19.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.14 SEK 47.63

$4.87 SEK 45.14

5.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SEK 14.08

$1.83 SEK 16.92

-16.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 SEK 11.10

$1.89 SEK 17.54

-36.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 SEK 25.24

$2.59 SEK 24.05

5.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 SEK 9.88

$1.28 SEK 11.87

-16.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.55 SEK 70.0

$7.95 SEK 73.7

-5.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.47 SEK 60.0

$12.24 SEK 113

-47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 SEK 22.95

$2.43 SEK 22.53

2.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SEK 17.46

$2.78 SEK 25.76

-32.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.22 SEK 29.81

$3.40 SEK 31.56

-5.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.91 SEK 203

$70.0 SEK 649

-68.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 SEK 58.0

$6.61 SEK 61.3

-5.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 15.39

$2.64 SEK 24.49

-37.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.07 SEK 195

$57.1 SEK 530

-63.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 SEK 18.34

$1.94 SEK 18.01

2.06%

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

$42.7K SEK 395.4K

$33.0K SEK 305.7K

29.34%

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

$34.4K SEK 318.6K

$33.8K SEK 313.0K

1.79%

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

$88.1 SEK 816

$157 SEK 1,456

-43.93%

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

$21.33 SEK 198

$30.03 SEK 278

-28.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.05 SEK 343

$40.01 SEK 371

-7.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.76 SEK 452

$39.47 SEK 366

23.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.11 SEK 196

$23.84 SEK 221

-11.45%

Cinema Ticket

$19.10 SEK 177

$17.91 SEK 166

6.64%

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

$147 SEK 1,362

$159 SEK 1,472

-7.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,286 SEK 11.9K

$4,807 SEK 44.6K

-73.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.81 SEK 443

$106 SEK 984

-54.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.57 SEK 339

$44.76 SEK 415

-18.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.6 SEK 516

$122 SEK 1,127

-54.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.8 SEK 545

$164 SEK 1,524

-64.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 SEK 7,000

$927 SEK 8,591

-18.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 SEK 4,949

$771 SEK 7,145

-30.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$984 SEK 9,125

$1,719 SEK 15.9K

-42.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$720 SEK 6,676

$1,342 SEK 12.4K

-46.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,275 SEK 39.6K

$4,420 SEK 41.0K

-3.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,074 SEK 28.5K

$3,390 SEK 31.4K

-9.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,601 SEK 24.1K

$3,361 SEK 31.2K

-22.59%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Malmo: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $755 in Sala versus $927 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 29% 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 in Sala versus $84 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $413 – 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 $2,244 per month in Sala and $3,160 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 $147 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 $1,496, than in Malmo at $2,106. 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 $1,496 versus $2,106 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.