Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsingborg and Malmo Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsingborg and Malmo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,868 per month in Helsingborg vs $2,093 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,903 per month in Helsingborg vs $3,234 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,939 per month in Helsingborg vs $4,376 in Malmo, rent included.

Helsingborg is about 11% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Helsingborg and Malmo sit above the global median – Helsingborg by 36%, Malmo by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.51 SEK 148

$15.36 SEK 147

0.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 SEK 709

$79.8 SEK 763

-7.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.50 SEK 139

$12.28 SEK 118

18.08%

Cappuccino

$4.79 SEK 45.86

$4.87 SEK 46.59

-1.64%

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

$2.96 SEK 28.27

$3.55 SEK 33.96

-16.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 SEK 25.06

$2.84 SEK 27.13

-7.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.73 SEK 73.9

$9.09 SEK 87.0

-14.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.60 SEK 63.2

$9.34 SEK 89.4

-29.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SEK 14.09

$1.83 SEK 17.54

-19.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.96 SEK 28.34

$3.00 SEK 28.70

-1.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 SEK 30.45

$3.64 SEK 34.82

-12.64%

Eggs

$4.79 SEK 45.84

$4.18 SEK 40.01

14.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 SEK 110

$13.29 SEK 127

-13.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.37 SEK 109

$12.35 SEK 118

-7.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.54 SEK 149

$22.05 SEK 211

-29.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 27.77

$3.12 SEK 29.85

-7.05%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 SEK 29.82

$2.57 SEK 24.55

21.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SEK 30.91

$3.07 SEK 29.38

5.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 SEK 40.64

$4.42 SEK 42.32

-3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 SEK 14.07

$1.76 SEK 16.87

-16.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 SEK 15.39

$1.60 SEK 15.28

0.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 SEK 18.40

$2.64 SEK 25.27

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 SEK 17.98

$1.29 SEK 12.30

45.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.96 SEK 85.7

$7.95 SEK 76.1

12.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.51 SEK 91.0

$11.86 SEK 113

-19.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 23.97

$2.14 SEK 20.50

17.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 SEK 25.60

$2.43 SEK 23.23

10.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 SEK 32.73

$3.27 SEK 31.26

4.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 SEK 626

$66.5 SEK 636

-1.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 SEK 60.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.35 SEK 51.2

$2.50 SEK 23.95

114.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.8 SEK 505

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 SEK 17.61

$1.81 SEK 17.27

1.66%

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

$34.2K SEK 327.3K

$34.1K SEK 326.3K

0.31%

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

$34.1K SEK 326.6K

$35.1K SEK 336.1K

-2.85%

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

$149 SEK 1,428

$143 SEK 1,367

4.46%

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

$27.90 SEK 267

$27.75 SEK 265

0.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.93 SEK 325

$39.07 SEK 374

-13.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.77 SEK 380

$45.75 SEK 438

-13.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.28 SEK 223

$30.43 SEK 291

-23.50%

Cinema Ticket

$15.62 SEK 149

$18.13 SEK 173

-13.84%

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

$180 SEK 1,721

$176 SEK 1,681

2.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,485 SEK 33.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.8 SEK 792

$104 SEK 993

-20.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.24 SEK 433

$46.39 SEK 444

-2.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 SEK 890

$119 SEK 1,142

-22.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 SEK 1,092

$159 SEK 1,525

-28.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 SEK 8,337

$1,054 SEK 10.1K

-17.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 SEK 6,363

$845 SEK 8,086

-21.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 SEK 13.3K

$1,733 SEK 16.6K

-19.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 SEK 10.8K

$1,421 SEK 13.6K

-20.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,141 SEK 30.0K

$4,223 SEK 40.4K

-25.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,387 SEK 22.8K

$3,338 SEK 31.9K

-28.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 SEK 29.0K

$3,200 SEK 30.6K

-5.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.93

3.02

30.13%

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

Last update for Helsingborg: August 30, 2026

Last update for Malmo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $872 in Helsingborg versus $1,054 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 6% 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 $74.0 in Helsingborg versus $80.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $387 – making Helsingborg 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

Helsingborg vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,868 in Helsingborg, $2,093 in Malmo – roughly 12% apart. Malmo costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,802 per month in Helsingborg and $3,139 in Malmo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Helsingborg, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Helsingborg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Helsingborg and $176 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Helsingborg, where all-in costs run around $1,868, than in Malmo at $2,093. In Helsingborg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Malmo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,868 in Helsingborg to $2,093 in Malmo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Helsingborg. 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.