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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,792 per month in Helsingborg vs $2,047 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,779 per month in Helsingborg vs $3,170 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,765 per month in Helsingborg vs $4,292 in Malmo, rent included.

Helsingborg is about 12% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Helsingborg and Malmo sit above the global median – Helsingborg by 34%, Malmo by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.52 SEK 147

$13.48 SEK 128

15.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 SEK 692

$85.6 SEK 810

-14.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.57 SEK 100.0

$12.67 SEK 120

-16.57%

Cappuccino

$4.77 SEK 45.08

$5.05 SEK 47.81

-5.54%

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

$2.91 SEK 27.51

$2.69 SEK 25.42

8.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 SEK 25.88

$2.15 SEK 20.35

27.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.27 SEK 68.8

$8.00 SEK 75.7

-9.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.49 SEK 61.4

$8.20 SEK 77.6

-20.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SEK 13.70

$1.67 SEK 15.83

-13.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 SEK 23.27

$3.11 SEK 29.40

-20.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 25.69

$3.61 SEK 34.18

-24.65%

Eggs

$4.80 SEK 45.42

$4.42 SEK 41.79

8.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 SEK 97.5

$12.05 SEK 114

-14.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 SEK 112

$12.78 SEK 121

-7.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.14 SEK 153

$27.50 SEK 260

-41.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 25.71

$3.27 SEK 30.91

-16.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 SEK 26.33

$2.78 SEK 26.30

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 SEK 30.91

$3.24 SEK 30.67

0.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 SEK 34.50

$4.79 SEK 45.29

-23.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 SEK 14.00

$1.83 SEK 17.31

-19.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 SEK 13.43

$1.95 SEK 18.47

-27.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 SEK 18.66

$2.57 SEK 24.31

-23.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SEK 16.23

$1.34 SEK 12.67

28.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.15 SEK 67.6

$8.13 SEK 76.9

-12.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.82 SEK 92.9

$12.10 SEK 115

-18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 SEK 23.21

$2.53 SEK 23.92

-3.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SEK 15.61

$2.66 SEK 25.14

-37.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.37 SEK 31.89

$3.36 SEK 31.81

0.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.9 SEK 633

$69.3 SEK 656

-3.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 SEK 29.73

$6.44 SEK 61.0

-51.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 SEK 15.64

$2.64 SEK 24.97

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.12 SEK 190

$56.2 SEK 532

-64.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.25

$1.92 SEK 18.16

0.52%

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

$32.1K SEK 303.8K

$33.1K SEK 312.9K

-2.90%

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

$34.8K SEK 329.0K

$33.8K SEK 319.7K

2.90%

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

$120 SEK 1,139

$154 SEK 1,453

-21.62%

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

$28.86 SEK 273

$30.36 SEK 287

-4.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 SEK 344

$40.38 SEK 382

-9.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.47 SEK 373

$38.30 SEK 362

3.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.99 SEK 208

$23.78 SEK 225

-7.53%

Cinema Ticket

$21.00 SEK 199

$17.81 SEK 168

17.91%

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

$147 SEK 1,389

$162 SEK 1,529

-9.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,137 SEK 39.1K

$4,876 SEK 46.1K

-15.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.4 SEK 789

$105 SEK 990

-20.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.13 SEK 418

$45.70 SEK 432

-3.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 SEK 801

$124 SEK 1,175

-31.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 SEK 1,057

$165 SEK 1,563

-32.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 SEK 7,739

$932 SEK 8,813

-12.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 SEK 6,086

$773 SEK 7,315

-16.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 SEK 13.1K

$1,721 SEK 16.3K

-19.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,138 SEK 10.8K

$1,343 SEK 12.7K

-15.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,336 SEK 31.6K

$4,311 SEK 40.8K

-22.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,402 SEK 22.7K

$3,360 SEK 31.8K

-28.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,072 SEK 29.1K

$3,353 SEK 31.7K

-8.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.66

4.86

-4.12%

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

Last update for Helsingborg: June 1, 2026

Last update for Malmo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $818 in Helsingborg versus $932 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 9% 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 $73.0 in Helsingborg versus $86.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $410 – 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: $1,792 in Helsingborg, $2,047 in Malmo – roughly 14% apart. Malmo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,688 per month in Helsingborg and $3,071 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 4% less in Helsingborg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $147 per month in Helsingborg and $162 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 $1,792, than in Malmo at $2,047. 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 $1,792 in Helsingborg to $2,047 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.