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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,770 per month in Helsingborg vs $2,107 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,788 per month in Helsingborg vs $3,268 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,807 per month in Helsingborg vs $4,430 in Malmo, rent included.

Helsingborg is about 16% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Helsingborg and Malmo sit above the global median – Helsingborg by 31%, Malmo by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.88 SEK 146

$13.47 SEK 124

17.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 SEK 678

$85.1 SEK 782

-13.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 SEK 98.5

$12.51 SEK 115

-14.31%

Cappuccino

$4.71 SEK 43.27

$4.89 SEK 44.97

-3.68%

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

$2.83 SEK 25.99

$2.68 SEK 24.67

5.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 SEK 24.35

$2.08 SEK 19.15

27.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.40 SEK 68.1

$8.14 SEK 74.8

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 SEK 58.0

$8.15 SEK 74.9

-22.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 14.05

$1.74 SEK 16.01

-12.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 SEK 22.76

$3.05 SEK 27.99

-18.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 SEK 23.84

$3.63 SEK 33.32

-28.65%

Eggs

$4.72 SEK 43.34

$4.42 SEK 40.62

6.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 SEK 96.0

$12.20 SEK 112

-14.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.83 SEK 109

$13.13 SEK 121

-9.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.43 SEK 151

$27.53 SEK 253

-40.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 25.45

$3.29 SEK 30.23

-15.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 SEK 25.28

$2.90 SEK 26.69

-5.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 SEK 28.74

$3.41 SEK 31.37

-8.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 SEK 35.32

$4.95 SEK 45.49

-22.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 SEK 13.82

$1.79 SEK 16.45

-16.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 SEK 13.62

$1.96 SEK 18.02

-24.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 SEK 18.55

$2.58 SEK 23.74

-21.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SEK 15.62

$1.33 SEK 12.25

27.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.37 SEK 67.7

$7.95 SEK 73.1

-7.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 SEK 97.2

$12.62 SEK 116

-16.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 SEK 21.48

$2.51 SEK 23.09

-6.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 15.97

$2.67 SEK 24.58

-34.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 SEK 31.25

$3.33 SEK 30.60

2.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 SEK 596

$70.1 SEK 644

-7.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 SEK 28.92

$6.65 SEK 61.1

-52.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 SEK 15.17

$2.58 SEK 23.76

-36.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.98 SEK 184

$56.8 SEK 522

-64.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 17.50

$2.02 SEK 18.53

-5.94%

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

$32.8K SEK 301.4K

$32.0K SEK 294.2K

2.44%

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

$34.0K SEK 312.4K

$33.9K SEK 311.2K

0.39%

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

$119 SEK 1,097

$152 SEK 1,401

-21.74%

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

$28.14 SEK 259

$30.15 SEK 277

-6.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.76 SEK 329

$40.11 SEK 369

-10.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.54 SEK 363

$39.41 SEK 362

0.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.16 SEK 204

$23.99 SEK 221

-7.63%

Cinema Ticket

$21.26 SEK 195

$17.83 SEK 164

19.24%

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

$146 SEK 1,343

$161 SEK 1,484

-9.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,061 SEK 37.3K

$4,849 SEK 44.6K

-16.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.6 SEK 749

$106 SEK 974

-23.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.01 SEK 395

$44.96 SEK 413

-4.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 SEK 781

$121 SEK 1,114

-29.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 SEK 1,040

$164 SEK 1,510

-31.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 SEK 7,450

$902 SEK 8,292

-10.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 SEK 5,905

$792 SEK 7,275

-18.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 SEK 12.3K

$1,680 SEK 15.4K

-20.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 SEK 10.5K

$1,344 SEK 12.3K

-15.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,309 SEK 30.4K

$4,487 SEK 41.2K

-26.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,470 SEK 22.7K

$3,378 SEK 31.0K

-26.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,116 SEK 28.6K

$3,364 SEK 30.9K

-7.36%

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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Malmo: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $811 in Helsingborg versus $902 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 8% 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 in Helsingborg versus $85 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $416 – 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: $1,770 in Helsingborg, $2,107 in Malmo – roughly 19% apart. Malmo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,654 per month in Helsingborg and $3,161 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 8% less in Helsingborg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $146 per month in Helsingborg and $161 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 $1,770, than in Malmo at $2,107. 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 $1,770 in Helsingborg to $2,107 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.