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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,811 per month in Helsingborg vs $2,081 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,820 per month in Helsingborg vs $3,224 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,829 per month in Helsingborg vs $4,368 in Malmo, rent included.

Helsingborg is about 13% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Helsingborg and Malmo sit above the global median – Helsingborg by 36%, Malmo by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.90 SEK 154

$13.74 SEK 133

15.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 SEK 709

$83.5 SEK 808

-12.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.57 SEK 102

$12.74 SEK 123

-17.03%

Cappuccino

$4.65 SEK 45.05

$5.15 SEK 49.81

-9.71%

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

$2.83 SEK 27.43

$2.68 SEK 25.96

5.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 SEK 27.07

$2.10 SEK 20.32

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.30 SEK 70.6

$7.81 SEK 75.6

-6.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 SEK 59.5

$8.01 SEK 77.6

-23.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 14.79

$1.73 SEK 16.79

-11.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 SEK 23.11

$3.08 SEK 29.78

-22.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 26.22

$3.48 SEK 33.72

-22.13%

Eggs

$4.84 SEK 46.83

$4.53 SEK 43.87

6.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 SEK 99.5

$12.41 SEK 120

-17.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.59 SEK 112

$13.01 SEK 126

-10.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.10 SEK 156

$26.83 SEK 260

-39.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 27.35

$3.40 SEK 32.89

-17.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 SEK 27.18

$2.94 SEK 28.48

-4.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 SEK 30.97

$3.29 SEK 31.88

-2.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 SEK 37.03

$4.83 SEK 46.76

-20.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 SEK 14.28

$1.87 SEK 18.13

-21.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 SEK 14.34

$1.94 SEK 18.79

-23.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 SEK 19.86

$2.55 SEK 24.72

-19.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SEK 16.63

$1.34 SEK 13.02

28.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 SEK 69.1

$7.88 SEK 76.3

-9.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 SEK 91.1

$11.67 SEK 113

-19.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 SEK 22.60

$2.40 SEK 23.28

-2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 16.11

$2.73 SEK 26.43

-39.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 SEK 31.77

$3.46 SEK 33.46

-5.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.3 SEK 632

$71.0 SEK 687

-8.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 SEK 30.31

$6.76 SEK 65.4

-53.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 SEK 15.27

$2.64 SEK 25.53

-40.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.35 SEK 197

$57.1 SEK 553

-64.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 18.46

$1.90 SEK 18.44

0.53%

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

$32.5K SEK 314.3K

$33.0K SEK 319.1K

-1.50%

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

$34.2K SEK 331.5K

$33.9K SEK 328.7K

0.88%

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

$117 SEK 1,133

$155 SEK 1,498

-24.38%

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

$28.69 SEK 278

$29.60 SEK 287

-3.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.56 SEK 354

$39.55 SEK 383

-7.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.59 SEK 374

$39.29 SEK 380

-1.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.08 SEK 214

$23.47 SEK 227

-5.92%

Cinema Ticket

$20.96 SEK 203

$17.81 SEK 172

17.69%

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

$148 SEK 1,429

$157 SEK 1,523

-6.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,146 SEK 40.1K

$4,884 SEK 47.3K

-15.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 SEK 796

$105 SEK 1,015

-21.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 SEK 426

$45.70 SEK 442

-3.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 SEK 817

$124 SEK 1,201

-32.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 SEK 1,111

$166 SEK 1,609

-30.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 SEK 8,004

$916 SEK 8,870

-9.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 SEK 6,325

$791 SEK 7,655

-17.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 SEK 13.2K

$1,702 SEK 16.5K

-19.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 SEK 11.1K

$1,378 SEK 13.3K

-16.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,169 SEK 30.7K

$4,179 SEK 40.5K

-24.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,342 SEK 22.7K

$3,318 SEK 32.1K

-29.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,900 SEK 28.1K

$3,148 SEK 30.5K

-7.88%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Malmo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $827 in Helsingborg versus $916 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 $83.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $412 – 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: $1,811 in Helsingborg, $2,081 in Malmo – roughly 15% apart. Malmo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,717 per month in Helsingborg and $3,121 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 9% less in Helsingborg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $148 per month in Helsingborg and $157 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 $1,811, than in Malmo at $2,081. 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 $1,811 in Helsingborg to $2,081 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.