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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Malmo costs about 19% more than Helsingborg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.47 SEK 124

$15.88 SEK 146

-15.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.1 SEK 782

$73.8 SEK 678

15.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.51 SEK 115

$10.72 SEK 98.5

16.70%

Cappuccino

$4.89 SEK 44.97

$4.71 SEK 43.27

3.82%

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

$2.68 SEK 24.67

$2.83 SEK 25.99

-5.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 19.15

$2.65 SEK 24.35

-21.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.14 SEK 74.8

$7.40 SEK 68.1

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 SEK 74.9

$6.31 SEK 58.0

29.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.01

$1.53 SEK 14.05

13.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 SEK 27.99

$2.48 SEK 22.76

22.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 SEK 33.32

$2.59 SEK 23.84

40.15%

Eggs

$4.42 SEK 40.62

$4.72 SEK 43.34

-6.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.20 SEK 112

$10.45 SEK 96.0

16.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.13 SEK 121

$11.83 SEK 109

10.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.53 SEK 253

$16.43 SEK 151

67.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 SEK 30.23

$2.77 SEK 25.45

18.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 26.69

$2.75 SEK 25.28

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 SEK 31.37

$3.13 SEK 28.74

8.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 SEK 45.49

$3.84 SEK 35.32

28.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 SEK 16.45

$1.50 SEK 13.82

19.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 SEK 18.02

$1.48 SEK 13.62

32.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 SEK 23.74

$2.02 SEK 18.55

27.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 SEK 12.25

$1.70 SEK 15.62

-21.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.95 SEK 73.1

$7.37 SEK 67.7

7.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.62 SEK 116

$10.57 SEK 97.2

19.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 23.09

$2.34 SEK 21.48

7.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 SEK 24.58

$1.74 SEK 15.97

53.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.33 SEK 30.60

$3.40 SEK 31.25

-2.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.1 SEK 644

$64.9 SEK 596

8.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.65 SEK 61.1

$3.15 SEK 28.92

111.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.58 SEK 23.76

$1.65 SEK 15.17

56.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.8 SEK 522

$19.98 SEK 184

184.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 SEK 18.53

$1.90 SEK 17.50

6.32%

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

$32.0K SEK 294.2K

$32.8K SEK 301.4K

-2.38%

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

$33.9K SEK 311.2K

$34.0K SEK 312.4K

-0.39%

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

$152 SEK 1,401

$119 SEK 1,097

27.78%

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

$30.15 SEK 277

$28.14 SEK 259

7.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.11 SEK 369

$35.76 SEK 329

12.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.41 SEK 362

$39.54 SEK 363

-0.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.99 SEK 221

$22.16 SEK 204

8.26%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 SEK 164

$21.26 SEK 195

-16.13%

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

$161 SEK 1,484

$146 SEK 1,343

10.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,849 SEK 44.6K

$4,061 SEK 37.3K

19.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 SEK 974

$81.6 SEK 749

29.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.96 SEK 413

$43.01 SEK 395

4.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 SEK 1,114

$85.0 SEK 781

42.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 SEK 1,510

$113 SEK 1,040

45.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 SEK 8,292

$811 SEK 7,450

11.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 SEK 7,275

$643 SEK 5,905

23.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,680 SEK 15.4K

$1,341 SEK 12.3K

25.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 SEK 12.3K

$1,139 SEK 10.5K

17.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,487 SEK 41.2K

$3,309 SEK 30.4K

35.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,378 SEK 31.0K

$2,470 SEK 22.7K

36.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,364 SEK 30.9K

$3,116 SEK 28.6K

7.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

4.66

4.29%

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

Last update for Malmo: April 14, 2026

Last update for Helsingborg: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $902 in Malmo versus $811 in Helsingborg. 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 $85 in Malmo versus $74 in Helsingborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 vs $343 – 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

Malmo vs Helsingborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,107 in Malmo, $1,770 in Helsingborg – roughly 19% apart. Malmo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,161 per month in Malmo and $2,654 in Helsingborg. 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 $161 per month in Malmo and $146 in Helsingborg. 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.