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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Malmo costs about 12% more than Helsingborg, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.36 SEK 147

$15.51 SEK 148

-0.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.8 SEK 763

$74.1 SEK 709

7.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.28 SEK 118

$14.50 SEK 139

-15.31%

Cappuccino

$4.87 SEK 46.59

$4.79 SEK 45.86

1.67%

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

$3.55 SEK 33.96

$2.96 SEK 28.27

19.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 SEK 27.13

$2.62 SEK 25.06

8.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.09 SEK 87.0

$7.73 SEK 73.9

17.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.34 SEK 89.4

$6.60 SEK 63.2

41.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 SEK 17.54

$1.47 SEK 14.09

24.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 SEK 28.70

$2.96 SEK 28.34

1.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 SEK 34.82

$3.18 SEK 30.45

14.47%

Eggs

$4.18 SEK 40.01

$4.79 SEK 45.84

-12.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 SEK 127

$11.54 SEK 110

15.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.35 SEK 118

$11.37 SEK 109

8.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.05 SEK 211

$15.54 SEK 149

41.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 SEK 29.85

$2.90 SEK 27.77

7.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 24.55

$3.12 SEK 29.82

-17.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 SEK 29.38

$3.23 SEK 30.91

-4.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 SEK 42.32

$4.25 SEK 40.64

4.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 SEK 16.87

$1.47 SEK 14.07

19.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 15.28

$1.61 SEK 15.39

-0.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 SEK 25.27

$1.92 SEK 18.40

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 SEK 12.30

$1.88 SEK 17.98

-31.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.95 SEK 76.1

$8.96 SEK 85.7

-11.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 SEK 113

$9.51 SEK 91.0

24.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 SEK 20.50

$2.51 SEK 23.97

-14.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SEK 23.23

$2.68 SEK 25.60

-9.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.27 SEK 31.26

$3.42 SEK 32.73

-4.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 SEK 636

$65.4 SEK 626

1.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 SEK 60.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 SEK 23.95

$5.35 SEK 51.2

-53.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.8 SEK 505

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.27

$1.84 SEK 17.61

-1.63%

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

$34.1K SEK 326.3K

$34.2K SEK 327.3K

-0.31%

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

$35.1K SEK 336.1K

$34.1K SEK 326.6K

2.93%

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

$143 SEK 1,367

$149 SEK 1,428

-4.27%

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

$27.75 SEK 265

$27.90 SEK 267

-0.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.07 SEK 374

$33.93 SEK 325

15.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.75 SEK 438

$39.77 SEK 380

15.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.43 SEK 291

$23.28 SEK 223

30.71%

Cinema Ticket

$18.13 SEK 173

$15.62 SEK 149

16.07%

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

$176 SEK 1,681

$180 SEK 1,721

-2.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,485 SEK 33.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 993

$82.8 SEK 792

25.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.39 SEK 444

$45.24 SEK 433

2.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 SEK 1,142

$93.0 SEK 890

28.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 SEK 1,525

$114 SEK 1,092

39.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 SEK 10.1K

$872 SEK 8,337

20.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 SEK 8,086

$665 SEK 6,363

27.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 SEK 16.6K

$1,395 SEK 13.3K

24.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 SEK 13.6K

$1,132 SEK 10.8K

25.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,223 SEK 40.4K

$3,141 SEK 30.0K

34.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,338 SEK 31.9K

$2,387 SEK 22.8K

39.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,200 SEK 30.6K

$3,032 SEK 29.0K

5.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.02

3.93

-23.16%

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

Last update for Malmo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Helsingborg: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,054 in Malmo versus $872 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 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 $80.0 in Malmo versus $74.0 in Helsingborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $357 – 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: $2,093 in Malmo, $1,868 in Helsingborg – roughly 12% apart. Malmo costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,139 per month in Malmo and $2,802 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 2% less in Helsingborg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $176 per month in Malmo and $180 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 $1,868, 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.