Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Helsingborg

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $1,710 in Helsingborg, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
83

Cost of Living Index in Helsingborg
Learn more

Helsingborg Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Helsingborg

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,710

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Helsingborg

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Helsingborg actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,548 per month in Mexico City vs $1,710 in Helsingborg, rent included.

Mexico City $1,548
Helsingborg $1,710

A couple spends around $2,436 per month in Mexico City vs $2,636 in Helsingborg, rent included.

Mexico City $2,436
Helsingborg $2,636

A family of three spends $3,323 per month in Mexico City vs $3,561 in Helsingborg, rent included.

Mexico City $3,323
Helsingborg $3,561

Mexico City is about 9% cheaper than Helsingborg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Mexico City and Helsingborg sit above the global median – Mexico City by 14%, Helsingborg by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 MX$204

$13.35 SEK 132

-17.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.68 MX$900

$69.2 SEK 686

-29.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$201

$12.75 SEK 126

-14.51%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.1

$4.53 SEK 44.87

-18.76%

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

$1.63 MX$30.18

$2.88 SEK 28.49

-43.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$23.07

$2.38 SEK 23.60

-47.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$60.1

$6.81 SEK 67.5

-52.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 MX$102

$6.20 SEK 61.4

-10.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$31.50

$1.47 SEK 14.61

15.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$2.69 SEK 26.65

12.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.53

$2.93 SEK 29.08

-34.47%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$50.5

$3.90 SEK 38.60

-30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 MX$218

$11.24 SEK 111

4.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 MX$176

$11.27 SEK 112

-15.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 MX$266

$15.15 SEK 150

-4.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$3.14 SEK 31.11

-3.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.01

$2.53 SEK 25.03

-25.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.70

$2.89 SEK 28.67

-31.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$40.38

$4.47 SEK 44.31

-51.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.43

$1.72 SEK 17.02

11.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$34.49

$1.58 SEK 15.64

18.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MX$26.62

$1.86 SEK 18.38

-22.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.39

$1.61 SEK 15.99

-21.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 MX$96.4

$8.18 SEK 81.0

-36.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.17 MX$299

$9.09 SEK 90.1

77.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 MX$35.03

$2.10 SEK 20.78

-9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MX$78.0

$2.20 SEK 21.77

91.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.30

$3.26 SEK 32.25

-89.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.65 MX$363

$62.2 SEK 616

-68.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MX$36.90

$6.28 SEK 62.2

-68.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MX$9.67

$1.72 SEK 17.00

-69.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 MX$98.7

$60.5 SEK 599

-91.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$28.13

$1.80 SEK 17.80

-15.56%

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

$22.1K MX$408.0K

$32.8K SEK 325.2K

-32.74%

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

$24.5K MX$452.9K

$33.8K SEK 335.2K

-27.55%

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

$61.1 MX$1,129

$103 SEK 1,020

-40.66%

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

$28.58 MX$528

$19.97 SEK 198

43.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.47 MX$637

$33.57 SEK 333

2.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 MX$1,042

$38.54 SEK 382

46.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 MX$460

$22.23 SEK 220

11.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 MX$123

$14.82 SEK 147

-55.06%

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

$427 MX$7,891

$176 SEK 1,746

142.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K MX$215.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 MX$1,253

$80.1 SEK 794

-15.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 MX$960

$33.62 SEK 333

54.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MX$1,959

$87.2 SEK 864

21.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MX$2,080

$107 SEK 1,060

5.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 MX$18.9K

$846 SEK 8,380

21.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 MX$12.1K

$652 SEK 6,464

0.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,308 MX$42.7K

$1,399 SEK 13.9K

65.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 MX$22.9K

$1,079 SEK 10.7K

15.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,613 MX$66.8K

$3,133 SEK 31.0K

15.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,936 MX$35.8K

$2,265 SEK 22.4K

-14.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$964 MX$17.8K

$2,880 SEK 28.5K

-66.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.06

269.28%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Helsingborg: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$654 42.3%

Helsingborg

$652 38.2% 0.3% $1.8

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$318 20.6%

Helsingborg

$337 19.7% 6.1% $19

Eating Out

Mexico City

$204 13.2%

Helsingborg

$267 15.6% 30.9% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$152 9.8%

Helsingborg

$139 8.1% 9% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$124 8%

Helsingborg

$156 9.2% 26% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$70 4.5%

Helsingborg

$68 4% 2.2% $1.5

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.7%

Helsingborg

$90 5.3% 251% $64

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,025 in Mexico City versus $846 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 199% higher in Helsingborg, 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 $49.00 in Mexico City versus $69.0 in Helsingborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $337 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇸🇪 Helsingborg

🕒 Local time

08:17 8:17 AM

16:17 4:17 PM

8 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

93,838

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mexico City Helsingborg 9,500 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Helsingborg

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Mexico City vs Helsingborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City, $1,710 in Helsingborg – roughly 10% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,322 per month in Mexico City and $2,565 in Helsingborg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 216% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Mexico City and $176 in Helsingborg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,548, than in Helsingborg at $1,710. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Helsingborg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,548 in Mexico City to $1,710 in Helsingborg. 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 Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Helsingborg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.