Cost of Living Comparison Between State College, PA and Helsingborg Cost of Living Comparison Between State College, PA and Helsingborg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,341 per month in State College, PA vs $1,793 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,441 per month in State College, PA vs $2,811 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,541 per month in State College, PA vs $3,830 in Helsingborg, rent included.

State College, PA costs about 31% more than Helsingborg, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both State College, PA and Helsingborg sit above the global median – State College, PA by 75%, Helsingborg by 34%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.98 $17.98

$16.02 SEK 155

12.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.1 $52.1

$73.6 SEK 714

-29.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 $8.79

$10.52 SEK 102

-16.44%

Cappuccino

$4.46 $4.46

$4.62 SEK 44.84

-3.46%

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

$2.76 $2.76

$2.78 SEK 27.01

-0.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.69 SEK 26.12

-26.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 $4.88

$7.58 SEK 73.5

-35.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$6.36 SEK 61.7

9.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.50 SEK 14.57

-36.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.40 SEK 23.29

48.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.70 SEK 26.24

-28.52%

Eggs

$4.06 $4.06

$4.84 SEK 46.93

-16.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.83 $9.83

$10.25 SEK 99.4

-4.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 $8.39

$11.67 SEK 113

-28.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 $12.14

$16.10 SEK 156

-24.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.84 SEK 27.53

29.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.76 SEK 26.77

-40.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.29 SEK 31.95

50.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.72 SEK 36.12

33.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.50 SEK 14.57

42.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.41 SEK 13.67

104.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.06 SEK 20.01

2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.71 SEK 16.56

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.25 $14.25

$7.30 SEK 70.8

95.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 $18.19

$9.10 SEK 88.3

99.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.33 SEK 22.64

-23.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.48 $7.48

$1.70 SEK 16.53

340.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.25 SEK 31.54

-33.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.1 $84.1

$66.1 SEK 641

27.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 $5.37

$3.08 SEK 29.89

74.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.59 SEK 15.46

39.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.11 $44.11

$19.88 SEK 193

121.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.94 SEK 18.87

-51.03%

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

$23.2K $23.2K

$32.2K SEK 312.5K

-28.02%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$34.9K SEK 338.5K

-31.67%

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

$158 $158

$120 SEK 1,168

31.36%

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

$39.64 $39.64

$28.88 SEK 280

37.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 $60.0

$35.93 SEK 349

66.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.81 $24.81

$38.61 SEK 375

-35.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.28 SEK 216

Cinema Ticket

$11.79 $11.79

$20.84 SEK 202

-43.43%

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

$883 $883

$145 SEK 1,406

509.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.7K $28.7K

$4,143 SEK 40.2K

592.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.46 $46.46

$84.7 SEK 822

-45.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.77 $39.77

$43.36 SEK 421

-8.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 $81.5

$85.4 SEK 828

-4.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$115 SEK 1,114

-0.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 $1,494

$807 SEK 7,828

85.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 $1,184

$650 SEK 6,311

81.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$1,357 SEK 13.2K

108.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 $2,034

$1,156 SEK 11.2K

75.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,655 $2,655

$3,091 SEK 30.0K

-14.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,214 $2,214

$2,322 SEK 22.5K

-4.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 $4,398

$2,936 SEK 28.5K

49.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

4.66

40.13%

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

Last update for State College, PA: July 21, 2026

Last update for Helsingborg: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,494 in State College, PA versus $807 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 50% higher in State College, PA, 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 $52.0 in State College, PA versus $74.0 in Helsingborg. Groceries tell a different story – $349 in State College, PA vs $338 in Helsingborg – so Helsingborg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

State College, PA vs Helsingborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,341 in State College, PA, $1,793 in Helsingborg – roughly 31% apart. State College, PA costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,512 per month in State College, PA and $2,689 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 27% less in Helsingborg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $883 per month in State College, PA and $145 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 $1,793, than in State College, PA at $2,341. In Helsingborg it covers expenses comfortably, while in State College, PA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Helsingborg has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,793 in Helsingborg to $2,341 in State College, PA. 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, State College, PA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.