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 $2,320 per month in State College, PA vs $1,792 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,479 per month in State College, PA vs $2,779 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,638 per month in State College, PA vs $3,765 in Helsingborg, rent included.

State College, PA costs about 29% more than Helsingborg, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both State College, PA and Helsingborg sit above the global median – State College, PA by 73%, Helsingborg by 34%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.72 $17.72

$15.52 SEK 146

14.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 $52.0

$73.1 SEK 686

-28.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 $8.81

$10.57 SEK 99.1

-16.65%

Cappuccino

$4.44 $4.44

$4.77 SEK 44.70

-6.92%

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

$2.76 $2.76

$2.91 SEK 27.28

-5.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.74 SEK 25.65

-26.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.12 $5.12

$7.27 SEK 68.2

-29.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$6.49 SEK 60.9

8.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.45 SEK 13.58

-34.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.46 SEK 23.07

42.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.72 SEK 25.46

-28.68%

Eggs

$3.87 $3.87

$4.80 SEK 45.03

-19.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.82 $9.82

$10.30 SEK 96.6

-4.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.51 $8.51

$11.84 SEK 111

-28.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.87 $11.87

$16.14 SEK 151

-26.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.72 SEK 25.49

31.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$2.78 SEK 26.10

-43.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.27 SEK 30.64

57.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$3.65 SEK 34.20

34.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.48 SEK 13.88

37.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.42 SEK 13.32

102.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.97 SEK 18.50

8.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.72 SEK 16.09

-10.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 $13.87

$7.15 SEK 67.1

93.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 $17.97

$9.82 SEK 92.1

82.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.45 SEK 23.01

-31.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.27 $7.27

$1.65 SEK 15.48

340.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.37 SEK 31.62

-32.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 $85.1

$66.9 SEK 627

27.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 $5.24

$3.14 SEK 29.48

66.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.65 SEK 15.51

34.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.26 $44.26

$20.12 SEK 189

119.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.93 SEK 18.09

-53.89%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$32.1K SEK 301.2K

-25.35%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$34.8K SEK 326.1K

-31.63%

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

$155 $155

$120 SEK 1,129

29.04%

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

$39.87 $39.87

$28.86 SEK 271

38.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.7 $60.7

$36.37 SEK 341

66.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.23 $25.23

$39.47 SEK 370

-36.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.99 SEK 206

Cinema Ticket

$12.21 $12.21

$21.00 SEK 197

-41.86%

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

$906 $906

$147 SEK 1,377

516.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.8K $28.8K

$4,137 SEK 38.8K

595.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.79 $45.79

$83.4 SEK 782

-45.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.51 $40.51

$44.13 SEK 414

-8.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 $80.6

$84.6 SEK 794

-4.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$112 SEK 1,048

1.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,479 $1,479

$818 SEK 7,672

80.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 $1,183

$643 SEK 6,034

83.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,835 $2,835

$1,389 SEK 13.0K

104.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 $2,023

$1,138 SEK 10.7K

77.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,607 $2,607

$3,336 SEK 31.3K

-21.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,213 $2,213

$2,402 SEK 22.5K

-7.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,388 $4,388

$3,072 SEK 28.8K

42.86%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Helsingborg: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,479 in State College, PA versus $818 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 43% 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 $73.0 in Helsingborg. Groceries tell a different story – $346 in State College, PA vs $340 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: $2,320 in State College, PA, $1,792 in Helsingborg – roughly 29% apart. State College, PA costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,480 per month in State College, PA and $2,688 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 $906 per month in State College, PA and $147 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 $1,792, than in State College, PA at $2,320. 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 $1,792 in Helsingborg to $2,320 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.