Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsingborg and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsingborg and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,792 per month in Helsingborg vs $1,742 in Seoul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,779 per month in Helsingborg vs $2,892 in Seoul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,765 per month in Helsingborg vs $4,043 in Seoul, rent included.

Helsingborg costs about 3% more than Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Helsingborg and Seoul sit above the global median – Helsingborg by 34%, Seoul by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.52 SEK 146

$8.59 ₩13.2K

80.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 SEK 686

$54.3 ₩83.2K

34.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.57 SEK 99.1

$6.30 ₩9,659

67.78%

Cappuccino

$4.77 SEK 44.70

$3.88 ₩5,954

22.94%

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

$2.91 SEK 27.28

$1.72 ₩2,643

69.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 SEK 25.65

$0.86 ₩1,311

218.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.27 SEK 68.2

$3.60 ₩5,511

101.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.49 SEK 60.9

$5.94 ₩9,101

9.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SEK 13.58

$2.22 ₩3,410

-34.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 SEK 23.07

$3.45 ₩5,288

-28.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 25.46

$3.13 ₩4,804

-13.10%

Eggs

$4.80 SEK 45.03

$3.19 ₩4,886

50.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 SEK 96.6

$14.21 ₩21.8K

-27.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 SEK 111

$10.99 ₩16.8K

7.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.14 SEK 151

$34.74 ₩53.2K

-53.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 25.49

$7.97 ₩12.2K

-65.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 SEK 26.10

$3.46 ₩5,307

-19.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 SEK 30.64

$5.43 ₩8,323

-39.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 SEK 34.20

$6.69 ₩10.2K

-45.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 SEK 13.88

$3.80 ₩5,830

-61.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 SEK 13.32

$2.95 ₩4,516

-51.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 SEK 18.50

$2.63 ₩4,024

-25.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SEK 16.09

$1.27 ₩1,947

35.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.15 SEK 67.1

$3.23 ₩4,949

121.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.82 SEK 92.1

$19.49 ₩29.9K

-49.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 SEK 23.01

$2.42 ₩3,710

1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SEK 15.48

$3.25 ₩4,977

-49.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.37 SEK 31.62

$1.12 ₩1,710

200.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.9 SEK 627

$47.88 ₩73.4K

39.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 SEK 29.48

$3.56 ₩5,458

-11.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 SEK 15.51

$0.54 ₩828

205.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.12 SEK 189

$8.72 ₩13.4K

130.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.09

$1.25 ₩1,911

54.40%

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

$32.1K SEK 301.2K

$28.3K ₩43.3M

13.66%

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

$34.8K SEK 326.1K

$25.3K ₩38.8M

37.27%

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

$120 SEK 1,129

$161 ₩246.1K

-25.05%

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

$28.86 SEK 271

$34.38 ₩52.7K

-16.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 SEK 341

$22.41 ₩34.3K

62.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.47 SEK 370

$57.0 ₩87.3K

-30.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.99 SEK 206

$23.23 ₩35.6K

-5.34%

Cinema Ticket

$21.00 SEK 197

$11.19 ₩17.1K

87.67%

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

$147 SEK 1,377

$412 ₩631.7K

-64.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,137 SEK 38.8K

$23.7K ₩36.3M

-82.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.4 SEK 782

$58.7 ₩89.9K

42.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.13 SEK 414

$46.80 ₩71.7K

-5.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 SEK 794

$78.3 ₩120.0K

8.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 SEK 1,048

$114 ₩175.0K

-2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 SEK 7,672

$957 ₩1.5M

-14.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 SEK 6,034

$604 ₩924.9K

6.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 SEK 13.0K

$2,580 ₩4.0M

-46.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,138 SEK 10.7K

$1,308 ₩2.0M

-13.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,336 SEK 31.3K

$18.2K ₩27.9M

-81.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,402 SEK 22.5K

$9,223 ₩14.1M

-73.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,072 SEK 28.8K

$3,095 ₩4.7M

-0.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.66

4.14

12.56%

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

Last update for Helsingborg: June 1, 2026

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $818 in Helsingborg versus $957 in Seoul. 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 1% higher in Seoul, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Helsingborg versus $54.0 in Seoul. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Helsingborg vs $500 in Seoul – 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

Helsingborg vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,792 in Helsingborg, $1,742 in Seoul – roughly 3% apart. Helsingborg costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,688 per month in Helsingborg and $2,613 in Seoul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 40% less in Seoul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $147 per month in Helsingborg and $412 in Seoul. 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 Seoul, where all-in costs run around $1,742, than in Helsingborg at $1,792. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Helsingborg 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 $1,742 in Seoul to $1,792 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 Seoul. 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.