Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsinki and Hanko Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsinki and Hanko

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,145 in Helsinki versus $1,777 in Hanko.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Helsinki versus $2,650 in Hanko.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,577 in Helsinki versus $3,523 in Hanko.

Living in Helsinki is roughly 21% more expensive than in Hanko, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Helsinki 61% above, Hanko 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.02 €14.83

$15.32 €13.36

11.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €90.2

$70.5 €61.5

46.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.86 €11.21

$13.90 €12.12

-7.48%

Cappuccino

$5.20 €4.53

$4.16 €3.63

25.00%

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

$3.15 €2.75

$1.97 €1.72

59.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.06

$1.58 €1.38

49.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 €6.88

$6.82 €5.94

15.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 €6.91

$7.89 €6.88

0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.22 €1.06

8.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 €2.39

$1.78 €1.55

53.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 €2.44

$2.34 €2.04

19.66%

Eggs

$3.59 €3.13

$3.50 €3.05

2.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 €7.83

$3.40 €2.96

164.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.87 €12.97

$4.57 €3.99

225.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.48 €19.60

$5.82 €5.08

286.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.36

$1.13 €0.98

139.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.92 €0.81

131.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$2.42 €2.11

7.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 €4.00

$4.31 €3.76

6.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 €1.05

$1.25 €1.09

-4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.86 €1.62

-4.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.77 €1.54

18.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.76 €1.53

11.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.70 €11.07

$12.66 €11.03

0.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.78 €13.76

$16.13 €14.07

-2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 €2.89

$3.43 €2.99

-3.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 €3.50

$3.64 €3.17

10.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.75 €3.27

$3.46 €3.01

8.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.4 €70.1

$65.8 €57.4

22.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 €6.98

$9.51 €8.29

-15.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 €1.01

$1.22 €1.06

-5.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.6 €61.6

$98.6 €85.9

-28.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.79

$2.18 €1.90

-5.50%

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

$36.0K €31.4K

$34.1K €29.7K

5.67%

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

$39.0K €34.0K

$39.2K €34.2K

-0.60%

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

$128 €112

$241 €211

-46.87%

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

$29.28 €25.53

$30.26 €26.38

-3.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.56 €20.54

$23.51 €20.49

0.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.06 €41.03

$43.57 €37.98

8.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.68 €29.36

$24.47 €21.34

37.64%

Cinema Ticket

$19.77 €17.24

$17.46 €15.22

13.23%

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

$406 €354

$358 €312

13.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K €9,826

$7,957 €6,937

41.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$90.2 €78.6

16.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 €32.82

$44.49 €38.78

-15.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €90.8

$93.1 €81.1

11.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$161 €140

-22.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 €1,037

$775 €675

53.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$928 €809

$652 €569

42.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,147 €1,872

$1,291 €1,125

66.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,528 €1,332

$1,060 €924

44.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,921 €8,649

$3,891 €3,392

154.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,436 €3,868

$2,044 €1,782

117.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,098 €2,701

$4,640 €4,045

-33.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.09

3.93

4.07%

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

Last update for Helsinki: July 26, 2026

Last update for Hanko: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,190 in Helsinki and $775 in Hanko. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hanko pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $103 in Helsinki vs $71.0 in Hanko for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $239 per month, with Hanko cheaper across the board.

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

Helsinki vs Hanko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hanko is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 50% lower in Hanko. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,190 in Helsinki versus $775 in Hanko. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $406 in Helsinki versus $358 in Hanko. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Helsinki. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,777 in Hanko versus $2,145 in Helsinki, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hanko but tight or insufficient in Helsinki. The gap between the two cities makes Hanko the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hanko is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Helsinki, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Helsinki and Hanko are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Hanko gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Helsinki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.