Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsinki and Rauma Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsinki and Rauma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,164 in Helsinki versus $1,587 in Rauma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,429 in Helsinki versus $2,509 in Rauma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,694 in Helsinki versus $3,431 in Rauma.

Living in Helsinki is roughly 36% more expensive than Rauma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Helsinki 61% above, Rauma 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.19 €14.81

$17.16 €14.77

0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €88.4

$106 €91.0

-2.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.76 €10.99

$12.50 €10.76

2.08%

Cappuccino

$5.25 €4.52

$5.19 €4.47

1.16%

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

$3.08 €2.66

$3.10 €2.67

-0.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 €6.86

$7.91 €6.81

0.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 €6.92

$8.13 €7.00

-1.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.97 €0.83

41.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.77 €1.52

46.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 €2.42

$2.38 €2.05

18.07%

Eggs

$3.50 €3.02

$3.63 €3.12

-3.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 €7.74

$7.59 €6.54

18.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.75 €12.70

$10.46 €9.00

41.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.63 €19.48

$17.57 €15.13

28.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$1.28 €1.10

118.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 €1.90

$2.07 €1.78

6.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.50 €2.15

3.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 €4.01

$2.87 €2.47

62.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.18 €1.02

2.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.18 €1.01

50.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 €1.84

$2.04 €1.76

4.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.66

$1.70 €1.47

12.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.55 €10.81

$10.52 €9.06

19.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.98 €13.76

$16.50 €14.21

-3.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 €2.83

$3.28 €2.82

0.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 €3.42

$3.40 €2.93

16.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.72 €3.20

$3.37 €2.90

10.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.2 €69.9

$65.8 €56.7

23.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.34 €7.18

$7.93 €6.83

5.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 €1.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$69.5 €59.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.08 €1.79

0.48%

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

$37.1K €32.0K

$37.2K €32.1K

-0.27%

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

$39.1K €33.7K

$38.9K €33.5K

0.50%

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

$127 €109

$63.7 €54.8

99.09%

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

$29.29 €25.22

$29.70 €25.57

-1.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.53 €20.26

$23.62 €20.34

-0.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.75 €40.26

$58.1 €50.1

-19.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.37 €28.74

$24.05 €20.71

38.75%

Cinema Ticket

$19.84 €17.08

$15.31 €13.19

29.59%

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

$399 €343

$340 €293

17.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,580

$11.3K €9,701

-1.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 €93.3

$39.86 €34.33

171.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.02 €33.60

$38.99 €33.57

0.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.0

$46.45 €40.00

127.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 €109

$115 €98.9

10.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 €1,058

$724 €623

69.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$949 €817

$533 €459

78.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,121 €1,827

$981 €845

116.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 €1,317

$780 €672

96.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K €8,829

$3,764 €3,241

172.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,844

$2,258 €1,944

97.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,143 €2,706

$2,506 €2,158

25.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.09

3.44

18.90%

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

Last update for Helsinki: May 30, 2026

Last update for Rauma: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,229 in Helsinki and $724 in Rauma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Helsinki pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $103 in Helsinki vs $106 in Rauma. Groceries flip the comparison at $389 vs $313, with Rauma cheaper for home cooking.

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 Rauma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rauma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Helsinki pays 25% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,229 in Helsinki versus $724 in Rauma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rauma – a meal for two runs $106 versus $103 in Helsinki. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,164 per month in Helsinki versus $1,587 in Rauma – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,587 in Rauma versus $2,164 in Helsinki, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rauma but tight or insufficient in Helsinki. The gap between the two cities makes Rauma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rauma 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 Rauma 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 Rauma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Helsinki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.