Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsinki and Turku Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsinki and Turku

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,266 in Helsinki versus $1,941 in Turku.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,634 in Helsinki versus $3,064 in Turku.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,001 in Helsinki versus $4,188 in Turku.

Living in Helsinki is roughly 17% more expensive than in Turku, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Helsinki 66% above, Turku 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.81 €16.39

$16.42 €14.32

14.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$114 €99.1

$104 €90.4

9.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.04 €12.24

$12.95 €11.29

8.42%

Cappuccino

$5.48 €4.78

$4.92 €4.29

11.38%

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

$3.44 €3.00

$3.00 €2.62

14.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 €2.27

$2.03 €1.77

28.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.09 €7.92

$9.98 €8.70

-8.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.15 €7.97

$9.61 €8.38

-4.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 €1.27

$1.58 €1.38

-8.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 €2.32

$2.55 €2.22

4.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 €2.31

$2.71 €2.36

-2.21%

Eggs

$4.14 €3.61

$3.89 €3.39

6.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 €8.79

$8.12 €7.08

24.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.93 €12.15

$14.93 €13.01

-6.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.90 €22.58

$18.83 €16.42

37.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 €2.54

$2.79 €2.43

4.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 €1.96

$2.28 €1.98

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.27

$2.35 €2.05

11.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 €3.43

$4.65 €4.05

-15.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 €1.05

$1.52 €1.33

-21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.67 €1.45

2.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 €1.96

$2.07 €1.81

8.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 €1.50

$1.96 €1.71

-11.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 €12.60

$13.60 €11.86

6.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.46 €14.35

$15.41 €13.43

6.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.95 €3.45

$3.91 €3.41

1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.47

$3.85 €3.36

3.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.74 €3.26

$3.65 €3.18

2.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.9 €72.3

$65.0 €56.7

27.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$16.76 €14.61

$8.97 €7.82

86.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.77 €1.54

-25.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.0 €68.0

$67.7 €59.0

15.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.02

$2.27 €1.98

2.20%

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

$37.4K €32.6K

$37.6K €32.8K

-0.46%

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

$39.1K €34.1K

$38.9K €33.9K

0.63%

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

$142 €124

$135 €117

5.43%

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

$27.20 €23.71

$29.46 €25.68

-7.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 €21.06

$22.67 €19.76

6.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.28 €42.96

$44.45 €38.74

10.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.59 €32.77

$29.53 €25.74

27.29%

Cinema Ticket

$19.83 €17.29

$21.70 €18.91

-8.62%

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

$490 €427

$321 €279

52.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K €11.4K

$7,647 €6,665

71.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.7 €81.7

$95.5 €83.2

-1.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.22 €39.42

$44.07 €38.41

2.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €95.2

$107 €93.0

2.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 €137

$114 €99.0

38.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 €1,100

$822 €716

53.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$918 €800

$677 €591

35.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,400 €2,092

$1,464 €1,276

63.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 €1,573

$1,186 €1,034

52.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,890 €8,621

$4,397 €3,833

124.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,403 €3,838

$2,912 €2,539

51.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,275 €2,855

$2,789 €2,431

17.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.61

3.94

-8.38%

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

Last update for Helsinki: September 12, 2026

Last update for Turku: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,262 in Helsinki and $822 in Turku. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Helsinki pays 17% 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: $114 in Helsinki vs $104 in Turku for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $402 vs $381 per month, with Turku 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 Turku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Turku is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 17% higher in Helsinki, 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: $1,262 in Helsinki versus $822 in Turku. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Turku – a meal for two runs $104 versus $114 in Helsinki. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,266 per month in Helsinki versus $1,941 in Turku – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,941 in Turku versus $2,266 in Helsinki, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Turku but tight or insufficient in Helsinki. The gap between the two cities makes Turku the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Turku 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 Turku 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 Turku gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Helsinki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.