Cost of Living Comparison Between Lohja and Balzan Cost of Living Comparison Between Lohja and Balzan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,596 per month in Lohja vs $1,792 in Balzan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,499 per month in Lohja vs $2,823 in Balzan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,403 per month in Lohja vs $3,854 in Balzan, rent included.

Lohja is about 11% cheaper than Balzan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lohja and Balzan sit above the global median – Lohja by 19%, Balzan by 34%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.64 €11.91

$19.27 €16.84

-29.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 €56.1

$68.3 €59.7

-5.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.26

$11.49 €10.04

2.18%

Cappuccino

$4.90 €4.28

$2.75 €2.40

78.18%

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

$2.26 €1.97

$2.05 €1.79

10.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.70

$1.02 €0.89

90.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.26 €7.22

$3.57 €3.12

131.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.02 €6.13

$2.53 €2.21

177.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.09

$1.25 €1.09

-0.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 €2.11

$0.97 €0.85

148.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 €1.75

$3.49 €3.05

-42.69%

Eggs

$2.54 €2.22

$3.81 €3.33

-33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.05 €6.16

$9.65 €8.43

-26.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 €11.60

$9.11 €7.96

45.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.04 €14.89

$12.66 €11.06

34.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 €1.38

$2.72 €2.37

-41.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$2.00 €1.74

-1.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 €1.13

$1.78 €1.55

-26.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 €2.03

$1.15 €1.00

102.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 €1.02

$0.97 €0.84

20.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 €1.27

$0.89 €0.78

62.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.73

$0.91 €0.79

117.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.10

$1.00 €0.87

26.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 €9.52

$6.62 €5.79

64.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.00 €13.98

$5.88 €5.14

172.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 €2.08

$1.08 €0.94

120.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 €3.10

$1.54 €1.35

130.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.14 €3.61

$3.19 €2.78

29.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.2 €56.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.16 €6.25

$2.36 €2.06

203.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 €0.89

$1.93 €1.69

-47.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.2 €44.74

$34.41 €30.07

48.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 €1.85

$1.51 €1.32

40.40%

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

$38.2K €33.4K

$26.5K €23.2K

43.97%

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

$37.8K €33.0K

$34.2K €29.9K

10.63%

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

$81.3 €71.0

$161 €141

-49.59%

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

$25.96 €22.68

$20.87 €18.23

24.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.67 €20.68

$32.68 €28.55

-27.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.26 €35.17

$64.1 €56.0

-37.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.78 €9.42

$22.74 €19.87

-52.59%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 €12.26

$15.34 €13.40

-8.47%

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

$314 €275

$260 €227

20.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,992 €3,488

$12.6K €11.0K

-68.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.9 €61.0

$104 €90.9

-32.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.43 €30.08

$38.23 €33.41

-9.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 €63.8

$146 €128

-50.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 €95.3

$101 €88.1

8.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 €576

$871 €761

-24.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 €508

$782 €683

-25.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 €1,126

$1,643 €1,435

-21.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 €873

$1,533 €1,339

-34.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,390 €1,214

$3,924 €3,428

-64.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,124 €982

$2,827 €2,470

-60.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,368 €2,942

$1,008 €880

234.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.62

5.43

-51.75%

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

Last update for Lohja: July 13, 2026

Last update for Balzan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $660 in Lohja versus $871 in Balzan. 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 234% higher in Lohja, 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 $64.0 in Lohja versus $68.0 in Balzan. Groceries tell a different story – $310 in Lohja vs $243 in Balzan – so Balzan 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

Lohja vs Balzan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,596 in Lohja, $1,792 in Balzan – roughly 12% apart. Balzan costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,393 per month in Lohja and $2,688 in Balzan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Lohja and $68.0 in Balzan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in Balzan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Lohja, where all-in costs run around $1,596, than in Balzan at $1,792. In Lohja it covers expenses comfortably, while in Balzan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lohja – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Lohja. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Balzan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.