Cost of Living Comparison Between Lulea and Helsinki Cost of Living Comparison Between Lulea and Helsinki

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,865 in Lulea versus $2,140 in Helsinki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,060 in Lulea versus $3,341 in Helsinki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,256 in Lulea versus $4,543 in Helsinki.

Living in Lulea costs roughly 13% less than in Helsinki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lulea 40% above, Helsinki 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.56 SEK 121

$17.07 €14.91

-26.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.6 SEK 911

$106 €92.7

-10.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.60 SEK 112

$12.89 €11.27

-10.01%

Cappuccino

$4.87 SEK 46.91

$5.00 €4.37

-2.60%

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

$2.55 SEK 24.56

$3.09 €2.70

-17.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 19.01

$2.24 €1.96

-12.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.57 SEK 82.6

$8.20 €7.16

4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 SEK 96.0

$8.28 €7.23

20.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.64

$1.40 €1.22

37.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 SEK 32.98

$2.68 €2.34

27.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 SEK 48.86

$2.79 €2.44

81.72%

Eggs

$4.74 SEK 45.70

$3.64 €3.18

30.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 SEK 123

$9.19 €8.03

38.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.05 SEK 135

$14.49 €12.66

-3.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.00 SEK 270

$22.20 €19.40

26.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 SEK 25.15

$2.67 €2.33

-2.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 SEK 26.58

$2.14 €1.87

28.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 SEK 25.03

$2.51 €2.19

3.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 SEK 42.04

$4.66 €4.07

-6.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 SEK 21.48

$1.25 €1.09

78.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 15.95

$1.83 €1.60

-9.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.48 SEK 33.52

$2.11 €1.85

64.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 SEK 13.84

$1.90 €1.66

-24.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.42 SEK 71.5

$12.82 €11.20

-42.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.34 SEK 119

$15.79 €13.79

-21.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 SEK 18.15

$3.16 €2.76

-40.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SEK 17.87

$3.87 €3.38

-52.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.36 SEK 32.35

$3.73 €3.26

-9.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.3 SEK 562

$80.5 €70.4

-27.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.54 SEK 91.9

$8.28 €7.23

15.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 SEK 16.68

$1.16 €1.02

49.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$74.5 SEK 718

$70.4 €61.5

5.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 SEK 18.22

$2.13 €1.87

-11.27%

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

$32.2K SEK 310.2K

$36.3K €31.7K

-11.37%

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

$35.7K SEK 343.7K

$39.1K €34.2K

-8.79%

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

$176 SEK 1,692

$125 €109

40.69%

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

$31.87 SEK 307

$28.58 €24.97

11.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.56 SEK 275

$23.74 €20.74

20.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 SEK 468

$47.19 €41.23

2.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.54 SEK 352

$33.49 €29.26

9.11%

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 SEK 132

$19.93 €17.41

-31.11%

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

$163 SEK 1,566

$394 €344

-58.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 SEK 56.2K

$11.1K €9,701

-47.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$124 SEK 1,190

$108 €94.6

14.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.60 SEK 324

$38.37 €33.53

-12.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 SEK 1,252

$103 €89.6

26.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 SEK 1,643

$126 €110

35.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 SEK 7,765

$1,186 €1,037

-32.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 SEK 5,675

$936 €818

-37.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 SEK 13.9K

$2,133 €1,864

-32.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 SEK 10.4K

$1,549 €1,354

-30.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,107 SEK 29.9K

$9,781 €8,545

-68.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,323 SEK 22.4K

$4,469 €3,905

-48.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,654 SEK 25.6K

$3,054 €2,668

-13.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

4.09

2.69%

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

Last update for Lulea: July 11, 2026

Last update for Helsinki: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $806 in Lulea and $1,186 in Helsinki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Helsinki pays 15% 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: $95.0 in Lulea vs $106 in Helsinki. Groceries flip the comparison at $426 vs $386, with Helsinki 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

Lulea vs Helsinki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lulea is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Helsinki. 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: $806 in Lulea versus $1,186 in Helsinki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lulea – a meal for two runs $95.0 versus $106 in Helsinki. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,865 per month in Lulea versus $2,140 in Helsinki – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,865 in Lulea versus $2,140 in Helsinki, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lulea but tight or insufficient in Helsinki. The gap between the two cities makes Lulea the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lulea 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, Lulea and Helsinki 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 Lulea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Helsinki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.