Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oulu and Turku

For one person, living costs are similar in Oulu and in Turku: $1,878 and $1,877 a month, rent and utilities included.

Oulu, Finland
Turku, Finland
Oulu
🇫🇮 Finland
$1,878
/mo nomad
Turku
🇫🇮 Finland
$1,877
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Oulu and in Turku

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Oulu and in Turku actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,878 in Oulu versus $1,877 in Turku.

  • Oulu $1,878
  • Turku $1,877

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,905 in Oulu versus $2,981 in Turku.

  • Oulu $2,905
  • Turku $2,981

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,932 in Oulu versus $4,085 in Turku.

  • Oulu $3,932
  • Turku $4,085

Monthly costs are close between Oulu and Turku; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oulu 38% above, Turku 38% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oulu
Turku
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.48 €15.66
$16.29 €14.60
7.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.5 €81.1
$101 €90.5
-10.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.02 €13.46
$12.34 €11.06
21.72%
Cappuccino
$4.83 €4.33
$4.68 €4.19
3.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 €2.65
$2.79 €2.50
5.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.05
$1.89 €1.70
20.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.68 €6.88
$9.42 €8.44
-18.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.96 €7.13
$9.60 €8.60
-17.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oulu
Turku
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 €1.07
$1.56 €1.40
-23.72%
White Bread (500g)
$2.28 €2.05
$2.47 €2.21
-7.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.78 €2.49
$2.68 €2.41
3.73%
Eggs
$3.16 €2.84
$3.70 €3.32
-14.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.40 €6.63
$7.78 €6.97
-4.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.67 €12.25
$14.64 €13.12
-6.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.93 €20.55
$18.82 €16.87
21.84%
Apples (1kg)
$2.31 €2.07
$2.79 €2.50
-17.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$2.23 €2.00
-11.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 €1.88
$2.28 €2.04
-7.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.20 €3.77
$4.35 €3.90
-3.45%
Potato (1kg)
$0.97 €0.87
$1.47 €1.32
-34.01%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 €1.47
$1.60 €1.43
2.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.69 €2.41
$1.96 €1.75
37.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 €1.44
$1.82 €1.63
-11.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.25 €11.87
$13.15 €11.78
0.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.35 €11.07
$15.33 €13.74
-19.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.62 €3.24
$3.78 €3.39
-4.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 €2.77
$3.68 €3.30
-16.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Oulu
Turku
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.99 €2.68
$3.61 €3.23
-17.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.4 €56.8
$63.9 €57.2
-0.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.58 €8.58
$8.35 €7.49
14.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 €1.41
$1.53 €1.37
3.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$55.5 €49.69
$65.7 €58.9
-15.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.24 €2.01
$2.37 €2.13
-5.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.9K €32.2K
$37.0K €33.1K
-2.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.0K €33.1K
$37.9K €34.0K
-2.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oulu
Turku
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$116 €104
$135 €121
-14.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.74 €23.06
$29.01 €26.00
-11.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.15 €18.95
$21.79 €19.53
-2.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oulu
Turku
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.45 €33.55
$43.29 €38.79
-13.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.34 €17.33
$28.99 €25.98
-33.29%
Cinema Ticket
$17.03 €15.26
$20.86 €18.69
-18.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oulu
Turku
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$519 €465
$467 €418
11.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$7,398 €6,629
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oulu
Turku
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.4 €81.9
$95.5 €85.6
-4.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.05 €39.47
$43.99 €39.42
0.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 €98.0
$102 €91.1
7.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$209 €188
$111 €99.6
88.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oulu
Turku
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$848 €760
$857 €768
-1.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 €603
$674 €604
-0.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,384 €1,240
$1,477 €1,323
-6.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,040 €932
$1,167 €1,046
-10.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,725 €3,338
$4,175 €3,741
-10.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,990 €1,783
$2,810 €2,518
-29.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oulu
Turku
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,504 €2,244
$2,667 €2,390
-6.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.1
3.94
4.06%

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

Last update for Oulu: October 24, 2026

Last update for Turku: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Oulu
$673
Turku
$674 0.2% $1.6
Groceries & Markets
Oulu
$356
Turku
$371 4.3% $15
Eating Out
Oulu
$318
Turku
$308 3% $9.6
Clothing & Footwear
Oulu
$204
Turku
$159 22.4% $46
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oulu
$163
Turku
$186 14% $23
Getting Around
Oulu
$93
Turku
$94 1.6% $1.5
Sport & Entertainment
Oulu
$72
Turku
$85 18.9% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $848 in Oulu and $857 in Turku. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Turku pays 7% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $90 in Oulu vs $101 in Turku for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $371 per month, with Oulu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇮 Oulu
🇫🇮 Turku
🕒 Local time
07:30 7:30 AM
07:30 7:30 AM
Same time as Oulu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
214,651
201,889
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Oulu Turku 530 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Oulu
  • Turku

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Oulu vs Turku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Are salaries higher in Oulu or in Turku?
On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Oulu. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Oulu compared to Turku?
Rent for a central apartment: $848 in Oulu versus $857 in Turku. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Oulu or in Turku?
Shoppers in Oulu pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Oulu and in Turku?
Dining out is cheaper in Oulu – a meal for two runs $90 versus $101 in Turku. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Oulu or in Turku?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Turku gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Oulu or Turku?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Oulu compared to Turku?
Safety-wise, Oulu and Turku are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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