Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Halmstad Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Halmstad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,765 per month in Seoul vs $1,709 in Halmstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,881 per month in Seoul vs $2,658 in Halmstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,997 per month in Seoul vs $3,608 in Halmstad, rent included.

Seoul costs about 3% more than Halmstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seoul and Halmstad sit above the global median – Seoul by 32%, Halmstad by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 ₩13.0K

$13.67 SEK 132

-36.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩80.8K

$75.0 SEK 724

-27.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 ₩9,627

$10.38 SEK 100

-37.67%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,766

$4.81 SEK 46.51

-19.33%

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

$1.65 ₩2,455

$3.04 SEK 29.41

-45.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,274

$2.37 SEK 22.90

-63.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 ₩5,610

$7.50 SEK 72.5

-49.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 ₩8,517

$6.20 SEK 60.0

-7.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,369

$1.49 SEK 14.45

51.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 ₩5,095

$2.65 SEK 25.63

29.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,604

$3.23 SEK 31.24

-4.33%

Eggs

$3.06 ₩4,548

$3.57 SEK 34.56

-14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.51 ₩21.6K

$11.78 SEK 114

23.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 ₩16.0K

$9.70 SEK 93.8

10.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.54 ₩51.4K

$18.53 SEK 179

86.40%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 ₩11.4K

$3.19 SEK 30.83

139.81%

Banana (1kg)

$3.54 ₩5,272

$2.71 SEK 26.22

30.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.42 ₩8,063

$3.00 SEK 29.01

80.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 ₩9,657

$4.13 SEK 39.92

57.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 ₩5,754

$1.60 SEK 15.46

141.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 ₩4,273

$1.59 SEK 15.40

80.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 ₩3,890

$2.07 SEK 20.05

26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,960

$0.92 SEK 8.87

43.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₩4,947

$6.76 SEK 65.4

-50.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.50 ₩24.5K

$11.02 SEK 106

49.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₩3,547

$2.15 SEK 20.76

10.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩5,015

$2.61 SEK 25.26

29.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,601

$2.91 SEK 28.15

-62.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.87 ₩69.7K

$68.0 SEK 657

-31.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ₩5,152

$4.97 SEK 48.02

-30.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩847

$1.63 SEK 15.76

-65.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 ₩13.4K

$42.72 SEK 413

-78.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,861

$1.95 SEK 18.82

-35.90%

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

$27.9K ₩41.6M

$22.8K SEK 219.9K

22.79%

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

$25.4K ₩37.7M

$20.9K SEK 202.4K

21.15%

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

$160 ₩238.5K

$139 SEK 1,344

15.29%

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

$34.41 ₩51.2K

$25.40 SEK 246

35.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.05 ₩32.8K

$37.07 SEK 358

-40.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 ₩86.2K

$39.19 SEK 379

47.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.44 ₩34.9K

$25.73 SEK 249

-8.90%

Cinema Ticket

$10.93 ₩16.3K

$17.71 SEK 171

-38.28%

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

$417 ₩620.8K

$160 SEK 1,546

160.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ₩35.1M

$4,202 SEK 40.6K

461.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ₩88.0K

$89.8 SEK 868

-34.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.41 ₩72.0K

$36.76 SEK 355

31.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 ₩118.8K

$95.3 SEK 922

-16.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩170.9K

$157 SEK 1,518

-26.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ₩1.4M

$608 SEK 5,881

55.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₩874.6K

$581 SEK 5,611

1.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,584 ₩3.8M

$1,159 SEK 11.2K

122.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₩2.0M

$1,025 SEK 9,904

28.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.0K ₩38.7M

$4,458 SEK 43.1K

483.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K ₩15.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 ₩4.7M

$2,342 SEK 22.6K

34.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.9

6.15%

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

Last update for Seoul: July 14, 2026

Last update for Halmstad: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $944 in Seoul versus $608 in Halmstad. 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 34% higher in Seoul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Seoul versus $75.0 in Halmstad. Groceries tell a different story – $491 in Seoul vs $338 in Halmstad – so Halmstad 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

Seoul vs Halmstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 3% more than Halmstad, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,647 per month in Seoul and $2,563 in Halmstad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 45% more in Seoul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Seoul and $75.0 in Halmstad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Halmstad, where all-in costs run around $1,709, than in Seoul at $1,765. In Halmstad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Halmstad – 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 Halmstad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seoul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.