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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,742 per month in Seoul vs $1,706 in Halmstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Seoul vs $2,683 in Halmstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,043 per month in Seoul vs $3,660 in Halmstad, rent included.

Seoul costs about 2% more than Halmstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seoul and Halmstad sit above the global median – Seoul by 30%, Halmstad by 27%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.2K

$13.51 SEK 127

-36.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩83.2K

$72.8 SEK 683

-25.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,657

$10.67 SEK 100

-40.96%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,952

$4.89 SEK 45.90

-20.65%

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

$1.72 ₩2,643

$3.08 SEK 28.90

-44.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,311

$2.38 SEK 22.34

-63.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,509

$7.23 SEK 67.9

-50.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩9,098

$6.18 SEK 58.0

-3.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,409

$1.59 SEK 14.89

39.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,286

$2.58 SEK 24.21

33.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,802

$3.36 SEK 31.54

-6.85%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,884

$3.65 SEK 34.31

-12.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.8K

$11.64 SEK 109

22.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.8K

$9.45 SEK 88.7

16.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩53.2K

$18.86 SEK 177

84.20%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.2K

$3.09 SEK 29.00

157.93%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,305

$2.66 SEK 24.96

30.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,321

$2.94 SEK 27.59

84.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.2K

$4.35 SEK 40.82

53.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,828

$1.60 SEK 14.98

137.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,514

$1.56 SEK 14.64

89.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩4,023

$2.14 SEK 20.14

22.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,946

$0.98 SEK 9.25

29.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,947

$6.82 SEK 64.0

-52.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.9K

$11.40 SEK 107

70.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,709

$2.27 SEK 21.36

6.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,976

$2.58 SEK 24.26

25.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,710

$2.88 SEK 27.04

-61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩73.4K

$67.8 SEK 637

-29.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,456

$4.98 SEK 46.76

-28.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩827

$1.58 SEK 14.83

-65.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.4K

$41.37 SEK 389

-78.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,910

$1.86 SEK 17.49

-32.80%

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

$28.3K ₩43.3M

$23.2K SEK 217.7K

21.93%

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

$25.3K ₩38.8M

$20.8K SEK 195.1K

22.00%

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

$161 ₩246.1K

$136 SEK 1,282

17.72%

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

$34.38 ₩52.7K

$25.86 SEK 243

32.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.3K

$37.07 SEK 348

-39.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩87.3K

$40.17 SEK 377

41.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.6K

$25.16 SEK 236

-7.67%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.1K

$17.43 SEK 164

-35.80%

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

$412 ₩631.5K

$157 SEK 1,474

162.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩36.2M

$4,137 SEK 38.9K

471.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩89.9K

$87.0 SEK 818

-32.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩71.7K

$37.56 SEK 353

24.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩120.0K

$97.0 SEK 911

-19.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩175.0K

$156 SEK 1,468

-26.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.5M

$617 SEK 5,793

55.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩924.7K

$589 SEK 5,532

2.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩4.0M

$1,138 SEK 10.7K

126.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$1,013 SEK 9,516

29.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.8M

$4,551 SEK 42.7K

299.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$2,367 SEK 22.2K

30.76%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Halmstad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Seoul versus $617 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 31% 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 $73.0 in Halmstad. Groceries tell a different story – $500 in Seoul vs $341 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 2% 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 $2,613 per month in Seoul and $2,559 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 47% 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 $73.0 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 $1,706, than in Seoul at $1,742. 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.