Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Helsingborg Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Helsingborg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Seoul vs $1,770 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,920 per month in Seoul vs $2,788 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,047 per month in Seoul vs $3,807 in Helsingborg, rent included.

Seoul costs about 1% more than Helsingborg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seoul and Helsingborg sit above the global median – Seoul by 33%, Helsingborg by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.87 ₩13.0K

$15.88 SEK 146

-44.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 ₩82.1K

$73.8 SEK 678

-24.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.39 ₩9,399

$10.72 SEK 98.5

-40.39%

Cappuccino

$3.80 ₩5,592

$4.71 SEK 43.27

-19.32%

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

$1.67 ₩2,454

$2.83 SEK 25.99

-40.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,190

$2.65 SEK 24.35

-69.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 ₩5,316

$7.40 SEK 68.1

-51.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₩8,697

$6.31 SEK 58.0

-6.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₩3,177

$1.53 SEK 14.05

41.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 ₩5,049

$2.48 SEK 22.76

38.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 ₩4,805

$2.59 SEK 23.84

26.25%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,689

$4.72 SEK 43.34

-32.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 ₩21.2K

$10.45 SEK 96.0

37.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.69 ₩15.7K

$11.83 SEK 109

-9.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.03 ₩50.0K

$16.43 SEK 151

107.12%

Apples (1kg)

$7.87 ₩11.6K

$2.77 SEK 25.45

184.12%

Banana (1kg)

$3.55 ₩5,222

$2.75 SEK 25.28

29.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.53 ₩8,126

$3.13 SEK 28.74

76.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.63 ₩9,752

$3.84 SEK 35.32

72.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 ₩5,675

$1.50 SEK 13.82

157.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,337

$1.48 SEK 13.62

99.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩3,874

$2.02 SEK 18.55

30.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,935

$1.70 SEK 15.62

-22.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ₩4,989

$7.37 SEK 67.7

-54.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.46 ₩28.6K

$10.57 SEK 97.2

84.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₩3,608

$2.34 SEK 21.48

4.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,777

$1.74 SEK 15.97

86.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,641

$3.40 SEK 31.25

-67.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.79 ₩68.8K

$64.9 SEK 596

-27.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,148

$3.15 SEK 28.92

11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩835

$1.65 SEK 15.17

-65.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.01 ₩13.3K

$19.98 SEK 184

-54.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,772

$1.90 SEK 17.50

-36.84%

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

$27.6K ₩40.6M

$32.8K SEK 301.4K

-15.76%

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

$25.3K ₩37.3M

$34.0K SEK 312.4K

-25.45%

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

$164 ₩240.6K

$119 SEK 1,097

37.08%

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

$34.58 ₩50.9K

$28.14 SEK 259

22.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.01 ₩32.4K

$35.76 SEK 329

-38.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩85.5K

$39.54 SEK 363

46.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.08 ₩33.9K

$22.16 SEK 204

4.15%

Cinema Ticket

$10.89 ₩16.0K

$21.26 SEK 195

-48.78%

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

$410 ₩602.5K

$146 SEK 1,343

180.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K ₩35.1M

$4,061 SEK 37.3K

487.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ₩87.6K

$81.6 SEK 749

-26.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.19 ₩69.4K

$43.01 SEK 395

9.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 ₩117.4K

$85.0 SEK 781

-6.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩171.9K

$113 SEK 1,040

3.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 ₩1.4M

$811 SEK 7,450

17.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 ₩878.9K

$643 SEK 5,905

-6.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,515 ₩3.7M

$1,341 SEK 12.3K

87.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 ₩1.9M

$1,139 SEK 10.5K

13.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.3K ₩26.9M

$3,309 SEK 30.4K

452.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,948 ₩14.6M

$2,470 SEK 22.7K

302.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,041 ₩4.5M

$3,116 SEK 28.6K

-2.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

4.66

-11.16%

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

Last update for Seoul: April 12, 2026

Last update for Helsingborg: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Seoul versus $811 in Helsingborg. 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 2% higher in Helsingborg, 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 $56 in Seoul versus $74 in Helsingborg. Groceries tell a different story – $498 in Seoul vs $343 in Helsingborg – so Helsingborg 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 Helsingborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,794 in Seoul, $1,770 in Helsingborg – roughly 1% apart. Seoul costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,691 per month in Seoul and $2,654 in Helsingborg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 39% less in Helsingborg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $410 per month in Seoul and $146 in Helsingborg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Helsingborg, where all-in costs run around $1,770, than in Seoul at $1,794. In Helsingborg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Helsingborg has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,770 in Helsingborg to $1,794 in Seoul. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Helsingborg. 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.