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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,742 per month in Seoul vs $1,792 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Seoul vs $2,779 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,043 per month in Seoul vs $3,765 in Helsingborg, rent included.

Seoul is about 3% cheaper than Helsingborg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seoul and Helsingborg sit above the global median – Seoul by 30%, Helsingborg by 34%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.4K

$15.52 SEK 147

-44.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩84.6K

$73.1 SEK 692

-25.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,825

$10.57 SEK 100.0

-40.40%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩6,056

$4.77 SEK 45.08

-18.66%

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

$1.72 ₩2,689

$2.91 SEK 27.51

-40.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,333

$2.74 SEK 25.88

-68.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,605

$7.27 SEK 68.8

-50.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩9,257

$6.49 SEK 61.4

-8.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,468

$1.45 SEK 13.70

53.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,378

$2.46 SEK 23.27

40.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,886

$2.72 SEK 25.69

15.07%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,969

$4.80 SEK 45.42

-33.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩22.2K

$10.30 SEK 97.5

37.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩17.1K

$11.84 SEK 112

-7.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩54.2K

$16.14 SEK 153

115.24%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.4K

$2.72 SEK 25.71

193.01%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,398

$2.78 SEK 26.33

24.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,466

$3.27 SEK 30.91

66.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.4K

$3.65 SEK 34.50

83.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,929

$1.48 SEK 14.00

156.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,593

$1.42 SEK 13.43

107.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩4,093

$1.97 SEK 18.66

33.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,980

$1.72 SEK 16.23

-26.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩5,033

$7.15 SEK 67.6

-54.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩30.4K

$9.82 SEK 92.9

98.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,774

$2.45 SEK 23.21

-1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩5,063

$1.65 SEK 15.61

96.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,739

$3.37 SEK 31.89

-66.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩74.6K

$66.9 SEK 633

-28.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,551

$3.14 SEK 29.73

13.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩842

$1.65 SEK 15.64

-67.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.6K

$20.12 SEK 190

-56.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,944

$1.93 SEK 18.25

-35.23%

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

$28.3K ₩44.1M

$32.1K SEK 303.8K

-12.01%

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

$25.3K ₩39.5M

$34.8K SEK 329.0K

-27.15%

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

$161 ₩250.4K

$120 SEK 1,139

33.42%

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

$34.38 ₩53.6K

$28.86 SEK 273

19.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.9K

$36.37 SEK 344

-38.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩88.8K

$39.47 SEK 373

44.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩36.2K

$21.99 SEK 208

5.64%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.4K

$21.00 SEK 199

-46.71%

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

$412 ₩642.5K

$147 SEK 1,389

180.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩36.9M

$4,137 SEK 39.1K

471.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩91.5K

$83.4 SEK 789

-29.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩73.0K

$44.13 SEK 418

6.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩122.1K

$84.6 SEK 801

-7.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩178.0K

$112 SEK 1,057

2.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.5M

$818 SEK 7,739

16.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩940.8K

$643 SEK 6,086

-6.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩4.0M

$1,389 SEK 13.1K

85.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$1,138 SEK 10.8K

14.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩28.3M

$3,336 SEK 31.6K

444.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.4M

$2,402 SEK 22.7K

284.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.8M

$3,072 SEK 29.1K

0.75%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Helsingborg: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Seoul versus $818 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 1% higher in Seoul, 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 $54.0 in Seoul versus $73.0 in Helsingborg. Groceries tell a different story – $500 in Seoul vs $340 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: $1,742 in Seoul, $1,792 in Helsingborg – roughly 3% apart. Helsingborg costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,613 per month in Seoul and $2,688 in Helsingborg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 40% less in Seoul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $412 per month in Seoul and $147 in Helsingborg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seoul, where all-in costs run around $1,742, than in Helsingborg at $1,792. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Helsingborg 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 $1,742 in Seoul to $1,792 in Helsingborg. 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 Seoul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Helsingborg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.