Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Karlskrona Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Karlskrona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,761 per month in Seoul vs $1,737 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,851 per month in Seoul vs $2,628 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,940 per month in Seoul vs $3,519 in Karlskrona, rent included.

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

Both Seoul and Karlskrona sit above the global median – Seoul by 31%, Karlskrona by 29%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.81 ₩13.4K

$13.30 SEK 125

-33.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 ₩83.8K

$68.1 SEK 639

-18.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.34 ₩9,626

$9.36 SEK 87.8

-32.26%

Cappuccino

$3.93 ₩5,966

$3.91 SEK 36.65

0.51%

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

$1.74 ₩2,643

$1.45 SEK 13.63

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₩1,284

$2.42 SEK 22.67

-64.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ₩5,457

$7.43 SEK 69.7

-51.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₩8,885

$5.32 SEK 49.90

9.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,364

$1.59 SEK 14.88

39.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 ₩5,010

$2.92 SEK 27.41

13.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,692

$3.82 SEK 35.80

-19.11%

Eggs

$3.20 ₩4,862

$3.89 SEK 36.49

-17.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.10 ₩21.4K

$11.35 SEK 106

24.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.98 ₩16.7K

$11.92 SEK 112

-7.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.92 ₩51.5K

$16.01 SEK 150

111.87%

Apples (1kg)

$7.78 ₩11.8K

$3.12 SEK 29.24

149.36%

Banana (1kg)

$3.61 ₩5,488

$2.48 SEK 23.28

45.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 ₩8,621

$3.06 SEK 28.72

85.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 ₩10.0K

$4.45 SEK 41.71

48.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 ₩5,994

$1.57 SEK 14.70

151.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 ₩4,522

$1.62 SEK 15.16

83.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 ₩3,820

$2.24 SEK 21.03

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₩1,938

$1.46 SEK 13.68

-12.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₩5,062

$7.25 SEK 68.0

-54.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 ₩29.1K

$13.48 SEK 126

42.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₩3,550

$2.05 SEK 19.27

14.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩5,123

$1.80 SEK 16.89

87.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,636

$2.87 SEK 26.90

-62.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.54 ₩70.7K

$63.7 SEK 598

-26.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩5,287

$14.54 SEK 136

-76.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩860

$1.65 SEK 15.44

-65.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩13.5K

$21.00 SEK 197

-57.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,828

$1.85 SEK 17.34

-35.14%

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

$28.1K ₩42.7M

$32.1K SEK 301.2K

-12.41%

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

$24.7K ₩37.6M

$34.7K SEK 325.3K

-28.67%

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

$166 ₩252.2K

$54.2 SEK 508

206.57%

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

$34.26 ₩52.0K

$28.43 SEK 267

20.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.30 ₩33.9K

$36.28 SEK 340

-38.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 ₩87.5K

$43.33 SEK 406

33.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.03 ₩35.0K

$24.09 SEK 226

-4.40%

Cinema Ticket

$10.89 ₩16.5K

$17.15 SEK 161

-36.50%

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

$409 ₩621.6K

$146 SEK 1,367

180.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ₩35.6M

$745 SEK 6,988

3049.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ₩90.4K

$107 SEK 1,000

-44.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.29 ₩71.8K

$20.85 SEK 196

126.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩118.8K

$84.3 SEK 791

-7.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩178.3K

$158 SEK 1,481

-25.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$962 ₩1.5M

$699 SEK 6,555

37.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 ₩884.5K

$704 SEK 6,608

-17.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,572 ₩3.9M

$1,162 SEK 10.9K

121.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 ₩2.0M

$990 SEK 9,287

34.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.2K ₩41.3M

$3,023 SEK 28.4K

800.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.9K ₩16.5M

$2,671 SEK 25.1K

306.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$2,664 SEK 25.0K

16.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

4.7

-11.91%

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

Last update for Seoul: June 7, 2026

Last update for Karlskrona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $962 in Seoul versus $699 in Karlskrona. 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 16% 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 $55.0 in Seoul versus $68.0 in Karlskrona. Groceries tell a different story – $496 in Seoul vs $358 in Karlskrona – so Karlskrona 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 Karlskrona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seoul is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,642 per month in Seoul and $2,606 in Karlskrona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Seoul and $68.0 in Karlskrona. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,761 in Seoul and $1,737 in Karlskrona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Karlskrona, where all-in costs run around $1,737, than in Seoul at $1,761. In Karlskrona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Karlskrona – 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 Karlskrona. 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.