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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,770 per month in Seoul vs $1,731 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,895 per month in Seoul vs $2,646 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,020 per month in Seoul vs $3,561 in Karlskrona, rent included.

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

Both Seoul and Karlskrona sit above the global median – Seoul by 33%, Karlskrona by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 ₩12.4K

$13.22 SEK 126

-34.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 ₩80.5K

$67.7 SEK 643

-17.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 ₩9,324

$9.56 SEK 90.8

-32.22%

Cappuccino

$3.91 ₩5,621

$3.96 SEK 37.59

-1.26%

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

$1.73 ₩2,485

$1.39 SEK 13.17

24.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₩1,220

$2.50 SEK 23.76

-66.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩5,338

$7.20 SEK 68.4

-48.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 ₩8,206

$5.22 SEK 49.61

9.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,221

$1.60 SEK 15.18

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 ₩5,020

$2.90 SEK 27.54

20.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,441

$3.98 SEK 37.83

-22.36%

Eggs

$3.11 ₩4,477

$4.08 SEK 38.74

-23.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.26 ₩20.5K

$11.20 SEK 106

27.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 ₩15.5K

$11.61 SEK 110

-6.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.05 ₩49.0K

$16.01 SEK 152

112.68%

Apples (1kg)

$7.77 ₩11.2K

$3.08 SEK 29.28

152.27%

Banana (1kg)

$3.45 ₩4,967

$2.56 SEK 24.28

34.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 ₩8,097

$3.09 SEK 29.39

82.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.66 ₩9,577

$4.70 SEK 44.66

41.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 ₩5,515

$1.50 SEK 14.24

155.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₩4,221

$1.54 SEK 14.60

90.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 ₩3,603

$2.24 SEK 21.29

12.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,894

$1.46 SEK 13.84

-9.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,738

$7.59 SEK 72.1

-56.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.33 ₩24.9K

$13.09 SEK 124

32.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₩3,356

$2.04 SEK 19.38

14.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₩4,777

$1.73 SEK 16.40

91.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,544

$2.87 SEK 27.22

-62.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.68 ₩67.1K

$64.7 SEK 615

-27.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ₩5,187

$14.71 SEK 140

-75.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩756

$1.58 SEK 15.01

-66.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩12.7K

$20.76 SEK 197

-57.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₩1,805

$1.92 SEK 18.26

-34.37%

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

$27.5K ₩39.6M

$32.4K SEK 307.5K

-14.93%

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

$25.5K ₩36.7M

$34.0K SEK 322.9K

-24.92%

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

$165 ₩236.9K

$53.7 SEK 511

206.44%

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

$34.26 ₩49.3K

$28.91 SEK 275

18.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.53 ₩32.4K

$35.92 SEK 341

-37.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ₩83.6K

$43.93 SEK 417

32.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.16 ₩33.3K

$23.99 SEK 228

-3.46%

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 ₩16.1K

$16.62 SEK 158

-32.61%

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

$417 ₩600.1K

$144 SEK 1,368

189.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₩33.5M

$753 SEK 7,150

2991.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ₩84.2K

$104 SEK 988

-43.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.59 ₩68.4K

$20.81 SEK 198

128.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 ₩112.8K

$82.8 SEK 787

-5.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩167.5K

$155 SEK 1,469

-24.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 ₩1.4M

$694 SEK 6,596

38.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 ₩856.0K

$697 SEK 6,626

-14.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,556 ₩3.7M

$1,182 SEK 11.2K

116.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 ₩1.9M

$1,012 SEK 9,616

28.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.0K ₩38.8M

$2,978 SEK 28.3K

805.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K ₩15.2M

$2,617 SEK 24.9K

303.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,214 ₩4.6M

$2,547 SEK 24.2K

26.17%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Karlskrona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $964 in Seoul versus $694 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 26% 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 $56.0 in Seoul versus $68.0 in Karlskrona. Groceries tell a different story – $493 in Seoul vs $357 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 2%, 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 $2,655 per month in Seoul and $2,596 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 $56.0 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 $1,770 in Seoul and $1,731 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 $1,731, than in Seoul at $1,770. 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.