Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Turku and Kiel

For one person, living costs are similar in Turku and in Kiel: $1,877 and $1,949 a month, rent and utilities included.

Turku, Finland
Kiel, Germany
Turku
🇫🇮 Finland
$1,877
/mo nomad
Kiel
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,949
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Turku and in Kiel

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Turku and in Kiel actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,877 in Turku versus $1,949 in Kiel.

  • Turku $1,877
  • Kiel $1,949

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,981 in Turku versus $2,960 in Kiel.

  • Turku $2,981
  • Kiel $2,960

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,085 in Turku versus $3,970 in Kiel.

  • Turku $4,085
  • Kiel $3,970

Living in Turku costs roughly 4% less than in Kiel, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Turku 38% above, Kiel 43% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Turku
Kiel
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.29 €14.64
$16.79 €15.08
-2.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 €90.7
$85.4 €76.8
18.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.34 €11.09
$12.25 €11.01
0.73%
Cappuccino
$4.68 €4.20
$3.87 €3.48
20.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 €2.51
$3.79 €3.40
-26.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.70
$3.32 €2.98
-43.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.42 €8.46
$5.68 €5.11
65.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.60 €8.63
$4.52 €4.06
112.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Turku
Kiel
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 €1.40
$1.26 €1.14
23.81%
White Bread (500g)
$2.47 €2.22
$2.49 €2.24
-0.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.68 €2.41
$3.14 €2.82
-14.65%
Eggs
$3.70 €3.33
$4.17 €3.74
-11.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.78 €6.99
$16.10 €14.46
-51.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.64 €13.16
$12.18 €10.94
20.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.82 €16.91
$26.14 €23.49
-28.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.79 €2.51
$3.24 €2.91
-13.89%
Banana (1kg)
$2.23 €2.01
$2.25 €2.02
-0.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.28 €2.05
$2.27 €2.04
0.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.35 €3.91
$3.40 €3.06
27.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.54 €1.38
-4.55%
Onion (1kg)
$1.60 €1.43
$1.30 €1.17
23.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.96 €1.76
$1.74 €1.56
12.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 €1.63
$0.80 €0.72
127.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.15 €11.82
$10.49 €9.42
25.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.33 €13.78
$6.24 €5.61
145.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.78 €3.40
$1.12 €1.01
237.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 €3.31
$1.53 €1.37
140.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Turku
Kiel
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.61 €3.24
$3.26 €2.93
10.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.9 €57.4
$69.9 €62.8
-8.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.35 €7.51
$4.01 €3.60
108.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 €1.38
$2.19 €1.97
-30.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$65.7 €59.0
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.37 €2.13
$2.15 €1.93
10.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.0K €33.2K
$32.7K €29.4K
13.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.9K €34.1K
$39.2K €35.2K
-3.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turku
Kiel
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$135 €121
$295 €265
-54.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.01 €26.07
$22.43 €20.15
29.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.79 €19.58
$48.37 €43.46
-54.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Turku
Kiel
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.29 €38.90
$38.49 €34.58
12.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.99 €26.05
$43.89 €39.43
-33.95%
Cinema Ticket
$20.86 €18.74
$13.33 €11.98
56.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Turku
Kiel
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$467 €419
$296 €266
57.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,398 €6,647
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Turku
Kiel
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.5 €85.8
$76.3 €68.5
25.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.99 €39.52
$68.8 €61.8
-36.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €91.4
$97.9 €87.9
3.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 €99.9
$111 €99.6
0.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Turku
Kiel
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$857 €770
$698 €627
22.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$674 €606
$623 €559
8.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,477 €1,327
$1,493 €1,341
-1.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,167 €1,048
$1,012 €910
15.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 €3,751
$5,250 €4,717
-20.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,810 €2,525
$2,925 €2,629
-3.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Turku
Kiel
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,667 €2,396
$3,265 €2,934
-18.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.94
3.95
-0.25%

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

Last update for Turku: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kiel: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Turku
$674
Kiel
$623 7.7% $52
Groceries & Markets
Turku
$371
Kiel
$355 4.4% $16
Eating Out
Turku
$308
Kiel
$283 8.1% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turku
$186
Kiel
$366 97.3% $181
Clothing & Footwear
Turku
$159
Kiel
$159 0.4% $0.7
Getting Around
Turku
$94
Kiel
$98 3.8% $3.6
Sport & Entertainment
Turku
$85
Kiel
$65 23.4% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $857 in Turku and $698 in Kiel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kiel pays 22% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Turku vs $85 in Kiel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $355 per month, with Kiel cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇮 Turku
🇩🇪 Kiel
🕒 Local time
11:13 11:13 AM
10:13 10:13 AM
1 h behind Turku
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
201,889
246,306
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Turku Kiel 990 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Turku
  • Kiel

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Turku vs Kiel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Turku cheaper than Kiel?
Turku is cheaper overall, especially in utilities and transport. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Turku or Kiel?
On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Turku. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Turku and Kiel?
Rent for a central apartment: $857 in Turku versus $698 in Kiel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Turku and in Kiel?
Shoppers in Kiel pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is eating out cheaper in Turku or in Kiel?
Dining out is cheaper in Kiel – a meal for two runs $85 versus $101 in Turku. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,500 enough for either Turku or Kiel?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Turku gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Turku or in Kiel?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Turku or Kiel?
Safety-wise, Turku and Kiel are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Turku wins on affordability, Kiel on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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