Cost of Living Comparison Between Turku and Vaasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Turku and Vaasa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,951 in Turku versus $1,967 in Vaasa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,094 in Turku versus $2,902 in Vaasa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,237 in Turku versus $3,838 in Vaasa.

Living in Turku costs roughly 1% less than in Vaasa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Turku 42% above, Vaasa 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.01 €14.63

$16.30 €14.02

4.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 €91.4

$86.6 €74.5

22.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.90 €11.10

$10.27 €8.84

25.61%

Cappuccino

$5.08 €4.37

$4.98 €4.29

2.01%

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

$2.90 €2.49

$4.15 €3.57

-30.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.72

$3.93 €3.38

-49.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.92 €8.54

$8.60 €7.40

15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.11 €8.70

$9.32 €8.02

8.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.68 €1.45

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 €2.19

$3.31 €2.84

-23.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 €2.42

$4.24 €3.64

-33.49%

Eggs

$3.73 €3.21

$3.77 €3.24

-1.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$8.93 €7.68

-11.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.93 €12.85

$10.83 €9.32

37.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.50 €16.78

$24.56 €21.14

-20.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$2.74 €2.36

1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 €1.94

$2.57 €2.21

-12.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.98 €2.57

-20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 €3.89

$4.71 €4.05

-4.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.35 €1.16

14.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.98 €1.70

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.88 €2.48

-26.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$3.78 €3.25

-47.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.84 €11.91

$15.17 €13.05

-8.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.87 €13.65

$12.92 €11.11

22.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 €3.37

$3.14 €2.70

24.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 €3.24

$4.14 €3.56

-8.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 €3.00

$2.10 €1.81

65.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 €57.2

$41.31 €35.54

60.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.60 €7.40

$12.45 €10.71

-30.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.35 €1.16

27.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.7 €58.3

$93.3 €80.3

-27.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.23 €1.92

2.69%

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

$37.9K €32.6K

$37.3K €32.1K

1.40%

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

$38.3K €32.9K

$34.7K €29.9K

10.27%

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

$138 €119

$267 €229

-48.34%

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

$29.89 €25.72

$38.27 €32.93

-21.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.24 €20.00

$39.85 €34.29

-41.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.79 €38.54

$39.78 €34.23

12.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.21 €25.99

$17.85 €15.36

69.24%

Cinema Ticket

$20.24 €17.42

$15.29 €13.16

32.37%

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

$327 €282

$422 €363

-22.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,550 €6,497

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.3 €84.6

$82.7 €71.2

18.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 €35.53

$23.27 €20.02

77.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.5

$71.0 €61.1

49.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €101

$130 €112

-9.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 €740

$771 €663

11.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 €587

$569 €489

19.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,504 €1,295

$1,075 €925

39.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 €1,008

$822 €707

42.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,355 €3,748

$2,738 €2,356

59.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,920 €2,513

$2,318 €1,994

26.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,789 €2,400

$3,759 €3,234

-25.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.94

5.27

-25.24%

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

Last update for Turku: September 1, 2026

Last update for Vaasa: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $860 in Turku and $771 in Vaasa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vaasa pays 35% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $106 in Turku vs $87.0 in Vaasa. Groceries flip the comparison at $384 vs $416, with Turku cheaper for home cooking.

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 Vaasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Turku is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Vaasa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $860 in Turku versus $771 in Vaasa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Vaasa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Turku – a meal for two runs $106 versus $87.0 in Vaasa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,951 in Turku versus $1,967 in Vaasa, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Turku but tight or insufficient in Vaasa. The gap between the two cities makes Turku the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Turku is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Vaasa, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Turku and Vaasa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Turku gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Vaasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.