Cost of Living Comparison Between Turku and Varkaus Cost of Living Comparison Between Turku and Varkaus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,858 in Turku versus $1,670 in Varkaus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,872 in Turku versus $2,550 in Varkaus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,886 in Turku versus $3,429 in Varkaus.

Living in Turku is roughly 11% more expensive than Varkaus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Turku 38% above, Varkaus 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.38 €13.25

$11.60 €9.99

32.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 €96.2

$77.2 €66.5

44.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.51 €9.92

$9.11 €7.85

26.34%

Cappuccino

$5.16 €4.44

$4.33 €3.73

19.17%

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

$2.22 €1.91

$3.08 €2.65

-27.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.59 €1.37

20.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.85 €7.62

$6.87 €5.92

28.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.73 €6.66

$7.51 €6.47

2.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.06 €0.92

16.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 €2.14

$1.96 €1.69

27.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$2.28 €1.96

17.11%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$2.40 €2.07

30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 €6.33

$7.33 €6.32

0.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.22 €13.11

$11.97 €10.31

27.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.15 €16.50

$17.27 €14.88

10.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$2.23 €1.92

-0.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.77

$1.95 €1.68

5.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 €1.62

$3.10 €2.67

-39.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 €3.33

$3.85 €3.32

0.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 €1.30

$0.87 €0.75

73.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 €1.44

$1.55 €1.34

8.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.02 €1.74

-1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.51 €1.30

27.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.20 €10.51

$9.49 €8.18

28.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.15 €13.92

$14.01 €12.07

15.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.22 €1.92

57.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 €3.45

$3.73 €3.21

7.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 €3.00

$3.50 €3.01

-0.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.5 €53.9

$67.9 €58.5

-7.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 €7.59

$7.00 €6.03

25.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.58 €1.36

-3.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.7 €44.58

$46.64 €40.18

10.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.76

$2.12 €1.83

-3.77%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$28.7K €24.7K

36.05%

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

$37.7K €32.5K

$28.5K €24.5K

32.55%

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

$174 €150

$87.6 €75.4

98.41%

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

$30.13 €25.96

$29.93 €25.79

0.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.87 €19.71

$18.11 €15.60

26.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.75 €41.14

$44.62 €38.44

7.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 €22.87

$24.05 €20.72

10.40%

Cinema Ticket

$17.30 €14.91

$11.64 €10.03

48.63%

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

$317 €273

$342 €294

-7.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 €3,485

$4,590 €3,955

-11.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.4 €70.1

$99.6 €85.8

-18.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.04 €30.19

$30.54 €26.31

14.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 €81.5

$86.2 €74.2

9.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.5

$122 €105

-11.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$804 €693

$758 €653

6.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 €530

$659 €568

-6.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 €1,083

$1,287 €1,109

-2.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$991 €854

$1,047 €902

-5.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,330 €3,730

$4,139 €3,566

4.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,863 €2,467

$2,160 €1,861

32.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,746 €2,366

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.97

1.9

108.95%

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

Last update for Turku: June 6, 2026

Last update for Varkaus: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $804 in Turku and $758 in Varkaus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $112 in Turku vs $77.0 in Varkaus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $363 vs $316 per month, with Varkaus cheaper across the board.

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 Varkaus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varkaus is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,787 in Turku and $2,505 in Varkaus to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $804 in Turku versus $758 in Varkaus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Turku. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Varkaus – a meal for two runs $77.0 versus $112 in Turku. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,670 in Varkaus versus $1,858 in Turku, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Varkaus but tight or insufficient in Turku. The gap between the two cities makes Varkaus the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Turku and Varkaus 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 Varkaus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Turku. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.