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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,623 in Varkaus versus $1,833 in Turku.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,543 in Varkaus versus $2,889 in Turku.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,464 in Varkaus versus $3,946 in Turku.

Living in Varkaus costs roughly 11% less than in Turku, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Varkaus 21% above, Turku 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 €10.14

$15.29 €13.17

-23.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 €67.4

$111 €95.9

-29.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.31 €8.01

$11.55 €9.95

-19.39%

Cappuccino

$4.50 €3.88

$4.95 €4.26

-9.09%

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

$3.15 €2.71

$2.16 €1.86

45.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.36

$1.86 €1.60

-15.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 €6.10

$8.88 €7.65

-20.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 €6.59

$7.91 €6.81

-3.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.30 €1.12

-17.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.52 €2.17

-19.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 €1.95

$2.68 €2.31

-15.30%

Eggs

$2.42 €2.09

$3.11 €2.68

-22.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 €6.53

$7.21 €6.21

5.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.04 €10.37

$15.24 €13.12

-21.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.45 €15.03

$19.46 €16.76

-10.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.11 €1.82

5.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.03 €1.75

-5.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 €2.66

$1.96 €1.69

57.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 €3.35

$3.95 €3.40

-1.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.51 €1.30

-43.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 €1.38

$1.63 €1.40

-1.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.73

$2.06 €1.77

-2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.95 €1.68

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.02 €7.76

$12.43 €10.71

-27.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.02 €12.07

$16.37 €14.10

-14.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$3.50 €3.02

-34.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 €3.19

$3.84 €3.30

-3.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 €2.97

$3.42 €2.95

0.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 €57.9

$62.4 €53.7

7.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 €5.99

$8.76 €7.54

-20.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.52 €1.31

4.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.71 €40.22

$51.8 €44.57

-9.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.14 €1.85

-4.21%

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

$28.4K €24.4K

$38.6K €33.2K

-26.50%

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

$28.4K €24.5K

$37.0K €31.9K

-23.28%

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

$88.0 €75.8

$176 €151

-49.93%

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

$30.53 €26.29

$30.12 €25.94

1.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 €15.44

$23.48 €20.22

-23.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.65 €38.45

$48.02 €41.35

-7.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 €20.80

$26.16 €22.53

-7.65%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 €9.90

$17.35 €14.94

-33.72%

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

$336 €289

$320 €276

4.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,541 €3,910

$4,124 €3,551

10.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 €85.9

$82.0 €70.6

21.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.68 €26.41

$34.19 €29.44

-10.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 €73.5

$92.6 €79.8

-7.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$108 €92.6

10.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 €668

$782 €673

-0.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 €558

$635 €546

2.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 €1,120

$1,292 €1,113

0.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 €901

$1,005 €866

4.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,164 €3,586

$4,403 €3,791

-5.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 €1,888

$2,956 €2,545

-25.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,790 €2,402

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

3.97

-52.14%

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

Last update for Varkaus: May 31, 2026

Last update for Turku: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $776 in Varkaus and $782 in Turku. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Varkaus vs $111 in Turku for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $365 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

Varkaus vs Turku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varkaus is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,434 in Varkaus and $2,750 in Turku 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: $776 in Varkaus versus $782 in Turku. 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 $78.0 versus $111 in Turku. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,623 in Varkaus versus $1,833 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, Varkaus and Turku 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 13% less than in Turku. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.