Moving to Finland from South Korea
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Korea to Finland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Korea to Finland, you would find that Finland is 45.2% more expensive than South Korea overall. A ₩113,056,500 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly €78,314 in Finland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Finnish and Swedish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Helsinki averages 48°F vs 63°F in Seoul, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from South Korea to Finland.
What does your salary buy?
₩113,056,500 → €78,314
To maintain the same standard of living in Finland
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 23.5% less
Transportation
pay 76.8% more
Housing
pay 36.1% more
Childcare
pay 19.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.1 times more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from South Korea to Finland, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from South Korea to Finland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How South Korea and Finland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Finland generally does better on safety, though South Korea leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Finland performs significantly better than South Korea across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Finland generally does better on infrastructure, though South Korea leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Finland leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Finland generally does better on family life, though South Korea leads in life expectancy.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Seoul | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
Finnish Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea and Finland. To live, work, or study long-term in Finland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Finland's immigration authority.
South Korea passport holder visiting Finland
Visa Free
Finland passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Finland than South Korea?
Day-to-day costs in Finland run about 22% higher than South Korea on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Finland?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ₩113,056,500 comparable salary, that's around €19,578 in Finland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Finland?
With 34.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Finland can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in South Korea and Finland.
Is Finland safe for expats?
Finland generally does better on safety, though South Korea leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Finland is 1.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea. About 86% of people in Finland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Finland compared to South Korea?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 43.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Finland, compared to 25.2 in South Korea. Finland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Finland compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Helsinki is 48°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Helsinki receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Finland?
The official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
