Oulu vs Helsinki (LCOL vs HCOL)
I moved from Oulu (low cost of living city in Finland) to Helsinki (high cost of living city in Finland) about half a year ago. Here are my current thoughts about Helsinki. Most of these things can be applied when comparing any smaller LCOL city to a bigger HCOL city.
Helsinki benefits 🌆
- Much easier to buy used stuff
- Public transportation is much better
- Better selection at Library :D
- More good restaurants
- Longer summer
- More stuff to do (events, activities etc.)
- More people = easier to find like-minded people
- Easier to travel (You can't really fly abroad from Oulu)
- No need to own a car
- I love that there is always another area of the city to explore
Helsinki drawbacks 🌃
- Much more expensive to live
- Bike lanes aren't as good as in Oulu
- More difficult to get into nature, as the city is so big
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For me HCOL city is a clear winner. Sure I spend way too much on my rent right now, but what's the point of going to work if you ain't gonna use your money.
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