Cost of living in Tallinn: let’s analyze costs of food, real estate, entertainment and transport in Tallinn, Estonia
Moving to a new city can be difficult affair. Even more so if it’s in a another country or on an entirely different continent. Let us walk you through what you should expect in terms of cost of living in Tallinn, Estonia.
Cost of Living in Tallinn, Estonia
Estonia is the smallest and also the most northern of the Baltic states. It is a member of both NATO, the European Union and is also in the Schengen area, granting easy access from within the EU to all travelers. It is a rather small country with only 1.3 million inhabitants, with almost a third of them living in the capital city of Tallinn.
Living in Estonia: Overview
The capital city was also known as Reval until the declaration of independence from 1918. It has a very rich history, being a very important trade route in the Baltics. It was first attested as a city in 1248 so it has a history of almost a millennium.
The vibrant town was incorporated a number of times during its long history due to its very important regional location. This in turn led to a mixture of different styles within the city, with influences from the Hanseatic League, Sweden, Russia and finally its own current identity.
As all former soviet territories, Estonia has only recently started to shed the weight of communism and evolve into a modern state. In fact, this small country managed to improve itself so much that it is one of the most advanced countries in the world, from a bureaucratic point of view. It is considered to be the first e-country in the world.
Since Estonia is improving fast, the cost of living is higher than in the other Baltic States such as Lithuania and Latvia. However, the costs are much lower if compared to Finland and most Western European countries.
Let’s check some data for the cost of living in Tallinn, Estonia below:
The currency in Estonia is the Euro. The conversion rate to the USD is 1 dollar to 0.94 EUR as of April 25, 2024.
If you want to suggest your own values based on your experiences in this city, click on edit and insert the values. Upon moderation they will be calculated to make part of the average prices displayed below.
| Food | Price [EDIT] |
|---|---|
| 1 liter of milk | 0.90 USD |
| 1 loaf of bread | 1.00 USD |
| 1 kg of tomatoes | 2.60 USD |
| 1 kg of chicken | 5.50 USD |
| 1 single meal cheap restaurant | 10.50 USD |
| 1 single meal high-end restaurant | 26.00 USD |
| 1 cappuccino or latte | 3.30 USD |
| 1 big pizza delivery | 17.00 USD |
| Real Estate | Price [EDIT] |
| 1 bedroom flat (40 m2) rent per month | 650.00 USD |
| 1 bedroom flat (40 m2) utilities per month | 100.00 USD |
| 2 bedroom flat (80 m2) rent per month | 860.00 USD |
| 2 bedroom flat (80 m2) utilities per month | 220.00 USD |
| Price per square meter (city center) | 2,600.00 USD |
| Transport | Price [EDIT] |
| 1 single ride public transport | 2.70 USD |
| Monthly public transport ticket | 36.00 USD |
| 1 km taxi or similar transport app | 1.00 USD |
| 1 liter of gasoline (1/4 gallon) | 1.70 USD |
| Toyota Corolla (new) basic version | 22,000.00 USD |
| Salaries | Price [EDIT] |
| Minimum Salary | 630.00 USD |
| Average Salary (net) | 1,300.00 USD |
| Extras | Price [EDIT] |
| 1 ticket to the movies (adult price) | 10.00 USD |
| High speed internet per month | 22.00 USD |
| 1 month gym subscription | 55.00 USD |
Cost of Living for Students in Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn is one of the most exciting cities that you can relocate at the moment. The country itself offers an excellent place for start-ups, with huge companies such as Skype and TransferWise backing this fact. As such, there is great need for young professionals and the universities offer great programs.
At the same time, the costs are pretty low compared with other traditional higher education countries. This offers greater flexibility and with the lower costs of tuition fees, you can enjoy a social life and high living standards as a student in Estonia.
Depending on the university and the program that you choose tuition fees will vary from around 1000 EUR to 8000 EUR per year. Focusing on the medical field will be more expensive as in other countries. Expect something around or over 11000 EUR per year.
Estonian universities consistently rank among the top among European countries. The skills and knowledge you have access are considered to be very good and you should have an easy transition towards a professional career after finishing your studies.
There is also a coolness factor of having studied and lived in the rather exotic capital of Estonia. It is also a good thing to be ahead of the curve and take advantage of this growing trend of choosing Tallinn as a place of study.
Here are some of the best higher education institutions in Tallinn:
Tallinn University of Technology
Getting a Job in Tallinn
Tallinn can be comparable the Silicon Valley, in a smaller scale. The number of start-ups and technology focused companies is growing day by day. The socio-political climate makes it a ripe location for such activities, inviting companies all over the EU to set up companies and outsource operations into this city.
Due to this fact, there are a great number of job opportunities in Tallinn, skewed heavily towards software development, jobs in the customer service industry and everything related to them. The job market is ripe with opportunities for specialized personnel.
Tallinn is a great city where you can earn good money and also save money at the same time. As touched upon a bit earlier, the living costs are somewhat lower than in other bigger cities, however the opportunities are almost on par.
You can find a job very easily in Tallinn by going here:
https://www.workinestonia.com/latest-offers/
Quality of Life in Tallinn
Tallinn is truly a European city. It is brimming with expats from within the EU looking to take advantage of the positive bureaucratic environment that encourages start ups. As such, the mix of cultures brings out the best of what Europe can offer. Couple it with the cultural mix that is seeping through the city’s architecture and you will never want to leave. If you prefer colder weather, that is.
You’ll be able to indulge in all kinds of different foods from all over the world. Going from italian food, to chinese or traditional Estonian dishes is as simple as crossing the street. There’s nothing you will crave that you won’t be able to satisfy.
In terms of personal safety, Tallinn is one of the safest capitals on the continent. There is very low crime and even so, it’s mostly limited to petty crimes. This will lead to a general feeling that passers-by are friendly and benevolent.
If you are visiting Tallinn soon you may want to check some of our other Baltic guides. Check the best places to places to stay in Tallinn and our article on how to travel from Tallinn to Helsinki. You can also check the average and minimum salary in Tallinn, the best places to visit in the Baltic States and how to travel from Tallinn to Riga.
Are you moving or already living in Tallinn? Leave your thoughts in the comment box below.