The Cost of Living in Finland

One of the first things you may hear about Finland is that it’s an expensive city to visit/live in, and to some extent this is true. However, Finland doesn’t have to be painfully expensive, if you know where to spend your money. Here are a few examples of the cost of living in Finland, as well as some alternative wallet-friendly choices you can make! Read my blog about Top 10 Things to Know Before Moving to Finland.

Rent

Probably one of the most significant expenses while living in Finland is rent. When it comes to renting, it depends on what kind of accommodation you're looking for and how you want to live. If you're going to live very close to nature within a reasonable commute to other parts of Finland, renting a two-bedroom apartment in Uusimaa area cost around €500-1200 depending on how far away from Helsinki city center. The Helsinki commuting area covers up to 200 km from the capital city with vibrant cities like Turku and Tampere locating at the edge of that perimeter.

Public Transport

The cost of public transport as compared to the cost of food, rent and alcohol in Finland is surprisingly affordable. The most convenient way to get around on public transport is to top-up and travel with either a HSL card or HSL app. I use the HSL travel app to buy one-time travel ticket (€2.50) that is valid for 2 hours with the option to hop-on/off from all kind of public transportation forms. I sometimes buy seasonal tickets (€60 for 30 days) if I have a busy month of travel. Taxis are incredibly expensive in Finland and so is owning a car. So, public transport is always a cheaper option!

Food

Again, to reduce costs, you can enjoy incredible Lunch buffets offered in restaurants and office canteens for €6.50-€10 for a delicious meal. When it comes to dining out, you should budget yourself €20+ for cafés and €30-€50+ for fine dining per person.

Gym Membership

If your office building has gym and sauna facilities, then there’s generally no need to get a gym membership elsewhere. Gym memberships in Finland are often quite affordable and can typically cost around €50-€70 per month. Fitness classes generally cost from €10 per session, but bundle deals are usually available for purchase.

Alcohol

Booze comes at a price in Finland so expect to pay between €10-€20 for a drink at a bar or restaurant. Buying alcohol at supermarkets or liquor stores are generally cheaper options. Do note that you can’t buy alcohol in stores after 9:00 pm.

Groceries

When estimating the cost of living Finland, or for that matter in any part of the world, we cannot skip groceries- an inevitable expense in day-to-day life. In Finland, as for supermarkets, the prices at Prisma or K-Market are higher compared to those at Alepa, S-Market or Lidl which have more reasonably priced products and is where we go to do our weekly grocery shopping. However, you’ll be more likely to find your Asian home comfort foods in Prisma. For bargain hunters, you can visit the supermarkets after 9pm for a real fun shopping experience for fresh produce, meat and poultry, as well as pastries!

Internet & Phone

We pay around €30 per month for our internet subscription. Phone bills including mobile data cost are generally covered by the employer, but they are affordable starting from €5 per month.

Attractions

There are so many free attractions and things to do in Finland, which means you don't necessarily have to fork out for entertainment! Free activities in Finland include: Visiting UNESCO World Heritage sites in Finland (there are 7 UNESCO sites!) , Finland’s 40 National Parks, Töölönlahti Bay, Uspenski Cathedral, Temppeliaukio Church, Helsinki Cathedral, National Library of Finland, Hietaniemi Beach "Hietsu".

I’ll make a blog about some of the most instagrammable places in Finland. So, watch this space!