Cost of Living in Helsinki: A Comprehensive Guide on Helsinki’s Expense

Helsinki is the largest urbanised area in Finland, containing 12% of the population. The average cost of living in Helsinki is around 1950 EUR per month for a single person, and it can vary according to one’s living standards. In addition, the average cost of rent in Wales is approximately 990 EUR per month around the city centre.

This beautiful city of Finland offers expats an adequate life, which makes it a tempting destination for people worldwide. Students and job seekers often move to this country for its excellent quality of life and career opportunities. If you plan to move to Finland, ensure you know all living expenses. In this blog post, we will show the cost of living in Helsinki in various parameters, such as education, rent, food, transportation, utilities, healthcare, and many others. So, let’s begin our discussion without any further delay. 

Cost of Living in Helsinki for International Students

On average, the cost of living in Helsinki for international students is 3% lower than in Sweden. Helsinki frequently attracts students from every corner of the world due to its unmatched high-quality education system and educational programs. Studying abroad in Helsinki is more affordable than in many other countries. Here, we have given the general breakdown of the average cost of living in Helsinki in different categories for the emigrants who wish to move here. Before moving to Helsinki, students can get an idea of how much they have to keep with them:

Cost of Rent in Helsinki

The average cost of rent in Helsinki for a single person or student is around 990 EUR in the city centre. Depending on the budget and lifestyle of international students. The costs of living in Helsinki concerning apartment rent are as follows:

Apartment Location	Monthly Rent
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre	989 EUR
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre	793 EUR
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre	1,774 EUR
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre	1,294 EUR

Also Read: Cost of Living in Wales: A Comprehensive Guide on Wales’s Expense

Cost of Grocery in Helsinki

The average cost of groceries in Helsinki is around 96 EUR per month, including meals, milk, water, vegetables, fruits and other items. These costs can impact the cost of living in Helsinki as it is a daily expense here. Below is the list of a few grocery items with their prices available in Helsinki: 

Grocery Item	Price
Milk (regular), (1 litre)	1.13 EUR
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g)	2.85 EUR
Rice (white), (1kg)	2.52 EUR
Eggs (regular) (12)	2.81 EUR
Apples (1kg)	2.28 EUR
Banana (1kg)	1.73 EUR
Oranges (1kg)	2.14 EUR
Tomato (1kg)	3.80 EUR
Potato (1kg)	1.26 EUR
Onion (1kg)	1.79 EUR
Lettuce (1 head)	1.88 EUR
Water (1.5 liter bottle)	1.68 EUR
Meat, egg, drinks and other items	70 EUR

Cost of Utilities in Helsinki

The Basic Utility Cost in Helsinki is around 148 EUR /month for a single person, which is relatively low from the cost of living in Helsinki. This utility cost in Helsinki includes electricity, gas, a mobile plan, and internet. For your reference, we have given the Cost of Utilities in Helsinki for immigrant students in the country:

Utility Type	Monthly Cost
Basic Utility for 85m2 Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage)	105 EUR
Monthly Plan of Mobile Phone (with Calls & 10GB+ Data)	24 EUR
Internet (60+ Mbps, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)	19 EUR

Cost of Transportation in Helsinki

Helsinki has an amazing public transportation system called HSL, which includes tram, bus, metro, commuter trains and cab ferry services. Transportation contributes around  70 EUR per month for local city transport. It comes under the overall cost of living in Helsinki. Here are various modes of transportation with their fare costs:

Mode of Transport	Monthly Cost
One-way Ticket(Local Transport)	3 EUR
Monthly Pass(Regular Price)	70 EUR
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)	6.50 EUR
Taxi 1km(Normal Tariff)	1.23 EUR
Taxi 1 hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)	56 EUR
Gasoline (1 litre)	2 EUR

Also Read: Cost of Living in Cuba: A Comprehensive Guide on Cuba’s Expense

Average Tuition Fees in Helsinki 

Helsinki has top-notch undergraduate programs and postgraduate programs offered at various prestigious universities. Suppose you decide to move to Helsinki to pursue your higher studies. In that case, the essential thing for you is the average tuition fees in Helsinki’s Universities along with the average cost of living in Helsinki. Here in the table below, we have given the average tuition fee along with the program and university names:

Universities	Approx. Tuition Fees for Undergraduate programs	Approx. Tuition Fees for Graduate programs
University of Helsinki	13,000 EUR	15,000 EUR
Aalto University	12,000 EUR	15,000 EUR
Arcada University of Applied Sciences	10,000 EUR	11,000 EUR
Diaconia University of Applied Sciences	11,000 EUR	12,000 EUR
Metropolia University of Applied Sciences	12,000 EUR	12 000 EUR
Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences	9,500 EUR	11,000 EUR
Hanken School of Economics	12,000 EUR	15 000 EUR
HUMAK University of Applied Sciences	10,000 EUR	12 000 EUR

Things to Consider Before Moving to Helsinki

Before finalising the cost of living in Helsinki’s budget, a student should consider a few other notable things while moving to Helsinki for higher studies. There are generous options for international students to excel academically and have fun in Helsinki. So, here are some things you should know before moving to Helsinki: 

Health System in Helsinki
Helsinki has a top-notch health system. Its public healthcare system is tax-funded and accessible to anyone who is residing here. Moreover, the City of Helsinki automatically appoints a health station to registered residents based on their home address. This means that if you suffer from an illness and require regular treatment, your local health station’s team of healthcare professionals will be available to assist you in making living costs comfortable in Helsinki.

Helsinki: A Happy City

Helsinki is not only among Finland’s happiest cities in terms of where to live. According to the United Nations’ latest World Happiness Report, Finland and its cities like Helsinki have been crowned the happiest country in the world for the third year in a row. 

Low Crime Rate in Helsinki

Helsinki is one of the safest cities in the world because the crime rate in the country is very low. Its Crime Index is 24.65, whereas the Safety Index is 75.35

Note: According to numbeo.com, a value of 0 means it is perceived as very low, and a value of 100 means it is perceived as very high.

Lack of Hierarchy

Finland has a lack of hierarchy and division of workers. Employees with different positions typically work together here. Helsinki, Finland, has six key variables that support well-being such as healthy life expectancy, income, trust, freedom, social support, and generosity. All these qualities make Helsinki an excellent place to live for expats at an affordable cost.

Locals Are Fluent in English
If you’re worried about moving to a non-English-speaking country, Hierarchy, Finland has the fifth-best English language skills in the world. The majority of Finns speak English as a second language, and 70% of the population is fluent in it.

Work Opportunities in Helsinki

Students on their college premises can search for part-time employment opportunities. You are allowed up to 30 hours per week for part-time work in addition to studies. As you already know, work opportunities will make the cost of living in Helsinki easy for you. The average salary for part-time jobs in Finland is around 1500 EUR to 2,500 EUR per month, and there are plenty of options for expats.

Relevant Reads:

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Cost of Living in Brussels: A Guide on Expected Expenses	Cost of Living in Scotland: A Guide on Expected Expenses

FAQs

So, this was all about the cost of living in Helsinki. Many Indian students dream of pursuing education in foreign nations due to the exposure and career growth they offer. Consider joining a free counselling session with Leverage Edu if you plan to study abroad.