A capital city is always expensive, right? Since often the major city in the country, as well as home to the seat of power of the nation, it makes sense that to live there would mean you've got to spend a lot of money. Paris, Rome, London, Washington D.C., Mexico City—these are all capital cities and are some of the most expensive, not just in their own countries, but in the rest of the world too! But then there's Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. Compared to the aforementioned cities, this one is practically cheap. Just look at the living costs here!
Costs of Renting in Tallinn
The common rental fees in a city often determine just how expensive or affordable it is to live there. In most capital cities, the rent often ranges within the thousands of the local currency. But here in Tallinn, getting to that point is actually the most expensive already. As of 2021, most of the common rental fees in the Estonian capital range within the hundreds. A one-bedroom place in the city center would cost you around €400.00 to €700.00 a month. For a three-bedroom home in the same location, it'd be €700.00 to €1,400.00 a month!
Costs of Buying Property
Despite the surprisingly affordable rental fees in Tallinn, actually buying property here is, of course, a different story entirely! In fact, the common prices per square meter in the Estonian capital are mostly in line with those in other capital cities in Europe. No matter what
neighborhood in Tallinn you choose to settle down in, the price per square meter ranges from €1,500.00 to €3,400.00. It's just that they're less expensive when located along th outskirts of the city. The nearer you are to the city center, the pricier property is. Nevertheless, it'd cost you a lot to actually own an actual home here!
Utilities Costs
Whether you spent a lot to buy your own home or your monthly rent is not bad, there's still one thing for certain: your utilities costs are no problem at all! Every month, an average resident will only have to pay around €136.00 to €250.00 for all utilities. They cover most of the basic bills, including electricity, water, heating, garbage disposal, and the like. Of course, if your home is larger than the average and/or you use up more appliances and the like, your utilities costs will also be a lot higher. As for wifi? It'd only cost you €20.00 to €35.00 per month depending on your chosen
local network!
Food Costs
Now, let's talk about food costs! Food in Tallinn is generally affordable. Just how affordable, you ask? Well, the total common median price for a trip to the grocery store is about €50.54, more or less. And this will last you around one to two weeks tops! Including various items like milk, a dozen eggs, fruits, vegetables, meat, bread, and even some alcohol, spending €50.54 on all of them isn't half bad, right? In fact, if you double all of that, you'll only have to spend €101.08 for practically a month's worth of groceries! How do you like that?
Dining Costs
Tallinn is far from what you'd consider a 'food capital' but it still has
a ton of excellent foodie hotspots. Some are more expensive than others. Does that mean that, in order to eat out, you have to prepare to shell out a ton of money? Not necessarily! You can still go for mid-range and even cheap places for a bite to eat that won't cost you an arm and a leg. In fact, a nice meal in an inexpensive hotspot would only cost you €7.00 to €15.00. And if you want to treat someone to a full-blown three-course meal at a standard restaurant, you'll only have to spend €35.00 to €80.00!
Transportation Costs
Is transportation expensive in Tallinn? It depends!
Public transport in the city is, of course largely affordable. A single-ride ticket to a bus or tram here would only cost you €1.50 to €2.00. If you double those up for a round-trip, you'll only have to spend €3.00 to €4.00 to get to your destination and back! When it comes to taxis, the starting fare is €2.50. However, if you made use of a
transportation app to book a ride, you'll get charge additional fees on top of how much the ride cost overall.
Clothing Costs
Shopping for clothes in Tallinn is extremely affordable. Even though there are still some designer brands that have set up shop here, for the most part, clothes aren't all that expensive here. It's all about choosing where to shop! When you buy from a high street brand, for instance, an item would typically cost around €20.00 to €50.00 each! If you need a new pair of sneakers, expect them to cost about €40.00 to €100.00 in most famous sportswear brands, no matter the model! And for a nice pair of jeans, prepare to pay around €40.00 to €99.95 for them!
Leisure Costs
You'd think that joining a gym in Tallinn would be rather pricey, right? Well, if you picked an upscale gym or private sports club, it can be! However, if you just go for a mid-range standard fitness center, it will only cost you a membership fee of €30.00 to €65.00 a month. On the weekends, renting out an entire court for all sorts of sports would cost you €20.00 to €30.00 an hour. And once you're done moving about, end your day with a nice movie! A ticket costs only €7.00 to €10.00 each!
Childcare & Education Costs
You're child's safety and education should take top priority when you move here to Tallinn. That's why such costs are often some of the most expensive. For instance, while they're little, if you can't keep an eye on them during the day, enroll them in a nice, private daycare center. It'd cost you €75.00 to €500.00 per month! And when they grow older, you can always let them go to a private
international school in the city. Though the tuition fees for such range from €3,600.00 to €18,000.00 a year! Don't worry! These are all worthy investments!
Even though Tallinn is the capital city of Estonia, it's actually among the more affordable places in Europe. From common rental fees to how much you'll have to pay for dinner, you can probably get by here comfortably without spending too much!
