Living in Finland
Useful resources to get started with your new life in Finland
Study in Finland | Happy Studying and Living
Meet Matti, a stereotypical Finn who appreciates peace, quiet and personal space.
Things to do in Finland - Blog post
Finland is a land of countless lakes, forests, fells and archipelagos – it is one the most extensive and unspoiled natural environments in Europe. Finland’s air, forests, lakes and drinking water are exceptionally clean by global standards. More than 70% of Finland’s land area is forest, which makes Finland one of the most forested countries in the world.
The air quality in Finland is excellent because Finland is situated far from large sources of emissions and the country has successfully cut back on its own emissions. Finland has four very distinct seasons – temperatures may vary between -35°C and +35°C.
Finland is a country of innovation and technology and has continuously topped related global indices. Finnish companies highly value innovation designed to solve problems in a pragmatic and surprising way. In fact, Finland is the home of many world-leading companies in areas such as forest products and the biomass industry (UPM, Stora Enso, and Metso), transportation services (KONE) and design (Iittala and Marimekko).
In this section, we cover the following topics:
Finnish Culture and Language
| Finnish Services and Practicalities
| Finnish Seasons
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Finland is...
- The safest place in the world.
- The happiest country in the world.
- The most advanced country in the EU in the utilisation of digitalisation.
- The third most innovative country in the world.
- The fourth most gender equal country in the world.
- Finland ranks as the top OECD country in education.
- Finland’s share of renewable energy in the country’s total energy consumption is the second largest in the EU.
- Finland has the cleanest air in the world.
- Finland is the water richest country in the world.
Facts about Finland
- Area: 338 000 km² (130 500 square miles)
- Capital: Helsinki - Helsinki metropolitan area has a population of over 1.7 million
- Location: Northern Europe; shares borders with Sweden, Norway and Russia. Gulf of Finland and Estonia are to the south
- Currency: Euro (€)
- Population: 5.6 million
- Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 65%, Orthodox Christian 1%, no religious affiliation 32%, other religious communities 2%
- Official languages: Finnish 90.4%, Swedish 5.4%
- System of government: Parliamentary democracy, presidential elections every six years, parliament (200 members) elected every four years
- International status: Independent since 1917, member of the European Union since 1995, first to adopt the Euro in 1999
To learn more about Finnish people, culture and language, visit the subpage Finnish Culture and Language.
Cost of living in Finland
Finland is known for its high standard of living, which means prices are not the lowest in the world. However, the cost of living in Finland is about the same as in other EU countries. The expenses vary depending on the accommodation you decide to choose and your personal spending habits, including food, health care, social life, and travel.
In Lappeenranta and Lahti, living expenses including accommodation in a student apartment may amount to roughly EUR 700/month. However, it is useful to note that the expense for course books is low in Finland as most of the course books can be borrowed from the libraries. As a degree student in Finland, you will be issued a student card that entitles you to student discounts on meals and other services (e.g. transport, museums, cultural events and recreational activities).
To get more insight about student budgeting and real-life examples, visit LUT Study Blog.
Read about a blog post about one exchange student's cost breakdown from studying a semester in Finland.
- Single bus ticket 1.60 - 2.90 €
- Monthly bus pass 42-45 €
- Student lunch at the university 2.95 – 4.60 €
- Coffee at a café 3-5 €
- Beer at a bar 5–9 €
- Movie ticket 12-15 €
- Mobile phone monthly subscription: 15-40 €
- Single time gym visit: 6-12€
- Monthly gym pass: 20-60 €
Saving tips
Flea markets and second hand shops are popular in Finland, so there are several of them around the city. In these places you can find all kinds of second hand products, such as furniture, electric appliances, tableware and clothes. The prices are very reasonable, and in places such as the Red Cross flea market and recycling centres you can find all of their items in a very good condition.