Tallinn is centrally located and accessible

You can fly to many places in Europe from Tallinn, even with many inexpensive airlines. Overseas you get easily from or through Helsinki airport, which is only a couple hours away. You reach Finland or Sweden with a short ferry trip (fastest route to Helsinki takes 1 h 40 min) starting from twenty euros or so.

It’s easy and inexpensive to move around in Tallinn with taxi or Uber. 5 km ride is about 5 euros. When you are a resident, public transportation is free. Tallinn is relatively small city, so it’s easy to get around even by bike.

The airport is a walking distance from the brewery and you get to city center in ten minutes by car.

Language and culture

Estonians are among the best English speakers in the Europe. Most people here speak Estonian or Russian. Because Tallinn lives from tourism, you manage your daily stuff in English. Estonia is a Baltic country but Estonians identify a lot to Scandinavia.

Estonians love nature. A must experience is the countryside and beautiful coastal towns. Easy to find you inner peace and relax for a while. The country is larger than the Netherlands but we have only 1,3 million people. Plenty of room for everybody. Tallinn is very versatile capital from stunning medieval old town to cool hipster neighborhoods.

Tallinn old town is beautiful and full of lifePicture from nationsonline.orgPicture from Traveller.ee

Working life in brief

  • Estonia is very digital – you can run most errands online with your ID card and bureaucracy is minimal. Estonia fully votes and fills tax returns online. With Estonian ID you are also an EU resident.
  • Getting a work permit is usually easy and straightforward.
  • Purchasing power is very good here since it’s one of the inexpensive places to live in Europe. Compare prices to your city here.
  • Income tax is 20 % (more tax info).
  • Since most of the employee rights are in the law, regular employment contracts are 40h / week and you earn 28 vacation days a year.
  • Free healthcare is provided and dental care is very affordable.

Living cost

  • In Estonia you get bang for your buck. To get the same standard of life with 2000 EUR in Tallinn equals earning 4000 GBP in London, 3400 EUR in Helsinki or 4600 USD in Los Angeles. (Source: Numbeo)
  • On average, the cost of living in Tallinn is 300 – 400 € per month excl. accommodation. (Source: Tallinn University) A 1-2 bedroom flat from city center is around 400 – 500 € / month + utilities. You get a lunch in a fine restaurant with 5 € and a three course dinner in a mid-range restaurant with 35 €.

Six random facts

  1. Estonia has 1500 islands, 1000 lakes, 7000 rivers and the highest point is only 318 m.
  2. Estonia is one of the least religious countries in the world.
  3. Estonia has the highest number of supermodels per capita – and highest female to male ratio.
  4. Estonia is Lonely Planet‘s best value destination.
  5. Estonia is a tech startup country. Skype, Transferwise and Erply are from Estonia.
  6. Estonia is home for respected exporting breweries

What expats appreciate in Estonia?

  • Easy to get around, close to big Nordic cities
  • Very inexpensive: better lifestyle for less
  • Spacious living and the nature is close
  • People are warm, welcoming and most of them speak English
  • You can do almost everything online

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