Cost of Living

Prices in Finland

The cost of living in Finland, on average, is comparable to the rest of Europe.

Study-related costs

The cost of studies at Metropolia depends on your student status and your citizenship.

  • Degree students from non-EU/EEA countries will need to pay a tuition fee. The collection of tuition fees was introduced for non-EU/EEA students in Finland from August 2017 onwards. Read more information on tuition fees.
  • Degree students from EU/EEA countries will not need to pay a tuition fee in Finland.
  • Exchange students do not pay any fees for the studies, as this has been agreed upon in the exchange agreement with your home institution.
  • Naturally some study-related costs, e.g. material or printing costs, might be required from both degree and exchange students, depending on your study programme.

Already as part of the residence permit or EU registration process you need to ensure that you have sufficient funds to live in Finland:

  • Non-EU/EEA students need to show that they have at least 560€ per month (6 720€ per year) at their disposal when they apply for the residence permit before arriving in Finland.
  • Non-EU/EEA students studying for a full degree can be granted the residence permit for studies for two years, if you can prove that you have sufficient financial resources for your entire stay in Finland. Depending on the length of your studies, you thus might need to renew your residence permit during your studies. In that case, you should be able to demonstrate that you have the required amount at your disposal also when renewing the permit.
  • EU/EEA citizens who come to Finland to study do not need to apply for a student residence permit. However they should also be able to cover their living costs independently (e.g. for exchange students a certificate on the mobility grant).
  • See the most up-to-date information on the requirements on the Finnish Immigration Services website.

Living expenses

Please note that credit and debit cards are the primary means of payment in Finland. Some establishments do not even accept cash as payment.

For basic expenses such as food, rent and transportation, you should count at least 700-1000 € for each month. This could be divided, for example, as follows:

  • Rent 400-700 €
  • Food 250 €
  • Transport 25-80 €
  • Leisure 100 €

All this of course depends on your personal spending habits. For instance, meals in student cafeterias are cheap and healthy and planning the student meals into your daily routines helps you in budgeting your costs. Consider also budgeting some money for leisure and free-time activities and note that the student union Metka offers great sports opportunities for student-friendly prices.

Be prepared to have more expenses at the beginning of your stay - for the deposit for your apartment, the student card for degree students, text books, basic equipment for your apartment etc.

Student discounts

As an enrolled student you can get discounts for example in student restaurants and cafeterias and on public transport. Read more on student discounts.

Examples of Prices

  • Lunch at the student restaurant 2.6 €
  • Milk (1 l) 1 €
  • Cheese (1 kg) 9 €
  • Apples (1 kg) 2 €
  • Coffee (500 g) 5 €
  • Bread (loaf) 2 €
  • Cinema ticket 8-14 €
  • Museums (student price) 6 €
  • Beer in a pub (0.5 l) 6-8 €
  • Wine bottle in Alko 8-10 €
  • Pizza 8 €
  • Main course at a regular restaurant 15-30 €

Funding your Studies

Scholarships

Metropolia UAS is not able to neither offer any scholarships or funding for students nor assist students in finding funding for their studies. It is best to look and apply for possible scholarships in your home country before leaving for Finland.

For non-EU/EEA students paying tuition fees a scholarship system is available.

Exchange students should contact their home institution for available grants, for example the grants of the Erasmus+ programme.

Employment opportunities

Finding a job in Finland might be challenging, especially if you do not speak Finnish or Swedish. Furthermore, you need to take into consideration your permit status as a student and taxation issues. Read more on working during your studies.