Moving to Finland from Afghanistan

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Afghanistan to Finland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Afghanistan to Finland, and you’d need to navigate life in Finnish and Swedish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Helsinki averages 48°F vs 67°F in Kabul, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Afghanistan to Finland.

Moved in 2023
1,456 ↑ 55% vs 2022

people moved from Afghanistan to Finland · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Finland?

Top countries of origin for Finland's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Finland compared to Afghanistan.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AF
4.0
FI
1.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AF
24.1
FI
4.2

Finland performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AF
$330
FI
$6,433
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

AF
2.5
FI
43.8

Afghanistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AF
143.0
FI
7.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AF
0.3t
FI
5.5t

Afghanistan generally does better on environment, though Finland leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AF
0.1
FI
34.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AF
54.8%
FI
7.1%

Finland performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AF
14.4%
FI
7.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AF
$2,000
FI
$57,500

Finland generally does better on employment & economy, though Afghanistan leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AF
53.6 yrs
FI
81.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AF
104.9
FI
2.1

Finland performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all family life metrics.

Data: Afghanistan Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kabul Rain: 12.3 in/yr (312 mm)
67° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

Helsinki Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kabul Helsinki
Jan–Mar 45°/25°F (8°/-4°C) 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 58°/40°F (14°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/56°F (31°/13°C) 65°/49°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 59°/31°F (15°/-1°C) 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
View all months
Month Kabul Helsinki
Jan 40°/19°F (4.5°/-7.1°C) 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C)
Feb 42°/22°F (5.5°/-5.7°C) 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C)
Mar 54°/33°F (12.5°/0.7°C) 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C)
Apr 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C)
May 76°/48°F (24.4°/8.8°C) 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C)
Jun 86°/54°F (30.2°/12.4°C) 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C)
Jul 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C)
Aug 90°/58°F (32.0°/14.3°C) 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C)
Sep 83°/49°F (28.5°/9.4°C) 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C)
Oct 72°/39°F (22.4°/3.9°C) 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C)
Nov 59°/30°F (15.0°/-1.2°C) 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C)
Dec 47°/24°F (8.3°/-4.7°C) 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C)

Data: Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Afghanistan and Finland. To live, work, or study long-term in Finland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Finland's immigration authority.

Afghanistan passport

Afghanistan passport holder visiting Finland

Visa Required
Afghanistan passport holders need a visa to enter Finland.
Finland passport

Finland passport holder visiting Afghanistan

Visa Required
Finland passport holders need a visa to enter Afghanistan.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Finland?

Connectivity is usually fine (Finland: 34.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Finland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Finland safe for expats?

Finland performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Finland is 1.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.0 in Afghanistan.

How is healthcare in Finland compared to Afghanistan?

Afghanistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 43.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Finland, compared to 2.5 in Afghanistan. Finland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Afghanistan: 41).

What's the weather like in Finland compared to Afghanistan?

The average high temperature in Helsinki is 48°F, compared to 67°F in Kabul. Helsinki receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Kabul gets 12.3 in.

What language do they speak in Finland?

The official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish. In Afghanistan, the official languages are Dari, Pashto and Turkmen.

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At a Glance

AF FI
Population 38,346,720 5,601,547
Currency Afghan Afghani (AFN) Euro (€)
Languages Dari, Pashto, Turkmen Finnish, Swedish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +93 +358
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112