Moving to United Kingdom from Finland

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Finland to United Kingdom — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Finland to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 28.0% more expensive than Finland overall. A €67,000 salary in Finland would need to be roughly £72,600 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — London averages 60°F vs 48°F in Helsinki, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Finland to United Kingdom.

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → £72,600

To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 5.0% more

Groceries

pay 1.1% less

Transportation

pay 9.8% more

Housing

pay 69.9% more

Childcare

pay 2.8 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 0.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 0.8461 GBP (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in United Kingdom cost about 31% more than cities in Finland.

Finland

Lahti 55%
Jyvaskyla 51%
Joensuu 51%

United Kingdom

Surrey 79%
Harrow 74%
Ealing 72%
Wigan 68%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Finland to United Kingdom, based on official data.

Moved in 2015
2,000

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

Who's moving to United Kingdom?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Finland to United Kingdom.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

FI
1.0
GB
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

FI
4.2
GB
2.4

Finland generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

FI
$6,433
GB
$6,606
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

FI
36.1
GB
33.0

Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

FI
7.0
GB
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

FI
5.5t
GB
4.2t

Finland generally does better on environment, though United Kingdom leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

FI
36.5
GB
42.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

FI
7.1%
GB
14.3%

Finland generally does better on infrastructure, though United Kingdom leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

FI
9.5%
GB
4.8%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

FI
$56,149
GB
$57,602

United Kingdom generally does better on employment & economy, though Finland leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

FI
82.3 yrs
GB
81.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

FI
1.9
GB
4.1

Finland performs better than United Kingdom across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Finnish Tax Administration (2016), HM Revenue & Customs (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Helsinki London
Jan–Mar 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) 49°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) 64°/48°F (18°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) 72°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 53°/43°F (12°/6°C)
View all months
Month Helsinki London
Jan 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C)
Feb 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C)
Mar 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C)
Apr 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C)
May 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C)
Jun 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Jul 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C)
Aug 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C)
Sep 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C)
Oct 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C)
Nov 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C)
Dec 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C)

Data: Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Meteorological Institute, Met Office Met Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Finland passport

Finland passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Finland passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United Kingdom.
United Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Finland

Visa Free
United Kingdom passport holders can enter Finland without a visa.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in United Kingdom than Finland?

No — United Kingdom is on average about 28% more expensive than Finland. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly £18,150 in United Kingdom on a €67,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?

Internet is rarely the blocker — United Kingdom has 42.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is United Kingdom safe for expats?

Finland generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in Finland.

How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to Finland?

Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index. There are 33.0 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 36.1 in Finland. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Finland: 86).

What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to Finland?

The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 48°F in Helsinki. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Helsinki gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in United Kingdom?

The official language in United Kingdom is English. In Finland, the official languages are Finnish and Swedish.

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At a Glance

FI GB
Population 5,646,436 69,487,000
Currency Euro (€) British Pound Sterling (£)
Languages Finnish, Swedish English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +358 +44
Time zones 1 9
Emergency number 112 999