Moving to Estonia from Hong Kong

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Hong Kong to Estonia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Hong Kong to Estonia, you would find that Estonia is 48.4% cheaper than Hong Kong overall. A HK$590,000 salary in Hong Kong would need to be roughly €34,700 in Estonia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Estonian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Tallinn averages 48°F vs 79°F in Hong Kong, making it significantly cooler.

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Is Estonia cheaper than Hong Kong?

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 76.1% more

Groceries

pay 50.0% less

Transportation

pay 51.5% less

Housing

pay 67.7% less

Childcare

pay 64.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 35.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 HKD = 0.1138 EUR (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.

What salary do you need in Estonia?

What does your salary buy?

HK$590,000 → €34,700

To maintain the same standard of living in Estonia

Calculate with your salary →

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Hong Kong to Estonia, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2010
1

people born in Hong Kong live in Estonia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Estonia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Hong Kong and Estonia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

HK
0.4
EE
1.5

Hong Kong performs better than Estonia across all safety metrics.

What about the environment?

CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

HK
4.6t
EE
7.8t

Hong Kong performs better than Estonia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

HK
40.3
EE
35.4
Electricity per capita World Bank, 2024

annual consumption — reflects grid capacity

HK
6,359 kWh
EE
5,298 kWh

Hong Kong performs better than Estonia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

HK
2.8%
EE
8.3%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

HK
$56,983
EE
$34,418

Hong Kong performs better than Estonia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

HK
85.4 yrs
EE
79.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

HK
2.5
EE
1.5

Estonia generally does better on family life, though Hong Kong leads in life expectancy.

Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2016–2022), Inland Revenue Department, Hong Kong (2016), Estonian Tax and Customs Board (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Estonia vs Hong Kong

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Hong Kong Rain: 95.7 in/yr (2431 mm)
79° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Tallinn Rain: 27.3 in/yr (693 mm)
48° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Hong Kong Tallinn
Jan–Mar 68°/61°F (20°/16°C) 31°/21°F (0°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 83°/75°F (28°/24°C) 57°/41°F (14°/5°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/80°F (31°/27°C) 65°/51°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 76°/68°F (24°/20°C) 40°/31°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Hong Kong Tallinn
Jan 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) 29°/20°F (-1.4°/-6.6°C)
Feb 67°/60°F (19.4°/15.3°C) 29°/18°F (-1.8°/-7.5°C)
Mar 71°/64°F (21.9°/17.6°C) 36°/24°F (2.0°/-4.3°C)
Apr 78°/70°F (25.6°/21.1°C) 47°/32°F (8.2°/0.1°C)
May 84°/76°F (28.8°/24.5°C) 59°/41°F (14.9°/5.0°C)
Jun 87°/80°F (30.7°/26.5°C) 66°/49°F (19.1°/9.7°C)
Jul 89°/80°F (31.6°/26.9°C) 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.1°C)
Aug 88°/80°F (31.3°/26.7°C) 68°/53°F (19.9°/11.6°C)
Sep 87°/79°F (30.5°/26.1°C) 58°/45°F (14.5°/7.2°C)
Oct 83°/75°F (28.1°/23.9°C) 48°/38°F (9.1°/3.3°C)
Nov 76°/69°F (24.5°/20.3°C) 38°/30°F (3.3°/-1.2°C)
Dec 69°/61°F (20.4°/16.2°C) 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.6°C)

Data: Hong Kong Observatory Hong Kong Observatory, Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute

Can you move from Hong Kong to Estonia?

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

Hong Kong passport

Hong Kong passport holder visiting Estonia

Visa Free
Hong Kong passport holders can enter Estonia without a visa.
Estonia passport

Estonia passport holder visiting Hong Kong

Visa Free
Estonia passport holders can enter Hong Kong 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 Estonia than Hong Kong?

Generally yes: Estonia runs about 48% cheaper than Hong Kong on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Estonia?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a HK$590,000 comparable salary, that's around €8,675 in Estonia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Estonia?

With 35.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Estonia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Hong Kong and Estonia.

Is Estonia safe for expats?

Hong Kong performs better than Estonia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Estonia is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.4 in Hong Kong.

What's the weather like in Estonia compared to Hong Kong?

The average high temperature in Tallinn is 48°F, compared to 79°F in Hong Kong. Tallinn receives around 27.3 in of rainfall per year, while Hong Kong gets 95.7 in.

What language do they speak in Estonia?

The official language in Estonia is Estonian. In Hong Kong, the official languages are Chinese and English.

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At a Glance

HK EE
Population 7,498,900 1,366,475
Currency Hong Kong Dollar (HK$) Euro (€)
Languages Chinese, English Estonian
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +852 +372
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 112