Moving to Estonia from Japan
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Japan to Estonia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Japan to Estonia, you would find that Estonia is 8.6% more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly €73,400 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 69°F in Tokyo, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Estonia cheaper than Japan?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 30.6% less
Transportation
pay 0.1% less
Housing
pay 10.6% more
Childcare
pay 15.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 19.4% more
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?
¥12,000,000 → €73,400
To maintain the same standard of living in Estonia
Calculate with your salary →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 Estonia cost about 16% more than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Japan to Estonia, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Japan and Estonia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs better than Estonia across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Estonia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Japan generally does better on environment, though Estonia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Japan generally does better on infrastructure, though Estonia leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Estonia leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Estonia generally does better on family life, though Japan leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), Estonian Tax and Customs Board (2016), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this
Weather in Estonia vs Japan
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tokyo | Tallinn |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 31°/21°F (0°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 57°/41°F (14°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 65°/51°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 40°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Tallinn |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 29°/20°F (-1.4°/-6.6°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 29°/18°F (-1.8°/-7.5°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 36°/24°F (2.0°/-4.3°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 47°/32°F (8.2°/0.1°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 59°/41°F (14.9°/5.0°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 66°/49°F (19.1°/9.7°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.1°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 68°/53°F (19.9°/11.6°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 58°/45°F (14.5°/7.2°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 48°/38°F (9.1°/3.3°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 38°/30°F (3.3°/-1.2°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.6°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute
Can you move from Japan to Estonia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting Estonia
Visa Free
Estonia passport holder visiting Japan
Visa FreeData: 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 Japan?
Day-to-day costs in Estonia run about 9% higher than Japan on average; specific cities can swing further.
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 ¥12,000,000 comparable salary, that's around €18,350 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 Japan and Estonia.
Is Estonia safe for expats?
Japan performs better than Estonia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Estonia is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan. About 75% of people in Estonia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Estonia compared to Japan?
Estonia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index. There are 34.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Estonia, compared to 26.5 in Japan. Estonia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Estonia compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Tallinn is 48°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Tallinn receives around 27.3 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Estonia?
The official language in Estonia is Estonian. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
