Moving to Finland from Minnesota

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Minnesota to Finland — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Minnesota to Finland, you would find that Finland is 16.5% cheaper than Minnesota. A $75,000 salary in Minnesota would need to be roughly €55,900 in Finland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Finnish and Swedish.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Finland cheaper than Minnesota?

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 3.9% less

Groceries

pay 23.9% less

Transportation

pay 35.1% more

Housing

pay 34.6% less

Childcare

pay 56.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.8929 EUR (November 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 Finland?

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 → €55,900

To maintain the same standard of living in Finland

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 Finland cost about 12% less than cities in Minnesota.

Minnesota

Mankato 62%
Rochester 60%
Duluth 50%

Finland

Lahti 55%
Jyvaskyla 51%
Joensuu 51%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Finland

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Minnesota to Finland, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
478 ↓ 8% vs 2022

people moved from United States 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

How Minnesota and Finland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2024

share of adults with obesity

MN
33.9%
FI
24.2%

Finland performs significantly better than Minnesota across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2024

share of households with internet

MN
91.0%
FI
93.7%

Finland performs significantly better than Minnesota across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MN
4.3%
FI
9.5%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

MN
$68,478
FI
$56,149

Minnesota performs better than Finland across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2024

average years of life at birth

MN
79.1 yrs
FI
82.3 yrs

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

Weather in Finland vs Minnesota

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Minneapolis Rain: 30.6 in/yr (778 mm)
55° / 37°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Minneapolis Helsinki
Jan–Mar 31°/15°F (0°/-10°C) 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C)
Apr–Jun 69°/48°F (20°/9°C) 58°/40°F (14°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) 65°/49°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 42°/26°F (6°/-3°C) 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
View all months
Month Minneapolis Helsinki
Jan 24°/8°F (-4.6°/-13.6°C) 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C)
Feb 29°/13°F (-1.7°/-10.7°C) 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C)
Mar 41°/24°F (5.2°/-4.3°C) 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C)
Apr 58°/37°F (14.3°/2.9°C) 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C)
May 69°/49°F (20.8°/9.4°C) 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C)
Jun 79°/59°F (26.0°/14.9°C) 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C)
Jul 83°/64°F (28.6°/17.8°C) 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C)
Aug 80°/62°F (26.9°/16.6°C) 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C)
Sep 72°/52°F (22.1°/11.3°C) 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C)
Oct 58°/40°F (14.4°/4.3°C) 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C)
Nov 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C)
Dec 27°/12°F (-2.7°/-10.9°C) 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Meteorological Institute

Can you move from Minnesota to Finland?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Finland

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

Finland passport holder visiting United States

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

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 Finland than Minnesota?

Generally yes: Finland runs about 16% cheaper than Minnesota on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Finland?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around €13,975 in Finland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Finland?

Working remotely from Finland's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Minnesota and Finland.

How is healthcare in Finland compared to Minnesota?

Finland performs significantly better than Minnesota across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Helsinki is 48°F, compared to 55°F in Minneapolis. Helsinki receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Minneapolis gets 30.6 in.

What language do they speak in Finland?

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

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At a Glance

FI
Population 5,830,405 5,646,436
Currency United States Dollar ($) Euro (€)
Languages English Finnish, Swedish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +358
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 112