Moving to Finland from United Kingdom
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United Kingdom to Finland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United Kingdom to Finland, you would find that Finland is 21.9% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £56,000 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly €51,900 in Finland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Finnish and Swedish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Helsinki averages 48°F vs 60°F in London, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Finland cheaper than United Kingdom?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 4.8% less
Groceries
pay 1.2% more
Transportation
pay 8.9% less
Housing
pay 41.2% less
Childcare
pay 64.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 0.5% 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 Finland?
What does your salary buy?
£56,000 → €51,900
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 24% less than cities in United Kingdom.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United Kingdom to Finland, based on official data.
people moved from United Kingdom to Finland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Kingdom to Finland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though Finland leads in homicide rate.
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
Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom generally does better on environment, though Finland leads in air pollution deaths.
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
United Kingdom generally does better on infrastructure, though Finland 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
United Kingdom generally does better on employment & economy, though Finland leads in poverty 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
Finland performs significantly better than United Kingdom across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), HM Revenue & Customs (2016), Finnish Tax Administration (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Finland vs United Kingdom
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | London | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) |
Met Office
Finnish Meteorological InstituteCan you move from United Kingdom to Finland?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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 Kingdom passport holder visiting Finland
Visa Free
Finland passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 United Kingdom?
Yes — Finland is on average about 22% cheaper than United Kingdom. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Finland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €12,975 in Finland on a £56,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Finland?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Finland has 36.5 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 Finland safe for expats?
United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though Finland leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Finland is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in United Kingdom.
How is healthcare in Finland compared to United Kingdom?
Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Finland, compared to 33.0 in United Kingdom. Finland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).
What's the weather like in Finland compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Helsinki is 48°F, compared to 60°F in London. Helsinki receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in Finland?
The official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish. In United Kingdom, the official language is English.
