Moving to Finland from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to Finland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to Finland, you would find that Finland is 26.7% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly €49,100 in Finland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Finnish and Swedish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Helsinki averages 48°F vs 66°F in Washington, making it significantly cooler.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from United States to Finland.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €49,100
To maintain the same standard of living in Finland
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 7.0% less
Groceries
pay 28.9% less
Transportation
pay 32.9% more
Housing
pay 50.6% less
Childcare
pay 64.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 7.2% 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.
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 41% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United States to Finland, based on official data.
people moved from United States to Finland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United States to Finland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Finland performs significantly better than United States 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
Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Finland performs significantly better than United States across all environment metrics.
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 States 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 States 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 States across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), Finnish Tax Administration (2016), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Washington | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Finnish Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
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 holder visiting Finland
Visa Free
Finland passport holder visiting United States
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 States?
Yes — Finland is on average about 27% cheaper than United States. 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 €12,275 in Finland on a $75,000 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?
Finland performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Finland is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States. About 86% of people in Finland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Finland compared to United States?
Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Finland, compared to 36.8 in United States. Finland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Finland compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Helsinki is 48°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Helsinki receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Finland?
The official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish. In United States, the official language is English.
