Cost of Living Comparison Between Haapsalu and Tartu Cost of Living Comparison Between Haapsalu and Tartu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,035 in Haapsalu versus $1,619 in Tartu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,664 in Haapsalu versus $2,441 in Tartu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,294 in Haapsalu versus $3,263 in Tartu.

Living in Haapsalu costs roughly 36% less than in Tartu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Haapsalu is 23% below, Tartu is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.45

$17.30 €15.12

2.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 €59.7

$70.6 €61.7

-3.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 €8.46

$9.58 €8.37

1.15%

Cappuccino

$3.74 €3.26

$3.62 €3.17

3.31%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 €2.18

$2.51 €2.19

-0.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.37

$2.81 €2.46

-3.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 €4.44

$5.06 €4.42

0.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 €5.05

$5.67 €4.95

1.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.11

$1.27 €1.11

0.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.47 €1.28

0.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 €2.01

$2.32 €2.02

-0.86%

Eggs

$2.95 €2.58

$2.89 €2.52

2.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 €10.63

$12.26 €10.71

-0.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.88 €7.76

$8.84 €7.72

0.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 €10.02

$11.53 €10.08

-0.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 €1.71

$1.96 €1.72

-0.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 €1.41

$1.60 €1.40

0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 €1.78

$2.47 €2.16

-17.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 €1.97

$2.45 €2.14

-7.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 €0.87

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 €0.55

$1.09 €0.95

-42.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 €1.57

$2.05 €1.79

-12.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.91

$1.02 €0.89

2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.42 €5.61

$6.29 €5.50

2.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.35 €9.04

$10.41 €9.10

-0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.71

$1.93 €1.69

1.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.84

$2.17 €1.90

-3.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 €1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.62 €26.75

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 €2.97

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 €0.65

$0.73 €0.64

2.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.40 €17.83

$20.57 €17.97

-0.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.67

$1.87 €1.64

2.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.0K €20.1K

$28.4K €24.9K

-19.18%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.4K €19.6K

$31.0K €27.1K

-27.79%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$274 €240

$270 €236

1.36%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.50 €19.66

$22.99 €20.09

-2.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.75 €32.11

$36.00 €31.45

2.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.91 €41.86

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.20 €28.13

$32.34 €28.26

-0.43%

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 €10.18

$11.39 €9.95

2.28%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$118 €104

$116 €101

2.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,114 €7,089

$8,244 €7,203

-1.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 €105

$121 €106

-0.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.85 €34.82

$39.58 €34.58

0.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 €87.0

$98.4 €85.9

1.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 €84.9

$110 €96.1

-11.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 €595

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 €385

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 €938

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 €692

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,281 €1,993

$3,506 €3,063

-34.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,704 €1,489

$2,692 €2,352

-36.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,419 €1,240

$1,997 €1,745

-28.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

-53.49%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Haapsalu: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tartu: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Tartu pays 41% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Haapsalu vs $71.0 in Tartu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $266 per month, with Haapsalu cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Haapsalu vs Tartu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haapsalu and Tartu differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($1,035 vs $1,619 including rent). Haapsalu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Tartu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Tartu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,035 per month in Haapsalu versus $1,619 in Tartu – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,035 in Haapsalu versus $1,619 in Tartu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Haapsalu but tight or insufficient in Tartu. The gap between the two cities makes Haapsalu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Haapsalu and Tartu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Haapsalu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Tartu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.