Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuressaare and Tartu

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuressaare: $1,492 a month against $1,683 in Tartu, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

71

Cost of Living Index in Kuressaare
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Kuressaare Living Index
81

Cost of Living Index in Tartu
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Tartu Living Index

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Kuressaare

🇪🇪 Estonia

$1,492

/mo nomad

Tartu

🇪🇪 Estonia

$1,683

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kuressaare and in Tartu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kuressaare and in Tartu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,492 per month in Kuressaare vs $1,683 in Tartu, rent included.

Kuressaare $1,492
Tartu $1,683

A couple spends around $2,208 per month in Kuressaare vs $2,572 in Tartu, rent included.

Kuressaare $2,208
Tartu $2,572

A family of three spends $2,925 per month in Kuressaare vs $3,461 in Tartu, rent included.

Kuressaare $2,925
Tartu $3,461

Kuressaare is about 11% cheaper than Tartu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Kuressaare and Tartu sit above the global median – Kuressaare by 10%, Tartu by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.51 €12.08

$16.61 €14.85

-18.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.4 €59.4

$71.4 €63.9

-7.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 €7.80

$11.07 €9.90

-21.23%

Cappuccino

$4.00 €3.58

$4.14 €3.70

-3.38%

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

$3.46 €3.09

$3.33 €2.98

3.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 €2.51

$3.87 €3.46

-27.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.40 €5.73

$6.51 €5.83

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 €5.02

$7.13 €6.38

-21.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.11

$1.20 €1.07

3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 €1.70

$1.87 €1.68

1.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 €2.06

$2.42 €2.16

-4.96%

Eggs

$2.98 €2.66

$2.96 €2.65

0.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 €11.17

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.59 €7.68

$8.75 €7.83

-1.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.04 €13.45

$14.71 €13.16

2.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 €1.57

$2.05 €1.83

-14.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 €1.29

$1.42 €1.27

1.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 €2.26

$2.54 €2.27

-0.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 €2.65

$3.01 €2.69

-1.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 €0.93

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 €0.80

$0.84 €0.75

5.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 €1.67

$1.82 €1.63

2.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.07

$1.25 €1.11

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 €5.92

$6.93 €6.20

-4.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.14 €9.07

$10.25 €9.17

-1.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 €1.67

$2.10 €1.88

-10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.93

$2.46 €2.20

-12.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €2.04

$1.64 €1.46

39.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.06 €25.09

$31.61 €28.26

-11.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 €3.27

$3.60 €3.22

1.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 €0.89

$0.98 €0.88

1.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.01 €24.16

$27.01 €24.15

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.79

$1.95 €1.75

2.56%

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

$27.5K €24.5K

$27.5K €24.6K

-0.34%

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

$29.3K €26.2K

$30.2K €27.0K

-3.01%

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

$310 €277

$307 €275

0.86%

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

$11.33 €10.13

$17.55 €15.70

-35.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.43 €32.58

$35.51 €31.75

2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.12 €29.62

$42.39 €37.90

-21.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 €31.23

Cinema Ticket

$11.54 €10.32

$11.80 €10.55

-2.20%

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

$475 €425

$478 €427

-0.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.7K

$11.5K €10.3K

4.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €97.2

$108 €96.9

0.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.38 €43.26

$48.20 €43.10

0.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €93.3

$107 €95.7

-2.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €107

$121 €108

-0.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 €457

$647 €579

-21.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 €294

$462 €413

-28.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 €588

$1,217 €1,089

-46.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 €442

$850 €760

-41.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,044 €3,616

$3,858 €3,450

4.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,476 €2,214

$2,812 €2,514

-11.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,280 €1,144

$2,049 €1,832

-37.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.93

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

Last update for Kuressaare: November 2, 2026

Last update for Tartu: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kuressaare

$358 24%

Tartu

$360 21.4% 0.8% $2.7

Accommodation & Living

Kuressaare

$329 22.1%

Tartu

$462 27.4% 40.3% $133

Groceries & Markets

Kuressaare

$281 18.8%

Tartu

$284 16.9% 1.2% $3.3

Eating Out

Kuressaare

$251 16.8%

Tartu

$291 17.3% 16.3% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Kuressaare

$171 11.5%

Tartu

$173 10.3% 0.8% $1.4

Sport & Entertainment

Kuressaare

$56 3.8%

Tartu

$66 3.9% 17.4% $9.8

Getting Around

Kuressaare

$46 3.1%

Tartu

$47 2.8% 1.8% $0.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $511 in Kuressaare versus $647 in Tartu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 60% higher in Tartu. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Kuressaare versus $71 in Tartu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $284 – making Kuressaare the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇪 Kuressaare

🇪🇪 Tartu

🕒 Local time

04:02 4:02 AM

Same time as Kuressaare

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,170

102,414

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

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From you

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Kuressaare vs Tartu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tartu is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,238 per month in Kuressaare and $2,525 in Tartu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuressaare, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $511 there versus $647 in Tartu.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,492 in Kuressaare and $1,683 in Tartu. That makes Kuressaare about 11% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $475 per month in Kuressaare and $478 in Tartu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Tartu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,492 in Kuressaare to $1,683 in Tartu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Kuressaare. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tartu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.