Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saku and Tartu

For one person, living is cheaper in Saku: $1,108 a month against $1,683 in Tartu, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

53

Cost of Living Index in Saku
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Saku Living Index
81

Cost of Living Index in Tartu
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Tartu Living Index

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Saku

🇪🇪 Estonia

$1,108

/mo nomad

Tartu

🇪🇪 Estonia

$1,683

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saku 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 Saku and in Tartu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,108 per month in Saku vs $1,683 in Tartu, rent included.

Saku $1,108
Tartu $1,683

A couple spends around $1,724 per month in Saku vs $2,572 in Tartu, rent included.

Saku $1,724
Tartu $2,572

A family of three spends $2,339 per month in Saku vs $3,461 in Tartu, rent included.

Saku $2,339
Tartu $3,461

Saku is about 34% cheaper than Tartu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Saku sits 18% below the global median, while Tartu is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.43 €14.69

$16.61 €14.85

-1.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 €62.9

$71.4 €63.9

-1.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 €10.04

$11.07 €9.90

1.45%

Cappuccino

$4.14 €3.70

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

$2.25 €2.01

$3.33 €2.98

-32.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 €2.07

$3.87 €3.46

-40.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 €5.96

$6.51 €5.83

2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 €5.82

$7.13 €6.38

-8.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.97

$1.20 €1.07

-9.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 €1.24

$1.87 €1.68

-25.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 €2.13

$2.42 €2.16

-1.65%

Eggs

$2.90 €2.59

$2.96 €2.65

-2.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 €9.88

$12.49 €11.17

-11.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.41 €7.52

$8.75 €7.83

-3.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.64 €13.09

$14.71 €13.16

-0.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 €1.92

$2.05 €1.83

4.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 €1.23

$1.42 €1.27

-2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 €2.23

$2.54 €2.27

-1.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 €2.70

$3.01 €2.69

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 €0.73

$1.04 €0.93

-21.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 €0.72

$0.84 €0.75

-3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 €1.66

$1.82 €1.63

1.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.90

$1.25 €1.11

-19.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.91 €6.18

$6.93 €6.20

-0.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.22 €9.14

$10.25 €9.17

-0.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 €1.69

$2.10 €1.88

-9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 €1.86

$2.46 €2.20

-15.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 €1.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.61 €28.26

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 €3.28

$3.60 €3.22

1.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 €0.92

$0.98 €0.88

5.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.04 €23.28

$27.01 €24.15

-3.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.80

$1.95 €1.75

3.59%

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

$28.2K €25.2K

$27.5K €24.6K

2.39%

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

$29.3K €26.2K

$30.2K €27.0K

-3.12%

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

$312 €279

$307 €275

1.46%

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

$17.17 €15.36

$17.55 €15.70

-2.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.62 €29.17

$35.51 €31.75

-8.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.39 €37.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 €31.23

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 €10.41

$11.80 €10.55

-1.27%

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

$469 €420

$478 €427

-1.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K €9,106

$11.5K €10.3K

-11.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €90.8

$108 €96.9

-6.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.12 €43.03

$48.20 €43.10

-0.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €94.6

$107 €95.7

-1.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €106

$121 €108

-1.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 €579

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 €413

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 €1,089

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$850 €760

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,012 €3,588

$3,858 €3,450

4.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,648 €2,368

$2,812 €2,514

-5.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 €1,577

$2,049 €1,832

-13.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.44

3.93

-12.47%

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

Last update for Saku: October 31, 2026

Last update for Tartu: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saku

$362 32.6%

Tartu

$360 21.4% 0.3% $1.2

Eating Out

Saku

$279 25.2%

Tartu

$291 17.3% 4.3% $12

Groceries & Markets

Saku

$267 24.1%

Tartu

$284 16.9% 6.7% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Saku

$168 15.2%

Tartu

$173 10.3% 2.7% $4.6

Sport & Entertainment

Saku

$23 * 2.1%

Tartu

$66 3.9% 183% $43

Getting Around

Saku

$8.8 * 0.8%

Tartu

$47 2.8% 429% $38

Accommodation & Living

Saku

- * 0%

Tartu

$462 27.4%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 16% higher in Tartu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Saku versus $71 in Tartu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $284 – making Saku the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇪 Saku

🇪🇪 Tartu

🕒 Local time

00:42 12:42 AM

Same time as Saku

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,548

102,414

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Saku Tartu 160 km

From you

Saku
Tartu

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

Saku vs Tartu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tartu is pricier by about 52%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,662 per month in Saku and $2,525 in Tartu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Tartu, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Kindergarten costs $469 per month in Saku and $478 in Tartu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saku, where all-in costs run around $1,108, than in Tartu at $1,683. In Saku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tartu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tartu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,108 in Saku 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 Saku. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tartu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.