Cost of Living Comparison Between Tallinn and Ilmenau Cost of Living Comparison Between Tallinn and Ilmenau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,888 in Tallinn versus $2,100 in Ilmenau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,890 in Tallinn versus $2,590 in Ilmenau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,892 in Tallinn versus $3,081 in Ilmenau.

Living in Tallinn costs roughly 10% less than in Ilmenau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tallinn 37% above, Ilmenau 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.49 €15.04

$11.78 €10.13

48.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.6 €80.5

$69.1 €59.4

35.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.51 €9.89

$11.69 €10.05

-1.54%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.81

$3.42 €2.94

29.82%

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

$2.18 €1.87

$4.31 €3.70

-49.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.97

$8.04 €6.91

-71.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 €5.89

$4.52 €3.88

51.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 €5.71

$5.17 €4.45

28.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.17 €1.00

-0.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 €1.32

$2.12 €1.82

-27.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 €2.55

$3.47 €2.98

-14.41%

Eggs

$3.26 €2.80

$3.42 €2.94

-4.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.39 €9.79

$14.90 €12.81

-23.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.40 €8.08

$10.58 €9.10

-11.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.85 €23.09

$18.51 €15.92

45.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 €2.07

$3.06 €2.63

-21.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.48 €1.27

3.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.44

$3.69 €3.17

-23.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 €2.58

$3.95 €3.40

-24.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.19 €1.89

-62.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.43 €1.23

-44.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 €1.82

$1.69 €1.46

25.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$0.89 €0.76

2.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.16

$9.71 €8.35

-26.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 €9.11

$6.36 €5.47

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.14 €0.98

75.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.55 €1.34

38.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.06 €30.14

$67.5 €58.0

-48.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.50 €5.59

$5.42 €4.66

19.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 €1.03

$4.29 €3.69

-72.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.31 €23.48

$47.16 €40.54

-42.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 €1.70

$2.08 €1.79

-4.81%

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

$28.7K €24.7K

$34.2K €29.4K

-15.93%

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

$34.1K €29.3K

$40.1K €34.4K

-14.83%

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

$330 €284

$683 €587

-51.68%

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

$17.69 €15.21

$28.86 €24.81

-38.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.42 €28.73

$35.79 €30.77

-6.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.27 €40.63

$51.8 €44.56

-8.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.26 €40.63

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 €12.07

$13.87 €11.92

1.23%

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

$689 €592

$470 €404

46.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K €9,160

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$95.5 €82.1

9.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 €46.16

$33.13 €28.48

62.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €105

$124 €106

-0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 €122

$114 €98.0

24.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 €713

$497 €427

66.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 €503

$465 €400

25.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,554 €1,336

$869 €747

78.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 €861

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,065 €4,354

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,270 €2,811

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,239 €1,925

$3,332 €2,864

-32.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.95

-11.39%

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

Last update for Tallinn: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ilmenau: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $830 in Tallinn and $497 in Ilmenau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilmenau pays 49% 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: $94.0 in Tallinn vs $69.0 in Ilmenau. Groceries flip the comparison at $320 vs $321, with Tallinn cheaper for home cooking.

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

Tallinn vs Ilmenau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tallinn and Ilmenau differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,888 vs $2,100 including rent). Tallinn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Ilmenau. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $830 in Tallinn versus $497 in Ilmenau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,888 per month in Tallinn versus $2,100 in Ilmenau – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tallinn runs roughly 92% less than in Ilmenau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,888 in Tallinn versus $2,100 in Ilmenau, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tallinn but tight or insufficient in Ilmenau. The gap between the two cities makes Tallinn 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, Tallinn and Ilmenau 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 Tallinn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Ilmenau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.