Cost of Living Comparison Between Tallinn and Rakvere Cost of Living Comparison Between Tallinn and Rakvere

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,940 per month in Tallinn vs $1,245 in Rakvere, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,986 per month in Tallinn vs $1,783 in Rakvere, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,033 per month in Tallinn vs $2,322 in Rakvere, rent included.

Tallinn costs about 56% more than Rakvere, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tallinn sits 45% above the global median, while Rakvere is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.95 €13.65

$9.45 €8.09

68.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.1 €72.8

$45.72 €39.14

86.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.75

$8.26 €7.07

37.89%

Cappuccino

$4.41 €3.77

$3.77 €3.22

16.98%

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

$2.99 €2.56

$2.46 €2.11

21.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 €2.16

$1.93 €1.65

30.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 €5.41

$4.59 €3.93

37.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 €5.82

$4.16 €3.56

63.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.04 €0.89

19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 €1.26

$0.77 €0.66

90.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 €2.58

$2.34 €2.00

28.63%

Eggs

$2.87 €2.46

$2.05 €1.75

40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$8.20 €7.02

63.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.19

$6.80 €5.82

40.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.81 €19.52

$10.53 €9.01

116.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 €1.93

$1.96 €1.68

14.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 €1.36

$1.28 €1.10

24.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.29

$2.42 €2.08

10.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 €3.20

$2.40 €2.05

55.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 €1.16

$1.05 €0.90

29.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 €0.84

$1.10 €0.94

-10.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.73 €1.48

13.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.93

$0.56 €0.48

94.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 €5.78

$6.52 €5.58

3.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.69 €10.00

$10.57 €9.05

10.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.17 €1.00

69.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 €2.18

$1.18 €1.01

116.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.78 €0.67

191.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.80 €29.79

$23.31 €19.96

49.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.18 €3.58

$2.91 €2.49

43.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 €0.74

$0.74 €0.63

17.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.66 €15.12

$20.64 €17.67

-14.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.71

$1.87 €1.60

6.95%

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

$32.5K €27.8K

$20.9K €17.9K

55.15%

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

$33.6K €28.8K

$25.9K €22.2K

29.94%

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

$345 €295

$265 €227

30.18%

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

$20.45 €17.50

$22.34 €19.13

-8.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.10 €30.90

$31.54 €27.00

14.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.7 €51.1

$53.3 €45.64

11.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.41 €30.31

$18.24 €15.61

94.13%

Cinema Ticket

$13.62 €11.66

$5.18 €4.44

162.93%

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

$552 €472

$114 €97.5

384.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,911 €6,771

$8,292 €7,098

-4.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €96.6

$121 €103

-6.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.17 €39.52

$35.32 €30.23

30.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €89.9

$62.6 €53.6

67.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 €120

$79.8 €68.3

75.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$810 €694

$350 €300

131.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 €510

$289 €247

106.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 €1,269

$589 €504

151.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,043 €893

$354 €303

194.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,450 €4,665

$1,774 €1,519

207.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,585 €3,069

$1,303 €1,115

175.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,139 €1,831

$1,267 €1,085

68.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.1

2.3

121.74%

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

Last update for Tallinn: April 26, 2026

Last update for Rakvere: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $810 in Tallinn versus $350 in Rakvere. 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 69% higher in Tallinn, 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 $85.0 in Tallinn versus $46.00 in Rakvere. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $213 – making Rakvere the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Rakvere: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,940 in Tallinn, $1,245 in Rakvere – roughly 56% apart. Tallinn costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,909 per month in Tallinn and $1,867 in Rakvere. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rakvere, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Tallinn and $46.00 in Rakvere. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,940 in Tallinn and $1,245 in Rakvere. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rakvere, where all-in costs run around $1,245, than in Tallinn at $1,940. In Rakvere it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tallinn it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tallinn has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,245 in Rakvere to $1,940 in Tallinn. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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