Cost of Living Comparison Between Tartu and Saku Cost of Living Comparison Between Tartu and Saku

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,700 per month in Tartu vs $1,119 in Saku, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,590 per month in Tartu vs $1,749 in Saku, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,480 per month in Tartu vs $2,378 in Saku, rent included.

Tartu costs about 52% more than Saku, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Tartu sits 24% above the global median, while Saku is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.35 €15.04

$17.16 €14.87

1.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 €64.2

$74.8 €64.8

-0.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.90

$11.64 €10.08

-1.89%

Cappuccino

$4.21 €3.65

$4.22 €3.66

-0.24%

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

$3.55 €3.08

$2.14 €1.85

65.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 €3.31

$2.19 €1.89

74.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.83 €5.92

$6.82 €5.91

0.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 €6.40

$6.56 €5.69

12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.18 €1.02

7.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 €1.67

$1.39 €1.21

38.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 €2.07

$2.36 €2.05

1.27%

Eggs

$3.00 €2.60

$3.09 €2.67

-2.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 €11.32

$11.12 €9.64

17.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.73 €7.57

$9.07 €7.86

-3.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.20 €13.18

$15.08 €13.06

0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 €1.82

$2.22 €1.92

-5.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.47 €1.28

2.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 €2.18

$2.50 €2.16

0.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 €2.66

$3.09 €2.68

-0.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.83 €0.72

32.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 €0.80

$0.83 €0.72

12.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.85 €1.60

4.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$0.92 €0.80

35.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.17

$7.09 €6.14

0.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.70 €9.27

$10.53 €9.12

1.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.83

$2.02 €1.75

4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 €2.13

$2.14 €1.85

14.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 €1.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.27 €27.96

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.75 €3.25

$3.62 €3.14

3.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 €0.88

$1.05 €0.91

-2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.91 €24.19

$27.73 €24.03

0.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.69

$1.90 €1.64

2.63%

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

$29.1K €25.2K

$28.5K €24.7K

1.85%

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

$32.1K €27.8K

$32.2K €27.9K

-0.21%

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

$320 €277

$319 €277

0.29%

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

$18.12 €15.70

$18.03 €15.63

0.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.10 €32.15

$33.40 €28.94

11.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.07 €35.59

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.24 €31.41

Cinema Ticket

$11.99 €10.39

$12.13 €10.51

-1.15%

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

$440 €381

$449 €389

-1.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K €10.7K

$10.8K €9,367

14.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €99.3

$108 €93.2

6.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.97 €43.30

$50.6 €43.85

-1.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €95.5

$108 €93.2

2.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$126 €109

-2.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 €546

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 €379

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 €1,035

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 €670

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,600 €3,120

$4,144 €3,591

-13.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,688 €2,329

$2,811 €2,436

-4.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,003 €1,736

$1,865 €1,616

7.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.93

3.53

11.33%

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

Last update for Tartu: September 13, 2026

Last update for Saku: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 7% 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 $74.0 in Tartu versus $75.0 in Saku. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Tartu vs $275 in Saku – so Saku wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Tartu vs Saku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tartu is pricier by about 52%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,550 per month in Tartu and $1,679 in Saku. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,700 in Tartu and $1,119 in Saku. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $440 per month in Tartu and $449 in Saku. 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 $1,119, than in Tartu at $1,700. In Saku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tartu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saku – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Saku. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tartu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.