Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tartu and Saku

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.

81

Cost of Living Index in Tartu
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Tartu Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in Saku
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Saku Living Index

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Tartu

🇪🇪 Estonia

$1,683

/mo nomad

Saku

🇪🇪 Estonia

$1,108

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tartu and in Saku

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

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

Tartu $1,683
Saku $1,108

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

Tartu $2,572
Saku $1,724

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

Tartu $3,461
Saku $2,339

Tartu costs about 52% more than Saku, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.61 €14.85

$16.43 €14.69

1.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.4 €63.9

$70.4 €62.9

1.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 €9.90

$11.23 €10.04

-1.42%

Cappuccino

$4.14 €3.70

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

$3.33 €2.98

$2.25 €2.01

48.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 €3.46

$2.32 €2.07

66.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.51 €5.83

$6.66 €5.96

-2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 €6.38

$6.51 €5.82

9.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.07

$1.09 €0.97

10.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 €1.68

$1.39 €1.24

34.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 €2.16

$2.38 €2.13

1.68%

Eggs

$2.96 €2.65

$2.90 €2.59

2.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 €11.17

$11.04 €9.88

13.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 €7.83

$8.41 €7.52

4.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.71 €13.16

$14.64 €13.09

0.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 €1.83

$2.14 €1.92

-4.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 €1.27

$1.38 €1.23

2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 €2.27

$2.49 €2.23

2.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 €2.69

$3.01 €2.70

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 €0.93

$0.82 €0.73

26.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 €0.75

$0.81 €0.72

3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 €1.63

$1.85 €1.66

-1.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.11

$1.01 €0.90

23.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 €6.20

$6.91 €6.18

0.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 €9.17

$10.22 €9.14

0.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.88

$1.90 €1.69

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 €2.20

$2.08 €1.86

18.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 €1.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.61 €28.26

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 €3.22

$3.67 €3.28

-1.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 €0.88

$1.03 €0.92

-4.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.01 €24.15

$26.04 €23.28

3.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.75

$2.02 €1.80

-3.47%

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

$27.5K €24.6K

$28.2K €25.2K

-2.34%

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

$30.2K €27.0K

$29.3K €26.2K

3.22%

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

$307 €275

$312 €279

-1.44%

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

$17.55 €15.70

$17.17 €15.36

2.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.51 €31.75

$32.62 €29.17

8.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.39 €37.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 €31.23

Cinema Ticket

$11.80 €10.55

$11.65 €10.41

1.29%

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

$478 €427

$469 €420

1.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K €10.3K

$10.2K €9,106

12.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 €96.9

$102 €90.8

6.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.20 €43.10

$48.12 €43.03

0.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €95.7

$106 €94.6

1.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €108

$119 €106

1.68%

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)

$3,858 €3,450

$4,012 €3,588

-3.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,812 €2,514

$2,648 €2,368

6.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,049 €1,832

$1,764 €1,577

16.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.93

3.44

14.24%

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

Last update for Tartu: November 2, 2026

Last update for Saku: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tartu

$462 27.4%

Saku

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tartu

$360 21.4%

Saku

$362 32.6% 0.3% $1.2

Eating Out

Tartu

$291 17.3%

Saku

$279 25.2% 4.1% $12

Groceries & Markets

Tartu

$284 16.9%

Saku

$267 24.1% 6.3% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Tartu

$173 10.3%

Saku

$168 15.2% 2.6% $4.6

Sport & Entertainment

Tartu

$66 3.9%

Saku

$23 * 2.1% 64.7% $43

Getting Around

Tartu

$47 2.8%

Saku

$8.8 * 0.8% 81.1% $38

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 $71 in Tartu versus $70 in Saku. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $267 – making Saku the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇪 Tartu

🇪🇪 Saku

🕒 Local time

00:55 12:55 AM

Same time as Tartu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

102,414

4,548

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Tartu Saku 160 km

From you

Tartu
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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

Tartu vs Saku: 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 $2,525 per month in Tartu and $1,662 in Saku. 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 $478 per month in Tartu and $469 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 $1,108, 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.