Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Varkaus and Tampere

For one person, living costs are similar in Varkaus and in Tampere: $1,951 and $2,004 a month, rent and utilities included.

Varkaus, Finland
Tampere, Finland
Varkaus
🇫🇮 Finland
$1,951
/mo nomad
Tampere
🇫🇮 Finland
$2,004
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Varkaus and in Tampere

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

A single person spends $1,951 per month in Varkaus vs $2,004 in Tampere, rent included.

  • Varkaus $1,951
  • Tampere $2,004

A couple spends around $2,965 per month in Varkaus vs $3,091 in Tampere, rent included.

  • Varkaus $2,965
  • Tampere $3,091

A family of three spends $3,979 per month in Varkaus vs $4,178 in Tampere, rent included.

  • Varkaus $3,979
  • Tampere $4,178

Varkaus is about 3% cheaper than Tampere, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Varkaus and Tampere sit above the global median – Varkaus by 43%, Tampere by 47%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Varkaus
Tampere
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.91 €14.29
$15.92 €14.30
-0.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.4 €89.3
$88.8 €79.8
11.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.36 €11.10
$11.82 €10.62
4.57%
Cappuccino
$5.48 €4.92
$5.25 €4.72
4.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 €3.17
$2.86 €2.57
23.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 €2.54
$1.99 €1.79
42.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.10 €8.17
$7.99 €7.17
13.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.60 €7.73
$8.70 €7.82
-1.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Varkaus
Tampere
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 €1.30
$1.30 €1.17
10.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 €2.64
$2.67 €2.40
10.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.57 €3.20
$2.42 €2.17
47.52%
Eggs
$4.01 €3.60
$3.18 €2.85
26.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.61 €9.53
$8.72 €7.83
21.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.56 €14.88
$14.30 €12.84
15.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.18 €18.13
$21.63 €19.43
-6.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 €2.34
$2.33 €2.09
12.02%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.93
$2.05 €1.84
4.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.43 €3.08
$2.58 €2.31
32.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.01 €4.50
$4.01 €3.60
24.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 €1.09
$1.24 €1.12
-2.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$1.93 €1.74
-5.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.28 €2.04
$2.80 €2.52
-18.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 €1.63
$1.96 €1.76
-7.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.36 €11.10
$12.95 €11.63
-4.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.46 €12.09
$15.86 €14.25
-15.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.65 €3.27
$3.20 €2.87
14.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.90 €4.41
$3.38 €3.04
44.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Varkaus
Tampere
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.36 €3.02
$3.17 €2.85
5.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$61.5 €55.2
$71.7 €64.4
-14.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.51 €8.54
$4.31 €3.87
120.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.80 €1.62
$1.36 €1.22
32.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$50.7 €45.57
$65.1 €58.5
-22.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.36 €2.12
$2.33 €2.09
1.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.9K €33.1K
$35.9K €32.3K
2.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.7K €33.9K
$37.7K €33.9K
0.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Varkaus
Tampere
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$107 €95.9
$130 €117
-17.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.75 €24.03
$24.92 €22.38
7.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.89 €25.95
$23.76 €21.35
21.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Varkaus
Tampere
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.81 €34.86
$47.14 €42.34
-17.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.47 €21.98
$33.96 €30.50
-27.94%
Cinema Ticket
$17.97 €16.14
$17.56 €15.77
2.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Varkaus
Tampere
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$727 €653
$323 €290
124.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K €11.4K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Varkaus
Tampere
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$121 €109
$95.5 €85.8
26.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.5 €50.7
$49.57 €44.53
13.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.1 €81.8
$101 €90.8
-9.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$176 €158
$153 €138
14.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Varkaus
Tampere
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$769 €691
$999 €897
-22.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$695 €624
$790 €710
-12.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,206 €1,084
$1,740 €1,563
-30.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$926 €832
$1,282 €1,152
-27.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,234 €3,803
$4,665 €4,191
-9.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,886 €1,694
$2,935 €2,636
-35.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Varkaus
Tampere
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$2,761 €2,481
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.59
3.51
2.28%

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

Last update for Varkaus: October 26, 2026

Last update for Tampere: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Varkaus
$695
Tampere
$790 13.7% $95
Groceries & Markets
Varkaus
$407
Tampere
$376 7.7% $31
Eating Out
Varkaus
$318
Tampere
$303 4.9% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Varkaus
$200
Tampere
$180 10.2% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Varkaus
$162
Tampere
$179 9.9% $16
Getting Around
Varkaus
$93
Tampere
$95 2.1% $2
Sport & Entertainment
Varkaus
$75
Tampere
$82 10% $7.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Varkaus versus $999 in Tampere. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Varkaus versus $89 in Tampere. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $376 – making Tampere the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇮 Varkaus
🇫🇮 Tampere
🕒 Local time
20:49 8:49 PM
20:49 8:49 PM
Same time as Varkaus
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
20,257
255,066
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Varkaus Tampere 230 km
From you
  • Varkaus
  • Tampere

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
Varkaus vs Tampere: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Varkaus cheaper than Tampere?
Yes – Tampere is pricier by about 3%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,926 per month in Varkaus and $3,006 in Tampere. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Varkaus, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $769 there versus $999 in Tampere.
What are total monthly expenses in Varkaus and in Tampere?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,951 in Varkaus and $2,004 in Tampere. That’s a gap of about 3%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 14% less in Varkaus. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $3,000 enough for either Varkaus or Tampere?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,951 in Varkaus and $2,004 in Tampere, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Varkaus or in Tampere?
It depends on your priorities. Tampere has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,951 in Varkaus to $2,004 in Tampere. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Varkaus or Tampere?
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.

Varkaus vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?