Finland

Cost of living

What a month costs

Helsinki is pricey but not the most expensive Nordic capital. Rent, alcohol and eating out cost the most, while public transport, childcare and healthcare are heavily subsidised.

The scores

How it rates for a moving family

See and do

Top 10 in Helsinki

1. SuomenlinnaA UNESCO sea fortress spread across islands, reached by a short public ferry from Market Square.
2. Helsinki CathedralThe white neoclassical landmark with its green dome watching over Senate Square.
3. Temppeliaukio ChurchThe Rock Church, blasted into solid granite with a copper roof and superb acoustics.
4. Uspenski CathedralA red-brick Orthodox cathedral on Katajanokka, the largest in Western Europe.
5. Oodi Central LibraryA striking timber and glass public library that locals treat as a shared living room.
6. Ateneum Art MuseumThe national gallery, strong on Finnish golden age painters like Gallen-Kallela.
7. KiasmaThe contemporary art museum with a bold curved form near the central station.
8. EsplanadiThe leafy central promenade lined with cafes, shops and summer concerts.
9. Sibelius MonumentThe wave of steel pipes honouring the composer, set in a seaside park.
10. LöylyA modern waterfront public sauna with a wooden deck and sea dips off the Hernesaari shore.

Where to go

Weekend escapes

1. Tallinn, EstoniaA two-hour ferry across the Gulf of Finland to a medieval old town and cheaper prices.
2. PorvooA postcard-pretty old town of red riverside warehouses and cobbled lanes, about 50km east.
3. Turku and the archipelagoFinland's former capital and the gateway to a vast island chain, roughly two hours west.
4. Nuuksio National ParkLakes, boardwalks and pine forest for hiking and camping, only 45 minutes from the centre.
5. Lakeland around LahtiClassic Finnish cottage and lake country to the north, easy by train for a summer swim.

Coffee

Best cafes

1. Café RegattaA tiny red seaside cabin famous for cinnamon buns and open-fire coffee near the Sibelius park.
2. Café EkbergThe oldest cafe in Helsinki, running since 1852 on Bulevardi with old-school pastries.
3. Karl Fazer CaféThe flagship of the chocolate house on Kluuvikatu, grand and popular for cakes.
4. Café EsplanadA busy Esplanadi institution known for its enormous korvapuusti cinnamon rolls.
5. Kaffa RoasteryA serious specialty roaster and cafe in the Punavuori design district.

Restaurants

Where to eat

1. SavoyA historic fine-dining room with an Alvar Aalto interior and skyline views.
2. OloA Michelin-starred kitchen serving refined modern Nordic tasting menus near the harbour.
3. GrönA small Michelin-starred spot in Punavuori built around seasonal Finnish produce.
4. NokkaA waterfront restaurant in an old warehouse championing local farm ingredients.
5. Ravintola Sea HorseA beloved old-school Finnish tavern in Ullanlinna, good for Baltic herring and meatballs.
6. JuuriThe home of sapas, small plates built from traditional Finnish flavours.
7. KappeliA grand glass-house restaurant at the end of Esplanadi, a Helsinki fixture since the 1860s.

Morning

Best breakfast

1. Café EkbergA proper sit-down breakfast of fresh bread and pastries in a classic 19th-century room.
2. StoryAn all-day brunch favourite with locations in the Old Market Hall and Kamppi.
3. Johan & NyströmA canal-side specialty coffee bar that does a relaxed morning with good pastries.
4. LevainA popular bakery cafe on Bulevardi known for croissants and hearty breakfast plates.
5. Café EsplanadThe go-to for an early coffee and a giant cinnamon bun on the promenade.