Living in Tampere

InfoFinland website provides excellent source of general information on housing, such as information on deposits, rental agreements and how to rent or buy a property. Also, Rental home (infofinland.fi) is an extensive guide which contains detailed information on this topic that can be also informative for Tampere residents. 

When renting an apartment in Finland, furnishings are typically not included in the rental price. Basic amenities like kitchen cupboards, a fridge, stove, shower, faucets, toilet, wardrobes, and hall cabinets are provided. House appliances are usually included, but furniture is the tenant’s responsibility. 

Temporary accommodation

For those arriving in Tampere and haven’t found a place to stay yet or you are planning to buy a property, which may take awhile, here are a few options that provides accommodation without minimum lease period.

• Unity Studio Apartments with hotel amenities - UNITY (unity-living.com)
• Lumo Rental apartments - Lumo (lumo.fi)
• Forenom Furnished apartments - Forenom accommodation (forenom.com)
• Sato Rental apartments, Tampere – SATO apartments (sato.fi)
• Rentola Rent accommodation in Tampere - Rentola (rentola.fi)

For students who have not gotten an accommodation with the student housing companies POAS (poas.fi) or TOAS (toas.fi) yet, or you are an exchange student, please contact the student union for assistance at Temporary accommodation – Student Union Tampere (opiskelijantampere.fi). 

Permanent accommodation

The Housing Market Place Asuntotori (located in Puutarhakatu 8, Tampere) is a great way to find out about rental and right-of-occupancy properties in Tampere. You will also find information about housing for students and the elderly.

Here is a list of rental housing agencies that can also provide services in English:

• Unity  Studio Apartments with hotel amenities and coworking spaces to grow your business - UNITY (unity-living.com)
• Lumo Rental apartments | Lumo (lumo.fi)
• Forenom Furnished apartments, hostels and aparthotels - Forenom accommodation (forenom.com)
• Sato Rental apartments, Tampere | Find a SATO RentHome (sato.fi)
• Rentola Rent accommodation in Tampere (rentola.fi)
• VTS VTS-kodit (vts.fi) 
• TVA For those looking for homes. Welcome home! - TVA (tampereenvuokra-asunnot.fi)
• M2Kodit Welcome to M2-Kodit - Fairest squares in the city (m2kodit.fi) 
• Habita Real estate agency in Tampere | Habita (habita.com)

Student housing

If you are a student, you could apply for student housing. In Tampere, they are handled by 

• POAS - Rental apartments in Tampere (poas.fi) (only for students below 30 years old)
• TOAS - We've got just the right apartment for you! - TOAS (toas.fi) (for students of all ages) 

Living in your own property is very popular in Finland and home ownership is a viable option for non-Finns as well. The prices of privately owned homes are still reasonable, especially if you are ready to live in the suburbs. Buying a home is often cheaper than renting a home in the long term.

Almost all the real-estate agencies selling properties can be found online. You can contact the real estate agent or broker directly to ask for more information. In Finland, agents and brokers are required to provide you with all relevant information related to the deal.

Buying your own place is generally a major investment. Banks and other financing institutions grant loans to private individuals for purchasing apartments or properties. If you are interested in purchasing an apartment or a property using a loan, always contact your bank first.

When you buy a home, you either purchase a housing share (asunto-osake) or real estate (kiinteistö). Housing shares are homes in either apartments (kerrostalo), row houses (rivitalo) or semi-detached (paritalo).  These houses are owned by housing companies, or housing cooperatives.  When you buy a detached house (omakotitalo), you buy real estate.  Real estate usually comprises of a detached house and the related plot. 

Need more information about buying a home? You can find all the info in infofinland.fi.

Online banking is the most common form of banking in Finland, so remember to request for online banking credentials when opening an account. All the banks offer services in Finnish and Swedish. There are 3 banks which offer services in English: Nordea, OP and Danske Bank. In general, you need to make an appointment with the bank to open an account. It usually takes about 2-5 weeks, from making an appointment to opening a bank account.

Having a bank account is crucial to everyday life here in Finland.  After opening an account, you will be given online banking codes and a user ID, these are needed to authenticate your identity online via your banking credentials – this is necessary for everything from accessing your medical records, shopping, government services, you will be surprised how often it is needed! 

For more information about opening a bank account, please go to Everyday life in Finland (infofinland.fi).

Finland has affordable public health services for everyone who has a permanent address registered in the country. In addition, employers may also offer occupational health services for their employees. Alternatively, you can also use private health services at your own expense.

Before moving to Tampere, it might be a good idea to procure health insurance from your home country for the first months of your stay since it might take a while before you are covered by the Finnish social security and entitled to the Finnish low-cost health system and Kela benefits.

All permanent residents are allocated to a health centre based on their home address. During the day, patients in need of urgent care are primarily treated at the health centres in their respective areas. In the evening and at weekends, health centres are closed and urgent illnesses and injuries are handled by the emergency clinic of First Aid Unit Acuta. Acuta treats Tampere residents who have suddenly fallen ill or been injured and require immediate or urgent care.

The Wellbeing Services county of Pirkanmaa is responsible for the healthcare, social, and rescue services for the residents of the Pirkanmaa region. Information on public social welfare and healthcare services is available at The Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa (pirha.fi).

For emergency anywhere in Finland, call 112.

More information on the services organized by the City of Tampere can be found at Wellbeing and support for everyday life.

In summary, Kela, the Finnish Social Insurance institution covers those who live in Finland on a permanent basis and those who work in Finland. If you move to Finland on a permanent basis (more than 90 days), you can usually receive Kela benefits starting from the date of your move to Finland. If you are eligible, Kela can cover your medical and other social security benefits. To find out more about your eligibility based on your status, go to Quick guide when you move to Finland | Kela.

If you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you do not need to take out other insurance. By presenting the European Health Insurance Card, you can prove your right to necessary medical treatment in Finland. Your card must be valid for the duration of your stay in Finland. Under EU legislation, you can access health care at the same cost and under the same conditions as people living permanently in Finland. With the card, you can get medical treatment if you become suddenly ill or have an accident. You can also get medical treatment if you have a chronic illness that requires medical attention. The card also gives access to necessary treatment during pregnancy and childbirth.

The European Health Insurance Card is recognized within the public health care services as well as by private doctors and hospitals that have signed a health insurance agreement. For more information, go to European Health Insurance Card - Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion - European Commission (europa.eu). 

As a student, you must personally cover the costs if you become ill in Finland. In order to get a residence permit, you must take out private insurance that will cover your medical and drug expenses. The insurance you need depends on the duration of your studies in Finland. If you have a Kela card, a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), you do not need to take out insurance. The card must be valid even after you have moved to Finland. 

Students enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree who study in Tampere can use the services provided by the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) Our Services - FSHS (yths.fi). The FSHS offers university students mental and oral health services and well-being support. You can find the Student Health Services in Tampere at Kalevantie 3, 33100 Tampere. More information can be found at Tampere - FSHS (yths.fi).

Make sure you pay the fees to the student union when you enroll at university. The student card is proof that you have access to student healthcare.

Exchange students and PhD students need to rely on the public healthcare services.

Other than Kela, there are also other types of private insurance you may need to take when living in Finland. Depending on your status, these could include home insurance and motor liability insurance as well as voluntary insurance such as car insurance, private health insurance, accident insurance, life insurance and travel insurance. 

• Medical insurance: We recommend that you secure medical insurance for you and your family that is eligible for claims in Finland, as the process to approve social and health benefit which allows you access to the public healthcare will take weeks or months, depending on the queue at the time of application.
• Home insurance: Home insurance is very common and landlords generally require that the tenants purchase home insurance. When buying property, it is also advisable to purchase as it covers protection for both the home and its movable items, such as furnitures, phones, appliances etc. The cost of the insurance depends on the size of the home, how valuable are the movable items and how extensive you want to cover it. 
• Motor vehicle Insurance: If you own a motor vehicle of any kind in Finland, it is mandatory to purchase a motor liability insurance (liikennevakuutus). This mandatory insurance covers damage and injury to a 3rd party in an accident. Other voluntary insurance can be purchased to increase the coverage. If you plan to bring your car from an EU country, you can drive it for up to 90 days in Finland, after which you must register the vehicle in Finland and pay tax and insurance.  For more info, please visit The Finnish Motor Insurers' Centre (LVK) (lvk.fi)

These insurance companies offer info and services in English:

• OP Pohjola
• Nordea / If

Insurance companies which offer services in Finnish and Swedish:

• Tapiola
• Fennia

Don’t judge a book by its cover! Finns are generally kind and open-minded, even though sometimes they can be a bit shy at first.   They tend to appreciate punctuality, good manners and practicality.  They’re typically not big on small-talk and quiet moments in conversation are not considered awkward or uncomfortable.  However, when they do speak they are usually genuine and mean what they say!  Finns tend to value personal space and privacy but are also known for their hospitality and warmth once you get more acquainted. Typically, they have a strong work ethic, a love of nature and are very proud of their cultural heritage.  

There is a Finnish word ‘Talkoot’ which means people voluntarily coming together with neighbours to work on something for the good of the neighbourhood.  So especially if you live in an apartment or rivitalo, don’t be surprised if you notice your neighbours carrying out tasks together, such as cleaning, tidying or gardening! This a great way to meet your neighbours!

Coffee is a significant part of Finnish culture, with Finns drinking an average of 1,100 cups per person each year, making Finland the biggest coffee-consuming nation in the world per capita. Another essential Finnish pastime is visiting the sauna regularly. Fun fact: There are more saunas here than cars!

• 1st Jan – Uudenvuodenpäivä (New Years Day)
• 6th Jan – Loppiainen (Epiphany)
• 14th Feb - Ystävänpäivä - Translates as ‘Friends Day’ here in Finland
• Feb - (7 weeks before Easter) Laskiainen (Shrove Tuesday ) - Traditionally involves sledding, eating pea soup and buns filled with cream and jam
• Mar/Apr - Pitkäperjantai/Pääsiäinen (Easter) - On Palm Sunday you may notice little children dressed as witches, knocking on doors to collect sweets in exchange for decorated pussy willow branches.  There is a 4-day public holiday over Easter.
• 1st May – Vappu, there is a real carnival feel as students and alumni wear their graduation caps, and overalls, and picnics are held in parks.  This is a public holiday.
• 9th May - Helatorstai (Ascension Day) - This is a public holiday
• June - Juhannus (Midsummer) - Midsummer takes place on a Saturday that falls between 20th and 26th June and celebrates the longest day of the year, when the sun doesn’t set.  Expect people to head to their summer cottages, bonfires, barbecues, sauna and swimming.  The Friday before is always a public holiday.
• July – Most of Finland head to their summer cottages this month so expect it to be very quiet in the cities!
• 6th Dec - Itsenäisyyspäivä (Finnish Independance Day) - This is a calm celebration honouring Finnish independence over Russia in 1917, you can watch the ceremony live on TV. This is a public holiday.
• Nov/Dec Joulu & Pikkujoulu (Christmas and Pre-Christmas) - Pikkujoulu parties take place with friends and colleagues in the run up to the big day.  They are a very popular tradition and happen throughout November and December.  The most important Christmas celebration takes place on 24th Dec Jouluaatto (Christmas Eve) and 25th Joulupäivä (Christmas Day) plus 26th Tapaninpäivä (Boxing Day) is a time for rest and relaxation.  
• 31st Dec - Uusivuosi (New Year) - Finland celebrates the turn of the year with firework displays, concerts and parties
• Nimipäivä (Name Days) - The most common Finnish first names have a special day linked to them on the calendar.  People may wish each other a "Hyvää Nimipäivää" (Happy Name Day)