🇪🇪 Estonia
Tallinn: what to see and whether to move there
Tallinn is one of the Baltic's most complete medieval cities - inside its fortified Old Town walls, a digital-savvy, startup-driven Estonia hums along.
Town Hall Square
The Old Town's heart, anchored by a 15th-century Gothic town hall, has been the city's main stage for centuries.
Kohtuotsa Viewing Platform
This lookout on Toompea Hill delivers the best view over the lower town's red-tiled roofs and church spires.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
A five-domed Russian Orthodox cathedral in the Russo-Byzantine style crowns the top of Toompea Hill.
Kumu Art Museum
The Estonian Art Museum's striking modern building holds the country's largest collection of art from the 18th to 21st centuries.
Seaplane Harbour (Lennusadam)
A 1917 seaplane hangar has been transformed into an interactive maritime museum featuring a real submarine and icebreaker.
Town Wall & Towers
Surviving stretches of 14th-century fortifications, including the tower Fat Margaret, still ring most of the Old Town.
Kadriorg Park
This baroque palace-and-park ensemble, founded by Peter the Great, now links the Kumu museum with quiet seaside paths.
Kohvik Maiasmokk
The city's oldest café, open since 1864, is famous for its marzipan and pre-war Tallinn atmosphere.
Rataskaevu 16
This cozy restaurant inside a medieval building serves modern Estonian cuisine built on local ingredients.
Balti Jaam Market
A covered market by the train station brings together farm stalls, street food, and vintage shops.
What the city lives on and who it suits
Tallinn is the capital of Estonia, a city of about 460,000 people, a third of the country's population. Estonia is known as a digital state: almost all public services, document signing and tax returns are done online, and several major tech companies grew up in Tallinn. The economy rests on IT, logistics, the seaport, tourism and services.
About a third of Tallinn's residents speak Russian, but the state language is Estonian, and requirements for it are growing: Russian-language schools are moving to Estonian. The UNESCO-listed Old Town is compact and beautiful, and Helsinki is a couple of hours away by ferry.
It suits IT and startup specialists, entrepreneurs who appreciate the digital system and simple profit tax, and European Union families. It does not suit those who struggle with long dark winters, nor Russian nationals, for whom entry and new statuses are heavily restricted.
Neighbourhoods: where newcomers settle
| Area | Who it suits |
|---|---|
| Centre | those who want to walk to offices, cafés and the Old Town |
| Kalamaja | young professionals: wooden houses, creative quarters by the sea |
| Kadriorg | families: park, museums, quiet streets |
| Pirita | sea lovers: beach, private houses, further from the centre |
| Nõmme | families: pine forest, houses with gardens |
| Lasnamäe | those focused on price: panel blocks, many Russian-speaking residents |
Cost of living
| Item | Approx. per month |
|---|---|
| One-bedroom flat | €550-850, ~$620-1,000 |
| Two-bedroom flat | €750-1,200 |
| Groceries for one | €300-400 |
| City transport | free for residents registered in Tallinn |
| Heating and utilities in winter | €150-300 |
A single person lives comfortably on about €1,800-2,500 a month including rent, a family with a child from €3,200. Dollars at the European Central Bank rate of 05.10.2026, rounded up.
Practicalities: transport, climate, money
- Transport. Trams, buses and trolleybuses, free for registered residents. The ferry to Helsinki takes about two hours, and the airport is 15 minutes from the centre by tram.
- Climate. Cold winters around -5 with short days, mild summers around +20 with white nights; May to September is the best time.
- Taxes. Income tax 22%, VAT 24%. A company pays no tax until it distributes profit; dividends are taxed at 22%. See Estonia taxes.
- Digital services. With a resident ID card almost all dealings with the state and banks are done online.
Family: schools and healthcare
Public schools are free and are moving to Estonian-language teaching, with the transition due by 2030. International schools teaching in English cost about €8,000-15,000 a year. Employees with a contract get public health insurance, and a family doctor is assigned after address registration.
Work and business
Demand for foreign specialists is mainly in development, product design, finance and logistics, and many companies work in English. A company in Estonia is registered online in a day, minimum capital is symbolic, and tax is paid only when profit is distributed, so reinvesting pays off. To hire a foreigner from outside the European Union, the salary must be at least the national average, with a higher threshold for top specialists.
Moving and legal status
| Basis | Main condition | More |
|---|---|---|
| Remote work visa | income from €4,500 a month gross over the last 6 months | nomad visa |
| Work | a contract with an Estonian employer, salary above the set threshold | Estonia overview |
| Startup | an innovative project approved by an expert committee | - |
| E-residency | only online management of an Estonian company; no right to live in the country | - |
Visas and permits for Russian and Belarusian nationals are issued only in exceptional cases. Citizenship comes after 8 years of residence with Estonian and a constitution exam; dual citizenship is not allowed for naturalised citizens.
First steps after the move
- register your address in the city register: it gives free transport and access to a family doctor;
- get a resident ID card with a digital signature;
- open a bank account, which needs residence and an Estonian address;
- enrol children in school or kindergarten through the city portal;
- start Estonian classes, many of them free for new residents.
Is the city worth considering for living
Yes, if you work in IT or run a business and value the digital state, safety and proximity to Finland. No, if dark winters are hard for you or you are a Russian national without valid European Union status. We choose the basis, prepare documents and help with registration and banking; we fix our fee after a free consultation.
Services
Murblz services in Estonia
A passport or residence permit opens the door, but life behind it is awkward without a bank account and a roof over your head. Murblz specialists help with the account, property and company in the same country. The quote is fixed in writing before work starts.
FAQ
Best time to visit Tallinn?
How many days is enough for Tallinn?
Is Tallinn expensive?
Does Estonian e-Residency let you live in Estonia?
Is public transport free in Tallinn?
Can you move to Estonia?
Do I need Estonian to live in Tallinn?
How do you get from Tallinn to Helsinki?
Relocation options
Need a Tallinn company you can run online?
We register an Estonian company through e-Residency, set up accounting and help open a business account. The catalogue covers company registration in every country.