Living in Tartu linn

Tartu linn is a city in Estonia. Annual PM2.5 was 5 µg/m³ at the end of 2024. For Tartu linn, the unemployment rate was 4.86% at the end of 2021. Its population was 99,900 at the start of 2026. The median age was 40 years in 2026.

Which Estonia-wide rules apply when you move to Tartu linn?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in EstoniaNational rates and thresholds that apply in Tartu linn.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

Living space averaged 26.6 m² per person at the end of 2021. The housing-vacancy rate was 25.4% at the end of 2021.

How much does it cost to rent in Tartu linn?

Average net cold rent is 6.42 EUR/m² per month (2008), excluding heating and operating charges.

Published average over existing tenancies; a specific flat can sit either side of it. Asking-rent series, where present, are separate rows in the table.

Average net rent (nettokalt): 6.42 EUR/m²/month · Eurostat¹²

What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Fitness club membership, monthly	35.57 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo²⁴Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Col Groceries Index Basket Eur Month	67.2 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo²⁴Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	31.99 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo²⁴Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly	388.3 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo²⁴Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant	15 eur	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo²⁴Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB	15.72 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo²⁴Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass	27.75 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo²⁴Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home	259 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo²⁴Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings	52,443 dwellings	31 Dec 2021	EE official material for g05_dwellings_total²Official
Housing Vacancy Rate Percent	25.37 %	31 Dec 2021	EE official material for housing_vacancy_rate_percent⁴Official
Average net rent (nettokalt)	6.42 EUR/m²/month	31 Dec 2008	Eurostat¹²Official

Cost of living

Fixed monthly costs for one person in an 85 m² flat were about €880 in the latest published figures. From a median gross salary of €1,924, that leaves €1,044 before income tax and social contributions.

Where a Tartu linn salary goesfixed monthly costs, share of the €880 basket · median gross salary €1,924/month

Net rent, 85 m² · 62%€546
Utilities, 85 m² · 29%€259
Transport pass · 3%€28
Internet and mobile · 5%€48

One person, 85 m² flat; the ring splits the €880 fixed basket before income tax and social contributions, latest published figures (checked 2026-08-27).

Worked out from these numbers

What does a 60 m² flat cost?

About 385 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 6.42 EUR/m² per month, before heating and operating charges.

Heating, water and operating charges come on top, and a specific flat can sit either side of an average.

Source period: 2008

Is rent affordable on a local salary?

A 60 m² flat at the published average rent is about 385 EUR a month, which is 20% of the published median gross salary of 1,924 (2026). Gross, not take-home, and before heating and operating charges.

Source period: 2008

Work and income

What is the typical salary in Tartu linn?

The median gross salary is 1,924 EUR/month (2026). The regional series (home-region basis, 2026Q1) is a separate labelled row in the table.

City-scope median, gross, before tax and social contributions. the regional series (home-region basis, {period}) is a separate labelled row in the table — shown in the table below.

Median gross salary: 1,924 EUR/month · Statistics Estonia¹⁸
Median gross salary (regional): 1,924 EUR/month · 2026-08-26 · andmed.stat.ee¹⁸

What is the unemployment rate in Tartu linn?

The unemployment rate is about 4.9 % (2021).

Unemployment rate: 4.86 % · EE official material for unemployment_total_percent⁸

Unemployment across cities in EstoniaUnemployment in Tartu linn is 4.9%. Of 16 cities with data, 9 have unemployment of 2 to under 4%.

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Median gross salary	1,924 EUR/month	4 Aug 2026	Statistics Estonia¹⁸Official
Median gross salary (regional)	1,924 EUR/month	26 Aug 2026	andmed.stat.ee¹⁸Official
Unemployment rate	4.86 %country median 3.2%	31 Dec 2021	EE official material for unemployment_total_percent⁸Official

Unemployment rate over time10 published observations, 2015–2024

Unemployment rate rose 2.8% between 2015 and 2024, from 4.3% to 4.4%.

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Tartu linn. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Eesti Töötukassa — Public employment service

Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund

Job Search

Search jobs

Open the Estonia service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Tartu linn. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Family and education

Metric	Value	Period	Source
G07 High School Or Higher Share Pct	82.17 %	1 Jan 2026	EE official material for g07_high_school_or_higher_share_pct³Official
School Count	35 schools	27 Aug 2026	Statistics Estonia¹⁹Official

Mobility and administration

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Destinations from nearest airport	1 count	13 Jun 2026	OpenFlights — routes.dat¹⁶Official
Nearest airport	TAY	13 Jun 2026	OurAirports — airports.csv¹⁷Official
Distance to nearest airport	8.3 km	13 Jun 2026	OurAirports — airports.csv¹⁷Official
Public transport monthly pass	27.75 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo²⁴Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context

Language courses and integration in Tartu linn

1 exact course-location record is linked to this city. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Verified locally

1verified local records

Tartu

View official record

Check courses in Tartu linn How the country programme works

Exact city-linked record checked 2026-08-10. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Tartu linn?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 5 µg/m³ (2024) — within the WHO 2021 guideline. Source: EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — EE 2024 PM2.5 station data⁹

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C

Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm

Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours

Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
NO₂ — annual mean	8 µg/m³	31 Dec 2024	EEA air quality statistics — EE NO2 annual mean 2024 (station "Tartu")¹⁰Official · nearest-station reading
PM10 — annual mean	12 µg/m³	31 Dec 2024	EEA air quality statistics — EE PM10 annual mean 2024 (station "Tartu")¹¹Official · nearest-station reading
PM2.5 — annual mean	5 µg/m³	31 Dec 2024	EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — EE 2024 PM2.5 station data⁹Official
Average January temperature	-5.5 °C	28 Aug 2026	Keskkonnaagentuur (KAUR) / ilmateenistus.ee¹³Official
Annual mean temperature (modelled)	5.33 °C	2001-2020	NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology¹⁵Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
Annual precipitation (modelled)	778 mm/year	2001-2020	NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology¹⁵Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
January mean temperature (modelled)	-7.56 °C	2001-2020	NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology¹⁵Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
January minimum temperature (modelled)	-42.08 °C	2001-2020	NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology¹⁵Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
July maximum temperature (modelled)	31.59 °C	2001-2020	NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology¹⁵Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
July mean temperature (modelled)	18.76 °C	2001-2020	NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology¹⁵Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
Daily precipitation rate (modelled)	2.13 mm/day	2001-2020	NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology¹⁵Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
Solar exposure (modelled)	2.68 kWh/m²/day	2001-2020	NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology¹⁵Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
Average daytime high by month	Jan -1.8 · Feb -1.6 · Mar 3.3 · Apr 11.1 · May 17.1 · Jun 20.6 · Jul 23.1 · Aug 21.8 · Sep 16.3 · Oct 9.2 · Nov 3.3 · Dec 0 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station TARTU-TORAVERE²³Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by month	Jan -6.5 · Feb -7.3 · Mar -4 · Apr 1.2 · May 5.8 · Jun 10.3 · Jul 12.9 · Aug 12 · Sep 8 · Oct 3.3 · Nov -0.8 · Dec -4.2 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station TARTU-TORAVERE²³Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by month	Jan -4.1 · Feb -4.4 · Mar -0.5 · Apr 5.9 · May 11.5 · Jun 15.5 · Jul 18 · Aug 16.7 · Sep 11.8 · Oct 6 · Nov 1.2 · Dec -2.1 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station TARTU-TORAVERE²³Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by month	Jan 48.2 · Feb 39.1 · Mar 35.7 · Apr 35.4 · May 54 · Jun 87.5 · Jul 66.7 · Aug 78.6 · Sep 55.2 · Oct 67.5 · Nov 54.8 · Dec 50.8 mm	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station TARTU-TORAVERE²³Official · nearest-station reading
Average sunshine by month	Jan 33.7 · Feb 65.1 · Mar 140.3 · Apr 190.9 · May 266 · Jun 258 · Jul 268.7 · Aug 227.6 · Sep 152.1 · Oct 79.3 · Nov 30 · Dec 24.3 hours	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station TARTU-TORAVERE²³Official · nearest-station reading

Alternatives with a better balance

same official-source families, comparable grain — left of gross salary after the same fixed costs

Tartu linn€1,044this city Tallinn€1,071+€28

Nearby is not always better: the greyed row leaves less than Tartu linn at the same fixed-cost basket. Every alternative publishes the same metric families, each with its own source and date.

Cities of a similar size in Estonia

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Estonia cities

Pärnu52,198 residents Narva51,411 residents Kohtla-Järve32,368 residents Saue vald26,112 residents Tallinn452,563 residents Viljandi linn17,157 residents

Population and city profile

The city covered 154 km² in 2026. Population density was 648.6 people per km² in 2026.

How many people live in Tartu linn?

The published population was 99,900 people in January 2026. Source: EE official material for population_total⁷

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Area	154 km²	27 Aug 2026	Maa- ja Ruumiamet (Land and Spatial Development Board)¹⁴Official
City area	154 km²	1 Jan 2026	EE official material for population_total⁷Official
Foreign-resident share	11.02 %	1 Jan 2026	EE official material for foreign_population_total¹Official
Foreign residents	11,013 people	1 Jan 2026	EE official material for foreign_population_total¹Official
Population density	648.6 people/km²	1 Jan 2026	EE official material for population_total⁷Official
Population	99,900 people	1 Jan 2026	EE official material for population_total⁷Official

Population over time37 published observations, 1989–2026

Population fell 11.9% between 1989 and 2026, from 113,420 to 99,900.

Foreign residents over time11 published observations, 2015–2026

Foreign residents rose 75.8% between 2015 and 2026, from 6,265 to 11,013.

International community in Tartu linn

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Population in the 2021 Population and Housing Census; total age group and total sex · 2021 Census (31 December 2021)

Published group	People	Share
Country of birth total	98,313	100.0%
Estonia	87,552	89.1%
Russian Federation	4,486	4.6%
Other foreign country	2,570	2.6%
Ukraine	1,186	1.2%
Finland	686	0.7%
Belarus	359	0.4%
Latvia	355	0.4%
Germany	298	0.3%
Georgia	177	0.2%

Show 6 more groups

Published group	People	Share
Kazakhstan	165	0.2%
United Kingdom	149	0.2%
Azerbaidjan	137	0.1%
Lithuania	122	0.1%
Uzbekistan	43	0.0%
Country of birth unknown	28	0.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source²²

Citizenship

Population in the 2021 Population and Housing Census; total age group and total sex · 2021 Census (31 December 2021)

Published group	People	Share
Citizenship total	98,313	100.0%
Estonian citizenship	89,574	91.1%
Citizenship of another country	4,631	4.7%
Russian citizenship	2,283	2.3%
Citizenship undetermined	1,798	1.8%
Citizenship unknown	27	0.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source²¹

Ancestry or ethnicity

Population in the 2021 Population and Housing Census; total age group and total sex · 2021 Census (31 December 2021)

Published group	People	Share
Ethnic nationalities total	98,313	100.0%
Estonian	79,132	80.5%
Russian	12,582	12.8%
Other ethnic nationalities	2,918	3.0%
Ukrainian	1,128	1.1%
Finn	910	0.9%
Belarusian	308	0.3%
German	308	0.3%
Latvian	270	0.3%
Ethnic nationality unknown	258	0.3%

Show 5 more groups

Published group	People	Share
Pole	136	0.1%
Armenian	122	0.1%
Lithuanian	111	0.1%
Jew	82	0.1%
Tatar	48	0.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source²⁰

Is Tartu linn a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile

Remote worker57%strong on work, weak on safety · range 48–66%

Skilled employee63%strong on work, weak on safety · range 55–71%

Student63%strong on education, weak on safety · range 55–71%

Family62%strong on family, weak on safety · range 53–71%

Retirement62%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 51–73%

Foreign residents11,013 people1 Jan 2026Official source · EE official material for foreign_population_total

Population99,900 people1 Jan 2026Official source · EE official material for population_total

Average net rent (nettokalt)6.42 EUR/m²/month31 Dec 2008Official source · Eurostat

Dwellings52,443 dwellings31 Dec 2021Official source · EE official material for g05_dwellings_total

Median gross salary1,924 EUR/month4 Aug 2026Official source · Statistics Estonia

Median gross salary (regional)1,924 EUR/month26 Aug 2026Official source · andmed.stat.ee

Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-28

Additional context

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Living space per resident	26.6 m²/person	31 Dec 2021	EE official material for living_space_per_capita_m2⁵Official
Median age	40 years	1 Jan 2026	EE official material for median_age_years⁶Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Tartu linn when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide

Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

Is Tartu linn expensive?

Fixed monthly costs for one person in an 85 m² flat — net rent, utilities, a transport pass, internet and mobile — came to about €880 against a median gross salary of €1,924 (figures), leaving about €1,044 before income tax. Sources: the rent, recurring-cost and salary series published on this page, each with its own source and date.

How many people live in Tartu linn?

The published population was 99,900 people in January 2026. Source: EE official material for population_total.

How much does it cost to rent in Tartu linn?

Average net cold rent is 6.42 EUR/m² per month (2008), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 449 EUR a month before utilities. Source: Eurostat.

Is the air quality good in Tartu linn?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 5 µg/m³ (2024) — within the WHO 2021 guideline. Source: EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — EE 2024 PM2.5 station data.

What is the typical salary in Tartu linn?

The median gross salary is 1,924 EUR/month (2026). The regional series (home-region basis, 2026Q1) is a separate labelled row in the table. Source: Statistics Estonia.

What is the unemployment rate in Tartu linn?

The unemployment rate is about 4.9 % (2021). Source: EE official material for unemployment_total_percent.

What is the typical salary around Tartu linn?

The median gross salary is 1,924 EUR/month. Source: andmed.stat.ee.

Is Tartu linn a good place to live?

Tartu linn may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Country of birth total live in Tartu linn?

The official country of birth distribution records 98,313 people (100.0%) in the source-defined population for 2021 Census (31 December 2021). This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation

ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Tartu linn, Estonia: cost of living, rent and salaries [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ee/tartu-linn/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_tartu-linn-estonia-cost-of-living-rent-and-salaries_d9b16c2fb49a,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Tartu linn, Estonia: cost of living, rent and salaries},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ee/tartu-linn/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Tartu linn, Estonia: cost of living, rent and salaries](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ee/tartu-linn/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown

EE official material for foreign_population_total andmed.stat.ee · checked 2026-07-18
EE official material for g05_dwellings_total andmed.stat.ee · checked 2026-07-18
EE official material for g07_high_school_or_higher_share_pct andmed.stat.ee · checked 2026-07-18
EE official material for housing_vacancy_rate_percent andmed.stat.ee · checked 2026-07-18
EE official material for living_space_per_capita_m2 andmed.stat.ee · checked 2026-07-18
EE official material for median_age_years andmed.stat.ee · checked 2026-07-18
EE official material for population_total andmed.stat.ee · checked 2026-07-18
EE official material for unemployment_total_percent andmed.stat.ee · checked 2026-07-18
EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — EE 2024 PM2.5 station data EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-29
EEA air quality statistics — EE NO2 annual mean 2024 (station "Tartu") EEA air quality statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-31

Show 14 more sources

EEA air quality statistics — EE PM10 annual mean 2024 (station "Tartu") EEA air quality statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-31
Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-27
Keskkonnaagentuur (KAUR) / ilmateenistus.ee ilmateenistus.ee · checked 2026-06-12
Maa- ja Ruumiamet (Land and Spatial Development Board) geoportaal.maaamet.ee · checked 2026-06-12
NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology NASA POWER · power.larc.nasa.gov · checked 2026-09-12
OpenFlights — routes.dat OpenFlights · raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-07-14
OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
Statistics Estonia andmed.stat.ee · checked 2026-08-04
Statistics Estonia andmed.stat.ee · checked 2026-06-12
Statistics Estonia (Statistical database) ancestry_or_ethnicity distribution andmed.stat.ee · checked 2026-08-28
Statistics Estonia (Statistical database) citizenship distribution andmed.stat.ee · checked 2026-08-28
Statistics Estonia (Statistical database) country_of_birth distribution andmed.stat.ee · checked 2026-08-28
WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station TARTU-TORAVERE WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-08-03

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.