Living in Finland
All 71 guides 
First steps after moving to Finland
Get registered with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) for a personal identity code and a municipality of residence, then a tax card from Vero, a bank account and, if you qualify, Kela cover. Almost everything else depends on that first registration. Arriving
Kela benefits in Finland: what a newcomer can claim
Kela pays Finland's residence-based benefits once it decides you live here permanently, or if you work here and earn at least €800.02 a month. The main ones are the general social security benefit for the unemployed, housing allowance, family benefits and student aid. Money and tax
Finding a job in Finland
Start with Job Market Finland, the public job board, and Work in Finland for international roles; since 2025 public employment services are run by municipalities. Outside the EU you need a job offer before you can apply for a work-based residence permit, and Finnish or Swedish opens most doors. Work and study
Residence permit in Finland: the five main grounds
Anyone from outside the EU staying in Finland for more than 90 days needs a residence permit, granted on a specific ground: family ties, Finnish roots, work, running a business or study. Each ground has its own income rule, fee and processing time. Permits and citizenship
Finland income tax rate and deductions in 2026
Finland taxes income through a single withholding rate covering state, municipal, church, and health taxes, plus 7.30% pension and 0.89% unemployment insurance. Money and tax
Finding a flat to rent in Finland
Most rented flats in Finland are found through two listing sites, private landlords and city-owned housing companies. Expect a written lease, a deposit of about two months' rent and a one-month notice period for you as tenant. A home
Picking berries and mushrooms in Finland
In Finland anyone may pick wild berries and mushrooms on anyone's land, without permission and without paying, as long as they keep out of gardens and fields and damage nothing. Selling what you pick yourself is tax-exempt. Living in Finland
Exchanging a foreign driving licence in Finland
An EU or EEA licence works until it expires; a licence from a Geneva or Vienna convention country works for two years after you move and can be swapped without a test inside that window. Documents, medical certificate, fees and how long it takes. Arriving
Studying in Finland: applying, fees and permits
Degree places are applied for through Studyinfo, mostly in a January joint application for English-taught programmes. Students from outside the EU/EEA pay a €100 application fee and tuition fees, and need a residence permit for studies with €800 a month of funds. Work and studyNewest guides
Cost of living in Denmark
Denmark has high prices and a top-tier price level in the EU, balanced by high average earnings and subsidised public services. Here are the official numbers. Living in Denmark
Cost of living in Norway and Oslo
See actual living costs in Norway, including average rents in Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim, electricity prices, SIFO living budgets, kindergarten fees, and salaries. Living in Norway
Cost of living in Sweden: is Stockholm expensive?
Sweden sits above the EU average for costs, but food prices are much closer to the baseline. Here are the 2026 figures for rent, food, transport and bills. Money and tax
CPR number in Denmark: how to get one
How to get a Danish CPR number, from residence documents and proof of address to your yellow health card, MitID, and NemKonto. Living in Denmark
Sweden income tax and tax rates in 2026
Understand Sweden income tax rates for 2026. Learn how municipal rates, state tax thresholds, basic allowances, and SINK rules apply to your earnings. Money and tax
Sweden minimum wage and average salary
Sweden has no statutory minimum wage. Collective agreements set wage floors, while the 2025 national average salary was SEK 42,900 and the median was SEK 38,300. Money and tax
Moving to Sweden: the order of steps in 2026
How to move to Sweden in 2026. Learn the correct order of steps for residence permits, population registration at Skatteverket, bank accounts, and healthcare. Arriving
Swedish personal number: how to get one
A Swedish personal identity number comes from population registration, not an application. Learn how the personnummer and coordination number work and how to register. ArrivingTravelling in Finland
All 29 Finland guides
Christmas markets in Finland 2026: dates and hours
Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Porvoo and Rovaniemi: the 2026 dates, opening hours and how to get to each market. Events
Northern lights in Finland: when and where to go
When the aurora season really starts and ends at each latitude, which Lapland places give you the best odds, what Kp, cloud and the local magnetometers each tell you, how our tonight verdict is worked out, and the camera settings that work. Lapland
Rovaniemi in winter
How dark it actually gets, how cold, what is free and what is not, and which of the Santa attractions is worth the bus fare. With tonight's aurora verdict and the road north attached. Lapland
Christmas in Finland: what Finns actually do
Christmas Eve is the day that matters: porridge, sauna, the Christmas Peace from Turku at noon, candles in the cemetery and the big meal. The 2026 Christmas markets in Helsinki, Turku and Tampere, what closes, and what Lapland is like with two hours of daylight. Lapland
Levi: skiing, polar night and the aurora
Finland's busiest ski resort, 15 km from Kittilä airport: getting there, the 2026–27 season and lift prices, cross-country tracks, what to do in summer, polar night dates and the aurora, with road 79 and tonight's verdict alongside. Lapland
Things to do in Helsinki
What is worth your time in Helsinki and what is not: Suomenlinna, the market halls, Oodi, the Design District, the public saunas, the islands and the museums, with what each costs and when to go. Helsinki and the south
The best time to visit Finland, month by month
Daylight for Helsinki, Rovaniemi and Utsjoki on the 15th of every month, the months with no dark sky for the aurora, FMI's 1991–2020 temperature averages, when the snow comes and goes, and which months are honestly grim. Planning the trip
Dog sledding and reindeer in Lapland: how to choose
Husky or reindeer, how long you actually spend on the sled, what the trips cost from Rovaniemi, Levi and Saariselkä with prices checked in September 2026, what Finnish law says about kennels, and the questions worth asking before you book. Lapland
Winter tyre rules in Finland
Winter tyres are required from 1 November to 31 March when the weather or road conditions call for it — not on fixed dates. Tread depth, studs, the new snowflake symbol, and what applies to a hire car or a foreign plate. Straight answer
Air Guitar World Championships in Oulu
Held in Oulu every August since 1996: one minute per song, an invisible guitar, a 4.0–6.0 scale. The 2026 final was free on a stage over the river; how to watch, enter and get there. Festivals and odd championships
Cost of travelling in Finland: a daily budget
What a trip to Finland costs per day in 2026: hotel and hostel rates in Helsinki and Rovaniemi read off the operators' own booking pages for autumn, Christmas and summer, lunch and dinner prices, supermarket and Alko prices, transport tickets, activities, free things, and a budget, mid-range and comfortable day. Planning the trip
Finnish food: what to eat, and where to find it
Karelian pies, salmon soup, sautéed reindeer, rye bread and salmiakki; the lunch buffet that feeds the country; the market halls in Helsinki, Tampere and Turku with their hours; what is in season when; and Alko's rules after the July 2026 change, all checked on 27 September 2026. Planning the trip
Helsinki Airport to the city: train, bus or taxi
Every way from Helsinki-Vantaa to the centre with 2026 fares and the real timetable: the I and P trains in zone C, bus 600 through the night, the taxis' fixed prices, and how to change at Tikkurila or Pasila for Tampere, Turku and Rovaniemi. Helsinki and the south
The Helsinki–Tallinn ferry
Three companies, two Helsinki terminals and a two-hour crossing: which boat leaves from where, how to reach each terminal by tram, the timetables that make a day trip work, and what ID to carry. Helsinki and the south
The Finnish sauna: etiquette, and where to go
What actually happens in a Finnish sauna, when to wear a swimsuit and when not to, and six public saunas in Helsinki, Vantaa and Tampere with their prices checked, from a free self-heated one on an island to a 1906 original. Planning the trip
The Helsinki Card: is it worth it?
The break-even arithmetic with 2026 prices: what the three Helsinki Card versions cost, what they include, what the same days cost at the gate and on HSL, and who should not buy one. Helsinki and the south
Santa Claus Express: Helsinki to Rovaniemi train
See today's Santa Claus Express trains with live delays, plus cabin choices, prices, booking rules and on-board essentials for the Helsinki to Rovaniemi route. Lapland
Hobbyhorsing in Finland: the sport and championships
Hobbyhorsing began in Finland in the 2000s. The Finnish championships, held in Seinäjoki on 13 June 2026, draw around 500 riders: jumps of 100–110 cm, dressage, western, and shows. Festivals and odd championships
Porvoo and day trips from Helsinki
Porvoo, Suomenlinna, Nuuksio, Fiskars, Hanko and Tallinn from Helsinki without a car: how to get there, how long it takes door to door, the last connection back, and how much of the day you need. Helsinki and the south
Rovaniemi in December
Plan a December trip to Rovaniemi with daylight hours, weather facts, bus routes, Santa Claus Village details, clothing advice, and aurora viewing. Lapland
Rovaniemi: the year-round guide
How to get to Rovaniemi, what Santa Claus Village actually charges for, Arktikum and Ounasvaara, where to stand for the aurora in town, the light in each season, and how many days to give it. With tonight's verdict and the road in. Lapland
Saariselkä and Inari: fells and Sámi Lapland
Two places either side of Ivalo airport on the Arctic highway: Saariselkä for the fells, skiing and the Urho Kekkonen National Park, Inari for Lake Inari, Siida and the Sámi homeland. Getting there, the 2026–27 season, what to do in winter and summer, polar night and the aurora. Lapland
The world sauna championships, and why they ended
Heinola ran a sauna endurance contest from 1999 to 2010: 110 °C, half a litre of water on the stones every 30 seconds. A finalist died in the 2010 final, and it has never been held again. Festivals and odd championships
Swamp soccer world championships in Hyrynsalmi
Six-a-side football in a Kainuu bog, two 10-minute halves, no offside. The 2027 championships are on 16–17 July at Vuorisuo near Hyrynsalmi; teams pay €259 to enter and spectators get in free. Festivals and odd championships
Unusual championships in Finland: what still runs
Wife carrying, air guitar, swamp soccer and hobbyhorsing ran again in 2026. The sauna, mosquito-killing and phone-throwing contests have stopped. Towns, months and 2027 dates checked. Festivals and odd championships
Ylläs: Finland’s biggest ski hill and its fells
Äkäslompolo or Ylläsjärvi, how to get there by air, train and road, the 2026–27 season and lift prices, the Pallas-Yllästunturi national park, summer on the gondola, polar night and the aurora. With the road from Rovaniemi and tonight's verdict for the Kittilä fells. Lapland
Wife carrying world championships in Sonkajärvi
The wife carrying world championships are on 2–3 July 2027 in Sonkajärvi: a 253.5 m track with a water pit, a 49 kg minimum, the wife's weight in beer, a €55 entry, and the train to Iisalmi. Festivals and odd championships
Can you see the northern lights in Helsinki?
Yes, but rarely, and only in a real geomagnetic storm from a dark spot with a clear northern horizon. Here is the honest frequency, the two places in the city worth standing in, and tonight's actual verdict. Straight answer
Is Finland expensive? The numbers
Yes, by about a fifth against the EU average, but less than the US, about level with the UK and Sweden, and well below Norway, Denmark and Iceland. Eurostat's 2025 price levels, what is dear and what is not, and what that means for a trip. Straight answer
How dark is it in Lapland in September?
Not dark at all until the second week — Rovaniemi has no astronomical darkness until 8 September, and Utsjoki none until the 17th. Then it arrives fast: seven minutes of daylight lost a day. Straight answerTonight in Finland
Aurora tonightThe light, noon to noon
Local noon to local noon. Night is the dark band, the pale line is sunset or sunrise, and the green rule marks the hours dark enough to see the aurora. Computed for 2026-10-23.
- astronomical dark
- nautical twilight
- civil twilight
- daylight
- aurora window
Can you see the lights tonight?
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Utsjoki
Clouded out — 100% cloud at best between 20:22 and 05:34.
100% cloud at best · 9h 12m dark
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Kilpisjärvi
Clouded out — 100% cloud at best between 20:44 and 06:02.
100% cloud at best · 9h 18m dark
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Inari
Clouded out — 74% cloud at best between 20:18 and 05:38.
74% cloud at best · 9h 20m dark
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Saariselkä and Ivalo
Worth going out after 20:14 if the cloud breaks — a 24% chance of aurora overhead. The cloud thins to 36% around 21:00. A waxing gibbous (92% lit) is up, so faint arcs will be washed out.
36% cloud at best · 9h 24m dark
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Levi
Clouded out — 92% cloud at best between 20:24 and 05:50.
92% cloud at best · 9h 26m dark
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Rovaniemi
Worth going out after 20:16 if the cloud breaks — a 21% chance of aurora overhead. The cloud thins to 56% around 02:00. A waxing gibbous (92% lit) is up, so faint arcs will be washed out.
56% cloud at best · 9h 32m dark
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Helsinki
Clouded out — 100% cloud at best between 20:10 and 06:02.
100% cloud at best · 9h 52m dark
Beyond Finland: Alta aurora forecast · Tromsø aurora forecast · Abisko aurora forecast · Lofoten aurora forecast · Kiruna aurora forecast · Reykjavík aurora forecast
The best places to see the northern lights, ranked for tonight
How the verdict is worked out, and all 13 places
Live webcams: Levi · Rovaniemi · Ylläs · Saariselkä · Pyhä · Ruka
The roads north
Fintraffic cameras in the order you drive past them, with the road surface temperature beside each one. Updated every few minutes.
- Oulu to Rovaniemi
- Normal driving conditions on Oulu to Rovaniemi — the surface runs +3.1 to +5.1 °C.33 of 33 cameras live · 225 km · E75 · read
- Rovaniemi to Levi and Kittilä
- Normal driving conditions forecast on Rovaniemi to Levi and Kittilä — the surface runs +0.9 to +2.9 °C.4 of 4 cameras live · 150 km · read
- Rovaniemi to Saariselkä and Inari
- Poor driving conditions on Rovaniemi to Saariselkä and Inari — the surface runs -0.8 to +4.0 °C. A closure is due on Valtatie 4 from 26 October — bridge work, width limit 4 m, road closed, signed detour. The surface is at or below freezing at 3 of 13 stations, from Sodankylä Petäjämaa K northwards.14 of 14 cameras live · 330 km · E75 · read
- Tornio to Kilpisjärvi
- Normal driving conditions on Tornio to Kilpisjärvi — the surface runs +1.6 to +3.1 °C.16 of 16 cameras live · 460 km · E8 · read
