How much does it cost to travel to Helsinki?
You should plan to spend around $62 (€57) per day on your vacation in Helsinki. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $15 (€14) on meals
- $9.77 (€9.02) on local transportation
- $66 (€61) on hotels
A one week trip to Helsinki for two people costs, on average, $870 (€804). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Helsinki has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Helsinki expensive to visit?
Prices in Helsinki are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.
Within Europe, which is known to be an expensive region, Helsinki is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Calais or Cinque Terre.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Helsinki Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Helsinki?
The average Helsinki trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Helsinki travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
|
Category
|
Cost
|
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
€61
($66)
|
|
Local Transportation 1
|
€9.02
($10)
|
|
Food 2
|
€14
($15)
|
|
Entertainment 1
|
€12
($12)
|
|
Alcohol 2
|
€3 -
10
($4 - 11)
|
Accommodation Budget in Helsinki
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Helsinki is $33 (€30). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Helsinki is $66 (€61). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Helsinki? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Helsinki
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Helsinki is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $9.77 (€9.02) per person, per day, on local transportation in Helsinki.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$9.77
€9.02
How much does it cost to go to Helsinki? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Helsinki will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Food Budget in Helsinki
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Helsinki can vary, the average cost of food in Helsinki is $15 (€14) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Helsinki should cost around $6.05 (€5.58) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Helsinki is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$15
€14
Entertainment Budget in Helsinki
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Helsinki typically cost an average of $12 (€12) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$12
€12
Alcohol Budget in Helsinki
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $7.11 (€6.57) on alcoholic beverages in Helsinki per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$7.11
€6.57
Water Budget in Helsinki
Calculated from travelers like you
-
On average, people spend $3.45 (€3.18) on bottled water in Helsinki per day. The public water in Helsinki is considered safe to drink.
-
Water2
Bottled water for one day
$3.45
€3.18
Last Updated: Nov 26, 2023
Helsinki On a Budget
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital of Finland and dates back to 1550. Helsinki is an international metropolis with a diverse population, but also a small town vibe. The city itself has a population of just over 600,000 but the metropolitan area, including Espoo and Vantaa, has a population of more than 1.3 million. There are many outdoor bars and cafes that take advantage of the warmer summer months. During this time there are long days, and the population floods into the street after a long and cold winter, so visiting during the summer is a fun and lively experience.
Helsinki is one of the world's most northern capitals, making its winters long, dark and cold. Winter weather can be expected from November all the way through March and temperatures average about 5 degrees Celsius. There's a bitter wind chill that makes it feel even colder and the occasional snowfall often melts into a gray slush. Summer is the time to visit Helsinki. It's short and really starts in early June and runs through late August. Maximum daily temperatures hover around 22 degrees Celsius but do occasional reach 27 degrees Celsius. Daylight hours are long during this time and there is almost no darkness from early June until mid July.
Sights
Helsinki has many interesting sights that range from eclectic churches to elaborate museusms. Some popular places to visit include Lutheran Cathedral, the Church in the Rock, Uspenski Cathedral, the
Design Museum, Ateneum Art Museum, the
National Museum of Finland and the Helsinki City Musesum. You can see many of these places by visiting
Helskinki in one day, perhaps from Tallinn or on a longer trip through the rest of the country.
One summer sight worth visiting is Suomenlinna, which was once considered the greatest sea fortress in the Baltic. It dates back to the mid 1700s and today it has many old buildings, very few cars, and only a small number of residents. There are also some restaurants, cafes, theaters and museums. If you're in town during nice weather, pack a picnic.
Neighborhoods
Each of Helsinki's neighborhoods has its own vibe and character. The downtown area, called the center, is where you'll find lots of shops, department stores and offices. There are some beautiful squares and nice cathedrals as well. The Toolo neighborhood has old residential buildings that are designed with art deco. There are some cafes on Museokatu and a market square called Toolontori. Kruununhaka is an old district with many antique and design shops. Kallio is situated between Hakaniemi and Sornainen and is an interesting place to visit.
Helsinki is also bordered on three sides by the ocean. There are many small islands that are easy to reach by boat including
Korkeasaari which is the Zoo Island, Seurasaari Open Air Museum Island, Suomenlinna Fortress Island and many more. There's a ferry that travels to some of the islands from the Market Place.
Activities
There are some interesting and fun activities that you can enjoy while you're in Helsinki. The Vintage tram ride is an interesting way to get around the city center. There are several amusement parks that some people enjoy visiting as well. Popular festivals include Lux Helsinki, Vappu, Helsinki-paiva, Juhannus among many others.
Food and Dining
Helsinki has many cosmopolitan and trendy restaurants that serve so much more than the typical meat and potato dishes. They are generally expensive though, so be prepared to pay for them. Lunch is a great time to try a new restaurant if you're on a tight budget because many places have lunch sets that are less than ten euros. These are usually served between 10:30am and 2pm. Other budget options include fast food and some smaller Finnish eateries. There are some good pizza and kebab places that are relatively cheap, and the Unicafe is a chain that is owned by the Helsinki University student union. It has several locations and offers full meals for less than ten euros.
Transportation
It's possible to walk around many parts of Helsinki, but taking
public transportation will make your trip more efficient and comfortable. There are trams, buses and a metro that travel through the city. The trams are the easiest and most scenic way to get around. Lines 2 and 3 make a figure eight around the city and are popular with tourists. Trams operate mostly in the city center, and if you want to go further out, buses are a better option. The main bus stations are near the Central Railway Station and in the Kamppi Center near the Kamppi metro station. There's also a metro line that runs from the center of the city to the eastern part of town. There aren't many places along the line that interest tourists, but extension projects are underway.
Related
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Stockholm or
Riga and need a hostel?
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party in Copenhagen or
Tallinn?
Looking for
budget hostels in Scandinavia?
And for more information, check out this
ultimate guide to Finland.
We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.