Should you visit Tartu or Tallinn?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Tartu and Tallinn can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Tartu
Tartu is a university town that is also the second largest city in Estonia. It has a population of about 100,000 and dates back to 1030, making it the oldest city in the country. The Emajogi River passes through town and it has a lovely old town that's pleasant to explore. The city is a great place to see day to day life in Estonia. It is a very real town with people going about their daily lives. If you find yourself here when the weather is nice, you'll be greeted by crowds of happy locals out enjoying the weather. They make full use of the warm, sunny weather with festivals, events, and concerts during the summer. This is easily the most fun and eventful time to visit the city.
Tallinn
Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. It has a population of more than 430,000 people and is a charming, yet cosmopolitan place to visit. The Old Town is at the center of the city's tourism, and the beauty and architecture is very impressive. The city's close proximity to Helsinki makes it a popular day trip from Finland, but cheap plane flights have also encouraged visitors from around Europe to spend several days in this city. In particular, summer months can become quite crowded.
Which city is cheaper, Tallinn or Tartu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Tartu is €84, while the average daily cost in Tallinn is €74. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Tartu and Tallinn in more detail.
Accommodation
Travelers usually pay around €76 for a double occupancy room in Tartu If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
The prices for places to stay in Tallinn can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is €40, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around €80.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Tartu cost around €30 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around €12.
Tallinn food costs typically run travelers around €25 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Tartu €30
Tallinn €25
Typical Food prices in Tartu
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Tartu:
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Danishes
€0.76
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Lunch for Two
€4.93
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Ice Cream
€1.27
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Cookies
€0.51
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Coffee & Cake
€3.47
Typical Food prices in Tallinn
For Tallinn, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two
€7.68
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Dessert
€1.15
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tallinn
For Tallinn, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Estonian food tour in Tallinn:
$12
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Tallinn Sunset Dinner Cruise:
$73
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Tallinn Beer House Dinner:
$75
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Tallinn Russian Dinner:
$96
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Tallinn 3-Hour Estonian Food Tour:
$106
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Tallinn Food Tour with Round-trip Transfer Port-City:
$131
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Tallinn Segway and Food Tour:
$156
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Vegan Food Tours Tallinn:
$242
Local Transportation
Tartu's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend €22 per person, per day on transportation in Tartu.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Tallinn than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €9.68 on transportation in Tallinn on average per day.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Tallinn
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Tallinn:
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Tram Around Town for Two
€1.66
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tallinn
Also for Tallinn, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Minivan Transfer from Tallinn to Riga:
$448
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Tallinn to Riga transfer with Sightseeing:
$335
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Private Shore Excursion: Tallinn Old Town Walking Tour with Round-Trip Transfer:
$274
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Private Transfer from Tallinn to Riga:
$156
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Tallinn Limo Airport Transfer:
$100
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Tallinn Party Bus Airport Transfer:
$93
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Tallinn Party Bus Airport Transfer:
$87
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Tallinn Return Airport Transfers:
$70
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Tallinn Airport Transfer - Return:
$65
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Tallinn TLL Airport Luxury Car Private Departure Transfer:
$60
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Tallinn TLL Airport Luxury Car Private Arrival Transfer:
$60
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Departure Private Transfer Tallinn City to Tallinn Airport TLL:
$52
Is it cheaper to fly into Tartu or Tallinn?
Prices for flights to both Tallinn and Tartu change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Tartu can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around €13 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Sightseeing expenses in Tallinn, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €4.50 per day, per person.
Typical Entertainment prices in Tartu
For Tartu, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Art Museum ticket
€0.95
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Movie Ticket
€3.47
Tours and Activities in Tartu
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tartu.
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Guided tour “Love stories of Tartu”:
$496
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Tartu Toy Museum Entrance Ticket:
$7.46
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Tartu city cultural tour:
$479
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Tartu city cultural tour:
$479
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The best of Tartu walking tour:
$496
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Water Park Entrance Ticket:
$11
Tours and Activities in Tallinn
For Tallinn, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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1 day guided tour to Helsinki from Tallinn by VIP car:
$535
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1-Hour Good Morning Tallinn Running Tour:
$19
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2 Hour Tallinn Old Town Walking Tour:
$162
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2-Hour Guided Walking Tour of Tallinn:
$45
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2-hour private tour of Tallinn with transport:
$254
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3-Hour Private Tour of Tallinn:
$254
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5h Tallinn Old Town, Kadriorg Pirita Small Group Tour:
$75
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7 Days Small Group Tour: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus & Ukraine:
$3,190
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8-Day Tour Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia: Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius:
$995
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Admire Tallinn's highlights Walking & Driving Private Tour:
$291
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Aegna Half-Day Guided Tour: Stone Maze and Valley of Boulders:
$31
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Best of Tallinn Private Tour:
$184
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Tartu, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €13.
Typically, people visiting Tallinn spend on average €12 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Tartu
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Tartu:
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Private Distillery Tour in Tartu with Tastings:
$25
Sample the Local Flavors in Tallinn
Also in Tallinn, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Nudist Winery Wine Tasting and Winery tour in Tallinn:
$44
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Tallinn Brewery Fiesta:
$77
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Tallinn Guided Bar Crawl:
$77
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Tallinn Bar Crawl:
$85
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Tallinn Beer House Brewery Fiesta:
$90
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City tour Craft Brewery visit and tasting of craft beers ciders and cheeses:
$90
When comparing the travel costs between Tartu and Tallinn, we can see that Tartu is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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