Half of Finland's immigrants live in the capital region. The rest are spread across cities that are cheaper, quieter and, for the right job, a better start. Here is the short version of each, including the one grammar fact you need: whether the city takes -ssa or -lla.
| City | Say "in" | Character | Rent, one-bedroom | Hires in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helsinki | Helsingissä | the capital, sea, culture, the most international | 900–1,300 € | everything; tech, services, healthcare, universities |
| Espoo | Espoossa | the tech suburb west of Helsinki, Aalto University, Nokia's old home | 850–1,150 € | tech, engineering, research |
| Vantaa | Vantaalla | the airport city north of Helsinki, logistics, cheaper housing, very diverse | 750–1,000 € | logistics, airport, retail, healthcare |
| Tampere | Tampereella | the second city, lakes, industry turned tech, students, the tram | 600–850 € | tech, industry, gaming, healthcare |
| Turku | Turussa | the old capital, archipelago, shipyard, two universities | 600–850 € | shipbuilding, pharma, universities |
| Oulu | Oulussa | the northern tech city, wireless, winter cycling, the Air Guitar championships | 550–800 € | tech, wireless, healthcare |
Also worth knowing: Jyväskylä (Jyväskylässä), a student city in the lakes; Kuopio (Kuopiossa), healthcare and the east; Lahti (Lahdessa), an hour from Helsinki and much cheaper; Rovaniemi (Rovaniemellä), Lapland, tourism and the university of the north.
City guides for each, with neighbourhoods, transport and the English-speaking scene, are next in line. Until then, the housing guide and the transport page apply everywhere.