Student rents rise most in Vaasa, fall in Helsinki

Student housing rents for unfurnished one-room apartments rose most sharply in Vaasa over the past year, according to the latest rental statistics from Statistics Finland.

In Vaasa, rents increased by 2.1% in January–March 2026 and 1.9% in April–June compared to the same periods last year. Joensuu was the only other city where annual growth exceeded 1%, with rents up 1.4% in early 2026 and 1.2% in late spring. In Lappeenranta, rents fell by 0.5%.

Helsinki saw a slight decline of 0.1% in both periods, yet remained the most expensive student city, with a median rent of €730 per month for a one-room apartment in April–June. Tampere followed at €600, a €130 difference. The lowest median rents were in Jyväskylä (€528), Oulu (€530), and Lappeenranta (€544), each roughly €200 cheaper than Helsinki.