Helsinki remains most expensive student city for renters

Helsinki continues to be Finland’s most expensive city for students renting private-sector apartments, according to new figures from Statistics Finland reported by Yle.

Across the Helsinki metropolitan area, average rents for unfurnished market-rate flats fell 0.3 percent year-on-year in April–June due to ample supply, while rents rose 0.4 percent elsewhere in the country.

Eemeli Karlsson, an economist with the Finnish Landlord Association, said university cities typically drive rent increases, but the capital region’s high vacancy rates are pushing prices down.

Rovaniemi, Vaasa and Joensuu saw the sharpest rent rises, whereas Porvoo, Kerava and Vantaa recorded declines.

In Helsinki, the median rent for a one-room private apartment was €730 per month this spring, making it the priciest student city. Tampere ranked second, with a median rent of €600.