Cost of Living in Finland for Bangladeshi Students 2027

Cost of Living in Finland for Bangladeshi Students 2027: Monthly Budget, City Rents and Visa Proof of Funds

What does it actually cost per month?

Budgets for Finland usually fail for one reason: they mix up the visa minimum, the realistic budget and the tuition fee. They are three different numbers.

At Study in Finland, our Dhaka team sees this confusion in almost every first consultation. The practical reading: the €800 gets you the permit, but it is a floor, not a plan. Study in Finland itself recommends budgeting more and warns against relying on part-time work to cover basic costs.

A monthly budget, line by line

The table below is a planning model built from published figures, not an official price list. Rent comes from the housing providers and universities cited in the next section, and the other lines are typical student ranges.

The top of this range matches Study in Finland's €1,200 figure. The bottom is lower than Migri's €800, which is why nobody should plan to the bottom. Helsinki and the capital region will sit toward the top, because rent there is higher and the private market is expensive.

Not everything is monthly. Budget one-off costs for your arrival: a rental deposit (Turku's student foundation lists €250 to €500, refunded at the end of your tenancy), a one-time housing admission fee of about €60 at some providers, winter clothing, bedding and a laptop if you do not have one. Winter clothing is the item Bangladeshi students most often underestimate. A proper winter coat and boots can easily cost more than a month of groceries.

Our Dhaka team asks every applicant to build the budget in taka before choosing a city, because the same degree can cost very different amounts depending on where you live. For the full admission, visa and scholarship route, see our complete guide to studying in Finland from Bangladesh.

City-by-city rents: what the sources show

Finland has no single "student rent." Most degree students live in housing run by non-profit student foundations, which rent at below-market prices. The tradeoff is waiting lists and competition in the larger cities. The table lists what could be verified from the providers and universities themselves, with the date of each figure.

Two cautions. First, HOAS lists these as unit-level rents on live listings rather than a single published "from" price for the whole property, and HOAS reviews rents once a year, so your actual rent can be higher by the time you apply. Checking current HOAS listings for this guide (October 2026) found materially higher rents than an earlier May 2026 check had shown, and neither the Rastila nor the Kilo property currently lists a standalone "room" type at all, only studios and two-room apartments, so budget toward the studio and two-room figures above rather than assuming a cheaper room option exists. Second, the Tampere and Fulbright figures are from 2022, so treat them as a floor and expect today's rents to be higher. If you are comparing cities, ask each provider for a current price list before you commit.

Other student housing providers named by the universities include AYY in Espoo, VOAS in Vaasa, KOAS in Jyväskylä, KUOPAS in Kuopio and DAS in Rovaniemi. Rents for these cities were not independently verified for this article, and we have chosen not to publish unverified numbers.

How to choose a city on cost. Smaller university cities generally cost less in rent, but they also offer fewer part-time jobs, particularly for students without Finnish. Helsinki costs more and has the largest job market. Your programme is a better starting point than the city: pick the degree first, then compare its city. Our guide on university versus UAS in Finland explains how the two types of institution differ in programme options and campuses.

Does tuition change the picture?

Yes, and it is the largest cost for most Bangladeshi students. Non-EU/EEA students on English-taught Bachelor's and Master's programmes pay tuition fees that Study in Finland describes as typically €9,000 to €20,000 a year, set by each institution. A realistic first year looks like this.

The example is deliberately a mid-range case. Programmes at the top of the fee range push the total well beyond it, while a tuition scholarship reduces it significantly. Remember that a tuition-only scholarship still leaves you needing to prove living funds. Our Finland scholarship guide for Bangladeshi students explains which awards cover what.

What Migri requires you to show

Your residence permit depends on proving you can pay for your own living costs, and the rules are strict about how.

• Amount: €800 per month. For studies of one year or longer, that is €9,600.
• Bank statement: a statement covering the previous six months, showing the account holder's name, the bank and the currency.
• Whose money: the funds must be in your own account. Migri does not accept sponsorship agreements from relatives.
• Where it came from: if a parent funded the account, you may need documents showing where the money originated, so keep records of the transfers.
• Scholarships: these count towards your funds, but a tuition-only scholarship does not remove the living-cost requirement.
• Reduced amounts: €400 per month if accommodation is provided free, or €270 per month if both accommodation and meals are provided.

For Bangladeshi families the practical lesson is to move the money into the student's own account early and to document it. Funds that appear suddenly shortly before the application invite questions. The documentation and timeline are covered step by step in our January 2027 intake and autumn application guide.

Finland has no mission in Dhaka, so residence permit applications from Bangladesh go through the Finland Application Centre in New Delhi. Budget for that trip.

Healthcare costs

Degree students registered as attending pay the Kela student healthcare fee: €35.35 per term, or €70.70 per year in 2026. It is mandatory whether or not you use the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS). Students who are not attending, exchange students and those covered by EU/EEA social security are exempt. Check the 2027 rate on Kela's site, because the fee changes yearly.

Can part-time work cover your costs?

You may work up to 30 hours a week on average across the year (Migri, effective 15 April 2022). The limit does not apply to work that is part of your degree. In practice, Study in Finland cautions against counting on this income. Competition for jobs is real, many roles ask for Finnish, and your studies must stay your priority. Treat any earnings as a buffer, not as part of the budget you show Migri.

Ways to reduce your costs

1. Apply for student housing the moment you are admitted. Waiting lists, particularly in the capital region, are the main reason students end up in expensive private rentals.
2. Choose a city by total cost, not just rent. Include transport and the local job market.
3. Use the student meal prices. Universities and student restaurants charge far less than regular restaurants.
4. Buy the student-priced transport pass rather than single tickets.
5. Apply for scholarships and fee waivers at the same time as your admission, because deadlines often coincide with the application window.

Common mistakes

• Budgeting to Migri's €800 and nothing more. It is a legal minimum, not a living budget.
• Forgetting tuition. Living-cost articles that omit it understate the real cost by a large margin.
• Relying on relatives' sponsorship letters. Migri does not accept them.
• Using an old exchange rate. The taka moves, so recalculate before you transfer money.
• Ignoring the winter. Heating is usually included in student rent, but clothing is not.

Frequently asked questions

Conclusion

The cost of living in Finland for a Bangladeshi student is less about a single number than about three: €800 to qualify, €900 to €1,200 to live on, and €9,000 to €20,000 a year in tuition unless you win a scholarship. Build the budget in taka, choose the city after the programme, and apply for student housing the moment you are admitted.