Estonia is in Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia. The climate is maritime with wet, moderate winters and cool summers. The official language is Estonian (closely related to Finnish). The northern and southern regions speak different dialects of Estonian. Some Estonians (particularly older people) speak German and the number of English speakers is rapidly increasing. Most (though not all) speak Russian, but few are keen to use it and may be offended if they are not addressed in Estonian or English first. The main religion is Christianity. The economy of Estonia's is rated as high income by the World Bank. The Estonian economic miracle has often been described as the Baltic Tiger. Professional titles are important in Estonia, if someone does not have a professional title, use Härra for Mr, Proua for Mrs and Preili for Miss, followed by their surname. Expatriate business dress is typically conservative, and smart. The security risk for expatriates in Estonia is low. Risks include low levels of petty crime such as pickpocketing, bag snatching, and vehicle theft. The currency of Estonia is the Euro (EUR). ATMs dispense Euros. Medical facilities are mostly reasonable, however costs of treatment for expatriates from outside the EU can be high. The population of Estonia is 1.3 Million (2018 est.), while the inflation rate (CPI) is 2.9% for Estonia as at April 2018. For a single Expat, the personal income tax rate in Estonia is a flat rate of 20%.
Cost Of Living
The cost of living for expatriates / professional migrants in In Estonia, the cost of each basket, based on local prices, compared to the international average, is categorized follows (Exact cost of living percentages only available in personalised reports): Estonia as at 1 April 2018 is average in comparison to other places in the world. 1) Alcohol (where available) & Tobacco: Low 2) Clothing: High 3) Communication: Low 4) Education: Average 5) Furniture & Appliances: Very High 6) Groceries: Low 7) Healthcare: Low 8) Household Accommodation: Very Low 9) Miscellaneous: High 10) Personal Care: Very Low 11) Recreation & Culture: High 12) Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels: Average 13) Transport: Low Estonia is for example -14.3% cheaper than USA for groceries, -33.7% cheaper for household costs than UK, and 80.1% more expensive for transport costs than India. The hardship premium for Estonia for an expat from Australia, is for example 30%, i.e. host location (Estonia) premium of 40% minus home (Australia) location premium of 10%. Estonia is ranked as a extreme hardship location. Want to know more about cost of living, hardship (quality of living) or expat salary in Estonia? Register subscribe to your home location and Estonia and run your personalised reports.