Why Espoo and Oulu Offer the Best Value for Median-Income Renters

Affordable living is a hot topic around the world and in Finland.  That’s why CHAOS’ data team decided to take a deep dive into this topic. We compared rental levels and median household incomes in Finland’s six largest cities to understand what kind of living space typical incomes can afford in different locations. As a rule of thumb, we used OECD standards for affordable living meaning that housing spending should not exceed 30% of a household’s monthly income. 

Affordable housing is no coincidence, but data-driven decisions

Although Helsinki and Espoo have the highest rents per square meter, median-income renters get the most living space in Oulu, and almost as much in Espoo. Tampere ranks lowest in this comparison.

How many square meters does 30% of income cover?

Espoo: 70 m²

Oulu: 70 m²

Vantaa: 67 m²

Turku: 61 m²

Helsinki: 58 m²

Tampere: 51 m²

In Espoo, the median household income is nearly €4,400 per month. In Oulu, incomes are lower (€3,134), but rental prices are significantly more affordable. In Tampere, rent levels are high relative to income, resulting in the smallest average living space among the cities compared.

According to Statistics Finland, rents declined nationwide in late 2025. At the same time, purchasing power has weakened and housing benefits have decreased. As a result, many households are spending an increasing share of their income on housing.

Housing affordability directly impacts wellbeing, and indirectly affects the broader economy through consumer spending capacity.

Data-driven decision-making is what makes the difference

The analysis is based on postal code–level income data from Statistics Finland and rental listing data from Finland’s largest housing platforms. Housing costs were considered affordable if they accounted for 30% of gross household income.

CHAOS integrates fragmented public and market data into a consistent, structured platform and uses geospatial analytics to deliver actionable insights for real estate decision-making.

Good decisions are not built on a single metric but on a comprehensive view.

Want to learn more about CHAOS data platform and the rental market analyses it can provide your business? Let's get started by talking to our team!