Tallinn
Tallinn on a budget: cheap food, stays and free sights
Budget €40–80 a day per person: dorm bed, lunch menus and supermarket food, trams and free sights. Spend more only for a mid-range hotel or a restaurant dinner. Costs drop outside the Old Town, so sleep in Kalamaja and eat where locals queue at lunch.
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GuideTallinn
Key facts
- Backpacker day
- €40–80 (dorm, lunch menu, supermarket, buses)
- Mid-range day
- €105–185 (3★ hotel, restaurant dinners, Bolt)
- Lunch menu (päevapraad)
- €7–11
- Dinner main in Tallinn
- €16–28
- Beer (0.5 l) in a bar
- €5–7
- Coffee
- €3–4.5
- Free sights
- Old Town walls, Toompea viewpoints, Kadriorg park, Kalamaja streets
- Cheapest monthscheck
- November and March, outside Christmas markets and summer
- Cards
- Contactless works almost everywhere, including buses
Top picks
The cheapest good day in Tallinn is built from four choices: sleep in Kalamaja or around Balti jaam rather than inside the Old Town walls, eat the päevapraad lunch menu, walk everywhere in the centre, and spend your sightseeing time on the free viewpoints and parks.
For food, the lunch menu is the single biggest saving: the same kitchens that charge €16–28 for a dinner main serve a €7–11 plate at midday. Supermarkets (Rimi, Selver, Maxima) cover breakfast and picnic lunches for a few euros. For beds, hostel dorms run €18–30 and the price gap between the Old Town and Kalamaja is real, with a 10–15 minute walk between them.
Free sights carry the day: the Old Town walls and towers from outside, the Toompea viewing platforms, Kadriorg park, the Seaplane Harbour exterior and the Kalamaja wooden-house streets. Paid museums are worth one or two, not all of them.
| Pick | Price | Hours | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Päevapraad lunch menu | €7–11 | Weekdays roughly 11:00–15:00 (check) | Same kitchen, half the dinner price |
| Supermarket breakfast and picnic | €3–6 | Rimi, Selver, Maxima daily, long hours | Covers two meals cheaply |
| Hostel dorm bed | €18–30 | 24-hour reception varies (check) | Cheapest bed, book ahead in summer |
| Old Town walls and Toompea viewpoints | €0 | Always open | The classic view costs nothing |
| Kadriorg park and Kalamaja streets | €0 | Park open daily (check) | Half a day out of the centre |
| Tram or bus single ticket | €2 (check) | Runs roughly 05:00–24:00 (check) | Cheaper than Bolt for short hops |
Prices and hours
Tallinn prices sit close to Nordic levels inside the Old Town and fall once you cross into Kalamaja, Telliskivi or the suburbs. The figures below are 2026 estimates per person; VAT rose to 24% in July 2025, which shows up in restaurant and café bills.
Two habits keep the day cheap. First, eat your main meal at lunch. Second, buy alcohol and snacks in a supermarket rather than a bar: a 0.5 l beer is €5–7 in a bar and a fraction of that from a shop. Coffee is €3–4.5, so a café breakfast adds up faster than a bakery one.
| Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lunch menu (päevapraad) | €7–11 | Weekday midday, main course |
| Dinner main in Tallinn | €16–28 | Old Town is at the top of the range |
| Beer (0.5 l) in a bar | €5–7 | Supermarket is far cheaper |
| Coffee | €3–4.5 | Bakery coffee is cheaper |
| Hostel dorm | €18–30 | Higher in June–August |
| 3★ hotel or apartment | €45–80 | Per room, sharing |
| Tram or bus single | €2 (check) | Buy in app or from the driver (check) |
| Kumu art museum | About €12 (check) | One paid museum is enough |
| Tallinn–Helsinki ferry | €60 (check) | One way, foot passenger, day trip option |
2026 estimate, per person unless noted. Check current prices and opening hours before you go.
Getting there
Tallinn is reached by ferry from Helsinki (about €60 one way as a foot passenger, 2–2.5 hours, check), by bus from Riga and Tartu, and by train from Tartu (€10–16). Flying in from a Western European hub is often the cheapest way to arrive if you book early; the airport is 4 km from the centre and a tram or bus ticket costs about €2 (check).
Once in the city, the centre is walkable and the tram network covers the port, airport and Kadriorg. A single ticket is around €2 (check); a day pass is worth it only if you ride three or more times. Bolt is cheap for short trips but adds up over a day.
- Ferry from Helsinki: about €60 one way, foot passenger (check)
- Train from Tartu: €10–16
- Bus from Riga: check current fares
- Airport to centre: tram or bus, about €2 (check)
- Old Town to Kalamaja: 10–15 minutes on foot
FAQ
The questions travellers ask most about costs in Tallinn, answered briefly. Full answers are in the FAQ block below.
Questions people ask
How much do I need per day in Tallinn?
Budget €40–80 a day: dorm bed €18–30, lunch menu €7–11, supermarket food, trams and free sights. Mid-range travel with a 3★ hotel and restaurant dinners runs €105–185. Comfort level starts around €250.
Where can I eat cheaply in Tallinn?
The päevapraad lunch menu at €7–11 is the best value, served weekdays around midday. Supermarkets (Rimi, Selver, Maxima) cover breakfast and picnics. Kalamaja and Telliskivi are cheaper than the Old Town for dinner.
What are the cheapest months for Tallinn?
November and March are usually cheapest, outside the Christmas market and summer season. January and February are cold but quiet. June to August and the Christmas market weeks are the most expensive (check).
Are the main sights free?
Many are. The Old Town walls, Toompea viewpoints, Kadriorg park and Kalamaja streets cost nothing. Paid museums such as Kumu are about €12 (check), so pick one or two rather than all.
Do I need cash in Tallinn?
No. Cards and contactless work almost everywhere, including small cafés and buses. A little cash helps at some markets and rural shops.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialVisit Estonia
- officialVisit Tallinn
- officialElron (Estonian trains)
- officialTallinna Linnatransport (city transport)
- secondaryWikivoyage – Tallinn