Tartu vs Vilnius
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Vilnius edges it, 65 to 64, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Tartu is stronger on nothing outright; Vilnius on getting there & around, visa ease. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Tartu | Vilnius |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 47 ✓ | 44 |
| Safety | 79 ✓ | 73 |
| Healthcare | 75 ✓ | 70 |
| Internet | no data | 72 |
| Visa ease | 80 | 90 ✓ |
| Getting there & around | 25 | 39 ✓ |
| Climate | 25 | 25 |
| Air quality | 99 ✓ | 92 |
| Quality of life | 84 ✓ | 83 |
Cost
| Metric | Tartu | Vilnius |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,585 ✓ | $1,719 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $688 | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Tartu | Vilnius |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 1.8 ✓ | 4.2 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 77.8 | 81.9 ✓ |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 79 ✓ | 78 |
| Life expectancy | 77.1 yrs ✓ | 74.1 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Tartu | Vilnius |
|---|---|---|
| Download | no data | 58.6 Mbps |
| Upload | no data | 15 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Tartu | Vilnius |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Digital Nomad Visa ✓ | none listed |
| Minimum income for the visa | $5,158/mo | no data |
| Visa-free days, US passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | unlimited | unlimited |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Tartu | Vilnius |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 1 | 60 ✓ |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 | 4 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 4 ✓ |
Climate and air
| Metric | Tartu | Vilnius |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 3 | 3 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 5.3 µg/m³ ✓ | 8.5 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Tartu or Vilnius?
- Tartu is cheaper: about $1,585 per month versus $1,719 for one person.
- Is Tartu or Vilnius safer?
- Tartu scores higher on safety (79 vs 73), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Tartu or Vilnius?
- M-Lab has no reliable measurement for one of the two cities.
More comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages). Dataset 2026.09.4. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.