A
AISS Diaries
field notes · shishir
EU
The reference shelf

Resources.
Cost, housing, tools, links.

Honest numbers and practical pointers for life in each AISS city. Updated as I actually pay the bills.

Cost of living

Three cities,
same scholarship.

All three cities sit comfortably inside the Erasmus Mundus monthly allowance. Tampere is the priciest; Porto is the most generous to your wallet.

Item
EETallinn
PTPorto
FITampere
Dorm rent (single room, util.)
€280–360
€320–420
€380–460
Private studio (city centre)
€500–650
€650–850
€650–800
Monthly groceries
€180–240
€160–220
€220–280
Public transit (student)
Free
€20/mo
€33/mo
Coffee in a café
€2.80
€1.20
€3.80
Mobile data (unlimited)
€15/mo
€12/mo
€20/mo
Lunch out (casual)
€8–11
€7–10
€11–14
Cinema ticket
€8
€7
€13
Gym (student rate)
€25/mo
€22/mo
€32/mo

✦ Numbers are real-world ranges from current cohort students, mid-2026. Scholarship: €1,400 / month. Buffer: substantial in Porto, modest in Tampere.

Housing

Where to actually live.

EstoniaTallinn

Tallinn University assigns dorm rooms by application — apply early. Private rentals through City24, KV.ee, and Rendin. Most students stay in dorms semester one.

  • TLU dorms: ~€300/mo, walking distance to campus
  • Private studios in Kalamaja: €550–700, hip neighbourhood
  • Furnished apartments: shorter contracts, ~10–15% premium
PortugalPorto

Lusófona has limited student housing. Most cohorts split shared apartments in Bonfim or Cedofeita. Idealista is the dominant listing platform.

  • Shared room in central flat: €280–400
  • Studio close to campus: €600–800
  • Watch for short-term tourism leases — they're traps
FinlandTampere

TOAS is Tampere's student housing foundation — non-profit, large, reliable. Apply 2 months out. Otherwise lumo.fi or kotka.fi for private rentals.

  • TOAS dorm: €380–460, often furnished
  • Studio in Hervanta or Tampella: €600–750
  • Sauna access in almost every building (yes, really)
Apps & tools

The phone you actually want
in your pocket.

Apps that genuinely shorten the learning curve in each country. Install the relevant ones a week before flying.

W
Wise
EUR account, low FX fees, works from Nepal
B
Bolt
Estonian taxi/scooter unicorn — works everywhere
S
Smart-ID
Estonian digital signature, replaces a lot of paperwork
I
Idealista
Portugal rental listings
T
TOAS
Tampere student housing portal
F
Foreca
Best Nordic weather forecasts
D
DeepL
Better than Google Translate for EE / FI / PT
N
Notion
Lecture notes + thesis tracker
S
Spotify
Cheaper student tier with university email
Missing something?

If a question isn't answered here yet, it probably
just hasn’t happened to me.

The site updates as the journey unfolds. Email me what you want covered and I'll write it up the moment I've actually lived it.