Help needed !!!!!

Lau · Post by **Lau** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 9:50 am

Ciao Marco!
As Hank says hidden taxes are 22% and apply on almost everything you buy, such as food, clothes, furniture and so on. Apartments here in Oulu are quite expensive the more they are near the city centre, say 700 euros and you have one room+toilet+(maybe common sauna?) in a building of 6 floors (and neighbours!). Vegetables/fruits = damn expensive: one kilo of pomo d'oro is now 6 euros

if you shop at Lidl you'll need a bus ticket which is about 2,50 euros one way. Some people bike also in winter and that's free! Sport facilities are very good here especially if you join a club...

Silence is free, library is free, bank account is (almost) inexpensive if you use the internet to pay your bills...

I only miss the sun and the sea!

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marco.marsella · Post by **marco.marsella** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 10:58 am

Thanks to everybody!

Your help was great... go on this way!

I forgot to ask the price for a dialup/dsl internet connection
Is DSL available everywhere?

You think it is possible (and confortable) to live without a car in Oulu or Vantaa (I mean outside Helsinki)? Is the public service sufficiently spread?

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:42 am

Vantaa is a big place so it would be an idea to do your homework before you rent an apartment and check out bus routes. It is easy to do this by using the journey planner :

http://aikataulut.ytv.fi/reittiopas/en/

If you are using the public transport system on a daily basis (metro, tram, bus and even the Suomenlinna ferry) then you can get a Helsinki Personal Travel Card. It costs 7 euros and then you load it with "time" at the rate of 20,50 euro for 14 days and 1.14 euro per additional day in the Vantaa area OR 36,70 euro for 14 days and 2.10 euro per additional day for the whole Helsinki region.

Buses have their own lanes on the bigger roads, it is often quicker to travel by public transport than to take a car, especially during rush hour. Coverage is pretty good and reliability is good too.

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:46 am

DSL is about 45 a month. Dialups are "free" but the phone charges are exorbitant. You can get DSL unless you live severely in the forest.

Vantaa is 1/2 forest and 1/2 civilization. 1. is to get to know where exactly your office is and how the traffic goes. Sometimes driving is faster, sometimes public is more comfortable.

And you being from Rome...

there is no "Italian parking" allowed here

so finding a parking place is the problem rather than the getting to work so the bus comes cheaper.

fss · Post by **fss** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 4:29 pm

Hi Marco,

Well I would't recommend to not have a car outside of Helsinki area. You can manage but life is much easier if you have one. Also that way it is easier to travel around:)

Average monthly salary according of TEK (union for Engineers & Architecs) with 4 years experience would be 3500euros/month. This obviously is highly dependent on your skills, more you know more you can earn. This estimation is based on anual research done by TEK and is cross all the engineering fields. In telecommunication field I would guess anything from 3000-5000euros/month, depending on your skills. Your salary is also dependant if you live in Helsinki or Oulu. Salaries in Helsinki tend to be higher, this is due the higher living costs.

To consider which location you prefer, you could ask yourself what is important to you? Helsinki is naturally more international, in Oulu you closer to ski resorts and its more relaxed

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Help needed !!!!!