From YLE:High Cost of Living Drains Workforce

[raamv]

Expensive living costs limit opportunities for people to move to the capital city area, and reduce the pool of potential workers.
Commuting is often the only reasonable option.

However, it is not viable for a family with two children to move to the Helsinki area unless a new job comes with a monthly salary in excess of 3,000 euros. It is more often a better option financially for those with families to commute, rather than move.

For an unemployed person living alone, it pays to accept a new job in the greater capital area if the salary is no less than 2,600 euros monthly, calculates the Pellervo Economic Research Institute (PTT).

Men more often than women commute to jobs outside of their home municipality. Those working in the industrial sector also tend to have longer commutes than people in social and health-care fields.

A main problem underlying the high cost of living is the slow speed at which new flats are built, finds the PTT's report. To mitigate the problem, the PTT suggests raising property taxes on unbuilt land and accelerating the production of rental housing.
Article here:
http://www.yle.fi/news/id79356.html

[sinikettu]

It is more often a better option financially for those with families to commute, rather than move.

Phil made some comments on his blog about the fact that some Nokia colleagues commute in from places like Lohja and Porvoo and claim that "it only takes them 30 minutes"..
He lives jogging distance from his desk...(he does not say if he can do it in 30 minutes )
Like him I dispute that 30 minute claim..unless their work place is on ring three..and even then they would have to be up and on the road before 7AM...and then return home after 6PM.

Then only in the summer would they be sure of a good estimate time home to work.

Yesterday ..few centimeters of snow..I was travelling out on Turku motorway.. .traffic into Helsinki..was crawling from the junction with route 2 to Pori 20 kilometers from ring 3..must have taken at least an hour to reach Ring 1 from places like Lohja and Nummela. Check next time you travel to Pori...so many new house going up in the fields around Nummela, it has become a huge dormitory..because house/land prices are so much lower than inside Ring 3.

But what else do these commutors gain (appart from stress/ulcers/bent fenders) is money back from the tax man.
Home to work every day (even using public transport fare rates) from Nummela and Lohja...makes for a nice refund in December.

[shrecher]

However, it is not viable for a family with two children to move to the Helsinki area unless a new job comes with a monthly salary in excess of 3,000 euros.

3000 per household is not enough to live in Helsinki. The minimal for survival is 4k brutto.

[raamv]

Okie, I copied the article for the lazy minded to click on the link..
Lohja to Espoo commute is doable in 30 minutes..but porvoo...I doubt..
as for people in the burbs..Generally, it takes as much time to Drive to HEL as it takes to commute cross-town in a bus/tram / metro.
My commute is atmost 30 minutes..but I work and live in the middle of nowhere..
e.g. Kirkkonummi to HEL(Kamppi) commute is 45minutes peak time..during winter..
From Inkoo, I ve even driven to Pasila during rush hour in < 1 hour and to vantaa in < 1 hour..

[raamv]

But what else do these commutors gain (appart from stress/ulcers/bent fenders) is money back from the tax man.
Home to work every day (even using public transport fare rates) from Nummela and Lohja...makes for a nice refund in December.

yes and this can be quite significant to reduce your tax percent if you call in during January!! and pretty much pays for the gas in itself..