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Alright my friends. Those are cities i am considering living for at least 2 years to doa master in film. Why?Because it's cheap and i have never been to any of those cities.
Here is what i am looking for.
-Friendly and accepting of foreigner
-"best" weather....i hate rain but i know they are all rainy cities..
-best city as a getaway to the rest of Europe and the world, meaning cheapest airfare and best connectivity
-best economy...job prospect
-Best to get by in English....My classes are thought in English and will use it also to communicate until i learn the language
-excluding housing which is cheapest (lest sales takes, state income taxes etc etc) for example if i was to buy a 55 inch tv where would it be cheaper or a car
Friendly towards foreigners
It's the same. I have heard foreigners say that the Danes are the most extroverted, but in general Northerns are introverted so expect that no matter the country.
Weather
Oslo get the most most precipitation, then Helsinki, then Copenhagen and lastly Stockholm. Copenhagen has the coolest summers, however the winters are quite mild.
Best connectivity
The largest airport in the Nordic region is located in Copenhagen (CPH Kastrup). Furthermore, Malmö (the city on the Swedish side of Øresund) does also have an airport.
Economy
The highest average wages are in Norway, however the cost of living is also higher. Next highest is in Copenhagen, but the costs of living is also relatively high in Denmark. All of the countries offer high wages and a high living standard. A lot of Swedes and Danes live in Swedish Malmø, but work in Copenhagen (Swedish prices of goods, but Danish wages).
Taxes
Taxes are basically the same, however as I mentioned above, the prices of goods, services etc. are highest in Oslo and Copenhagen. As a Copenhagener, Sweden feels very cheap, you know. Not sure about Helsinki though, but I kinda assume it's on the same level as Sweden. Cars are extremely expensive in Denmark, which is one of the reasons why bikes are so popular in Denmark.
Friendly towards foreigners
It's the same. I have heard foreigners say that the Danes are the most extroverted, but in general Northerns are introverted so expect that no matter the country.
Weather
Oslo get the most most precipitation, then Helsinki, then Copenhagen and lastly Stockholm. Copenhagen has the coolest summers, however the winters are quite mild.
Best connectivity
The largest airport in the Nordic region is located in Copenhagen (CPH Kastrup). Furthermore, Malmö (the city on the Swedish side of Øresund) does also have an airport.
Economy
The highest average wages are in Norway, however the cost of living is also higher. Next highest is in Copenhagen, but the costs of living is also relatively high in Denmark. All of the countries offer high wages and a high living standard. A lot of Swedes and Danes live in Swedish Malmø, but work in Copenhagen (Swedish prices of goods, but Danish wages).
Taxes
Taxes are basically the same, however as I mentioned above, the prices of goods, services etc. are highest in Oslo and Copenhagen. As a Copenhagener, Sweden feels very cheap, you know. Not sure about Helsinki though, but I kinda assume it's on the same level as Sweden. Cars are extremely expensive in Denmark, which is one of the reasons why bikes are so popular in Denmark.
Excellent post...I really appreciate it!!! What about Rotterdam?
All cities are international and share the quite crappy climate, but the further east you go in Europe, the more snow you get. Everyone under 65 speaks English in all countries, and are as connected to the rest of Europe similarly. Helsinki has the least regulated housing market, while Stockholm the most. In any case, the cost of living is similar for Stockholm, Copenhagen and Helsinki. Oslo is much more expensive. Finland has the worst economy, but I don't think it matters in your case if you are studying or a film maker. Taxes are the lowest in Finland, but the language the hardest. Oslo has the most natural beauty by far, while Stockholm has the most immigrants.
Rotterdam is a dump, and I wouldn't suggest anyone to move there. For the rest, IDK, you have to be more specific, as all cities have quite the same qualities.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheDentist
Not sure about Helsinki though, but I kinda assume it's on the same level as Sweden.
You're correct. The COL in Finland is like 2% cheaper than in Sweden.
-Friendly and accepting of foreigner
-"best" weather....i hate rain but i know they are all rainy cities..
-best city as a getaway to the rest of Europe and the world, meaning cheapest airfare and best connectivity
-best economy...job prospect
-Best to get by in English....My classes are thought in English and will use it also to communicate until i learn the language
-excluding housing which is cheapest (lest sales takes, state income taxes etc etc) for example if i was to buy a 55 inch tv where would it be cheaper or a car
thanks much guys
Why do you care about job prospects, are you planning to stay in the country aftwerwards. That changes the calculation.
Helsinki: Economy is doing terrible at the moment, and I think you may struggle to get to know people. Helsinki is not exactly an international city.
Stockholm: A good choice if you are provided student dorms. It is probably the most beautiful city in Scandinavia. However, it is not a great place to live, because there is massive shortage of rent properties, which doesn't just mean it is just expensive, but getting a rental contract is harder than getting a job. Buying an apartment is also difficult, because the house prices has increased by 15% each year, and has gotten extremly unaffordable. Right now the job market is OK, but the budget deficits has kept increasing every year, and I don't think they can return to a surplus without a recession.
Oslo: Quite Expensive, but tuition is free in some universities. Economy is not doing too well at the moment, but if oil prices increase again, then Norway will do better. Has no rental housing shortage, but rent is very high for dorm rooms.
Copenhagen: A lot cheaper than Oslo, but is not as pretty as Stockholm (has a lot of problems with grafitti and garbage). But the economy in Denmark is doing allright at the moment, and it will probably improve in the future. Also has a rental housing shortage, but not as severe as Stockholm.
Thanks guys!!!...As for a job after my studies, it would be nice to get some hands on experience but i don;t necessarily want to stay at any of those places. I am still looking into schools but the best deals so far are in those places. I had no idea Finland was doing poorly economically.
Thanks guys!!!...As for a job after my studies, it would be nice to get some hands on experience but i don;t necessarily want to stay at any of those places. I am still looking into schools but the best deals so far are in those places. I had no idea Finland was doing poorly economically.
I don't think Finland is doing poorly economically. Looking at the OECD stats its unemployment rate is about the same as that of the other Nordics, and lower than some of them in fact. I'd say you should expect economic conditions to be about the same in all four of the Nordic cities, with the main differences being in cost of living.
I don't think Finland is doing poorly economically. Looking at the OECD stats its unemployment rate is about the same as that of the other Nordics, and lower than some of them in fact.
Sweden has created a lot of jobs, but due to very high immigration, the gains hasn't lead to lower unemployment. Finlands even higher unemployment is due to the economy being in a terrible shape.
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