A useful guide to adjusting to life in Estonia

Life in Estonia is not always defined by rules. The guide below helps you understand how things actually work. Whether you are new here or have lived here for a while, your feedback will help us improve this guide.

Giving feedback takes only 5–10 minutes. We look forward to your responses until March 25, 2026. Go straight to the guide ↓

Why the guide to adjusting to life in Estonia was created

When adjusting to life in Estonia, foreigners and newcomers often face unwritten rules. These are daily customs and expectations that locals take for granted but which are not officially recorded anywhere. This can create uncertainty and raise questions about local manners or whether you have done something wrong.

“A useful guide to adjusting to life in Estonia” was created to make these invisible rules visible. Through practical examples, we explain how daily life, work, and official matters are handled in Estonia, along with rules of communication, school and kindergarten, public transport, holidays, and other everyday situations.

The guide was prepared under the leadership of the Association of Estonian Cities and Municipalities in cooperation with local governments and is funded by the European Social Fund+.

The goal is not to teach anyone how to behave “correctly,” but to provide the knowledge and confidence to better understand situations and make informed choices.

This is the first version of the guide, and it will be updated based on your feedback.

What the guide is based on

The guide was created by asking what truly helps foreigners in their daily lives in Estonia.

Therefore, this guide is:

• ✓ practical and ready to use
• ✓ focused on modern life in Estonia
• ✓ written in clear and easy-to-understand language
• ✓ written in a friendly and approachable tone
• ✓ easy to use regardless of language skills

The material is available in Estonian, Russian and English and will be further updated based on user feedback. In the future, other languages will be added as needed. A pocket-sized paperback will be published in 2026, and a video version is also being considered.

This is not a finished product, but a work in progress.

Why feedback matters

We want this guide to be as useful as possible for everyone looking for information about life in Estonia or planning to move here.

Feedback helps us understand:

• ✓ if the information is clear enough
• ✓ which topics are the most useful
• ✓ what is missing
• ✓ what needs to be explained better

Feedback helps make this guide clearer and more practical, supporting a smooth transition for new residents in Estonia and in our municipality.

How can you help

• ✓ Read the guide right here on this page or download it as a PDF.
• ✓ Give feedback: After reading the guide, please fill out the short feedback form at the bottom of this page.
• ✓ Time required: Filling out the feedback form takes only 5–10 minutes.
• ✓ You can share your feedback until March 25, 2026.

Feedback is anonymous and will only be used to improve the guide. Responses will not be linked to any individual or published on the website.

Your contribution is vital to making integration easier in our municipality and throughout Estonia. Help us turn this guide into a practical and truly essential resource for residents of all cultural and linguistic backgrounds living in Estonia.

Thank you for your time!