Living in Pori
Here, you’ll find all you need to settle into life in Pori smoothly, including info on renting, driver’s licenses, public transport setting up a bank account and more. It’s your go-to guide for starting fresh in our city!
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Renting
In Finland, housing options include rental (vuokra-asunto), right-of-occupancy (asumisoikeusasunto), or owner-occupied (omistusasunto) homes. Prices are higher in larger cities compared to smaller towns.
In Finland, housing allowance (asumistuki) is available to assist with housing costs, such as rent or maintenance charges, particularly for those with low incomes. This allowance, granted by Kela, varies depending on family size and income but typically doesn’t cover all expenses, leaving occupants responsible for part of the rent, electricity, and internet fees.Pensioners and students may also qualify for housing allowance. The usual rental deposit is 1-2 months rent. It is quite common to have a one-year contract, and if you terminate the lease before the end of the term, a fee is required. Additionally, the standard notice period for ending the lease is one month.
Rental homes are advertised online by cities, municipalities, private companies, and individual landlords
Tasks associated with your move
- Get Home Insurance: Protect property with home insurance to cover damages and losses
- Buy utilities: Sort out things like electricity, parking lot, internet, and cable TV if they’re not already included in your rent
- Key Pickup and walk-through: Arrange with your landlord to pick up your keys and check out the place together. This helps avoid any surprises later on
- Follow House Rules: Stick to the rules about things like smoking, keeping the place clean, sorting your trash and being quiet at certain times
- Use Shared Facilities: Learn how to use the shared facilities in your building, like the laundry room, sauna, and bike storage. Check the rules for booking and using these areas to make the most of them
- Ending Your Lease: Understand how to end your lease if you need to. Know the rules for giving notice and any fees you might have to pay.
Where to find available housing?
There are several websites for advertising rental housing in Finland:
If you are a student
Porin YH-Asunnot Oy provides affordable and comfortable student housing options, including shared apartments, studios, and 1 2 bedroom units in Pori.
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In Finland, it is important to save resources and protect the environment by sorting household waste. Sorted waste can be reused to save natural resources and money. Waste provides raw materials for new products, reducing the need for landfill sites. Incorrectly sorted waste increases treatment costs and slows down processing. Separate waste containers in kitchens make sorting easier. Housing companies
have waste collection points with bins for different types of waste:- Biowaste (biojäte): food scraps, coffee grounds, tea leaves, spoiled food, eggshells, fish waste, small bones
- Carton (kartonki): cardboard food packaging, cardboard boxes, milk and juice cartons
- Paper (paperi): newspapers, magazines, flyers, envelopes, books without covers
- Glass (lasi): glass jars and bottles
- Metal (metalli): cans, aluminum foil, metal items, small appliances
- Mixed waste (sekajäte): non-recyclable items
Mixed waste is burned to make energy. Hazardous waste, like batteries and medicines, should be taken to special collection points to keep the environment safe. You can take recyclable waste from home to Keräämö recycling points, sorting stations, or Rinki eco points. Some private companies also accept recyclable items, such as most electronics stores take broken electronic devices and appliances for free. You can find the map of recycling centers on the website.
Getting around
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You can view the bus schedules here. You can also follow the public transport schedules using the Waltti Mobile app. The app and the website also provide notifications about possible disruptions. Current schedules can always be found on this website or in the route guide at pori.digitransit.fi. Public transport tickets can be purchased from the driver with cash, contactless payment, the Waltti Mobile app, or the Waltti online store. Prices for all types of tickets can be found here.
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Here are some companies that rent cars in Pori:
There are about 2,300 parking spaces in downtown Pori, of which 1,400 are paid. Parking is charged on weekdays from 8 am to 6 pm and on Saturdays from 8 am to 4 pm. You can pay for parking with coins, cards, or the Easypark and Parkman apps. Monthly permits can be purchased from parking meters and the Pori City Customer Service. The parking violation fee is 50 euros, more information about parking can be found here.
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Electric scooters from Tier, Voi, and Lime are available in Pori. To rent these scooters, you’ll need a smartphone app with the same name as scooter. The app will locate the nearest scooter, and you can start using it by scanning the QR code on the scooter
The length of the walking and cycling network in Pori is about 350 km.
Rolan city bikes are located in central Pori and Yyteri and available for rent via a mobile app. The Rolan bike system operates 24/7 through the app, making it easy to rent and return bikes anytime
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Most people moving to Finland can exchange their foreign driving licence for a Finnish one, with some exceptions. Those from countries in the Road Traffic Convention can use their national licence in Finland for two years. It’s recommended to get an International Driver s License before arriving.
Drivers from EU or EEA countries can use their valid licence in Finland and apply for a Finnish licence after six months. The service point is located at A Katsastus, Helmentie 28, 28100 Pori. You can book an appointment on the website.
Banking
The largest banks in Finland offer services in English. Online banking is by far the most common form of banking in Finland.
To open an account, you’ll need to visit your chosen bank in person and provide required documentation, which varies among banks. Upon opening your account, request bank statements in English, Finnish, or Swedish, along with online banking codes for remote access, strong electronic identification methods, and instructions for using your bank card and bank application. You need to schedule an appointment online, and if you don’t speak Finnish or English, it’s important to bring a licensed interpreter with you.
Many banks no longer handle cash, so check beforehand if you plan to deposit cash. Cash points/ATMs
(pankkiautomaatti) branded as Otto and Nosto.
Here are some banks operating in the city of Pori:
Social support
Kela Benefits
If you belong to the Finnish social security system, you can apply for financial assistance in various life situations. Review the categories of benefits at Kela’s site.
Food aid
Foodaid.fi is a service for those seeking and organizing food aid. The website provides up-to-date information on food aid events and community meals in your chosen region, announced by registered distributors. Each event listing includes details and contact information.
The Church Resources Agency, in collaboration with its partners, provides the Foodaid.fi service. Hundreds of organizations across Finland use the platform to organize various food aid events and community meals
Summer meals for children and youth
The city of Pori, in collaboration with its partners, is providing summer meals for children and youth in Pori. Free meals are available for children and young people aged 7 to 18. The primary aim of this initiative is to support the well-being of children and young people.
You can find more information here.
Flea markets
In Finland, second-hand items like clothing and cookware can be found at Finnish Red Cross Kontti stores and local flea markets (kirpputori). New students in Pori can purchase a kitchenware set from Kontti for 50 euros, which includes utensils, plates, mugs, and cooking essentials. Additionally, several Facebook groups are available for buying and selling second-hand items.
Three biggest second-hand stores in Pori:
Online second hand in Finland:
Facebook groups:
A Facebook group called “Rehdin kaupan reko Pori Group” members post information about selling their own products, such as meat, fish, vegetables, berries, fruits, and baked goods