banks and finances

  • banking in e-estonia is easy
  • cash is not very often needed in estonia
  • you hardly ever have to walk into a bank
e-banking system

You can do most transactions online and almost never have to go to a bank branch in your physical form, except to set up an account (remember to bring your ID).

Once your account is open, you can access it instantly online.

cash or card

You will not need cash very often in Estonia. The most common method of payment is a debit card (Maestro, Visa, MasterCard, rarely American Express). 99% of businesses accept debit cards (you’ll need your PIN).

When you do need cash (it makes sense to carry some just in case, for tipping, or in case you run into the occasional cash-only market stall), you can make both cash deposits and withdrawals via ATMs. Worth noting just in case that most Estonians have never seen a bank cheque and wouldn’t know what to do with one.

When applying for a credit card, keep in mind that banks usually look at your salary and length of employment, which means you can apply for your first credit card about six months to a year after you start working here.