Table of Contents
About Kaunas
Kaunas is Lithuania's second city, sitting at the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris rivers about an hour and a half from Vilnius. It was the country's provisional capital between the wars, which left it with a remarkable stock of modernist architecture — now UNESCO-recognised and increasingly a draw in its own right.
For foreigners, Kaunas means two things above all: it's noticeably cheaper than Vilnius, and it's the centre of international student life in Lithuania, largely because of LSMU's English-taught medical programmes.
What's genuinely good
- ✓ Rent is meaningfully lower than Vilnius
- ✓ Large, established international student community
- ✓ Striking interwar modernist architecture
- ✓ Compact and easy to get around
- ✓ Strong engineering and industrial employment
- ✓ An hour and a half from Vilnius when you want it
What to weigh
- ⚠ Fewer English-language jobs than Vilnius
- ⚠ Smaller professional scene outside students
- ⚠ Salaries lower than the capital
- ⚠ Same long, dark winters
- ⚠ Less international than Vilnius outside the universities
The Vilnius vs Kaunas trade
Vilnius costs more and pays more, and it's where the English-language jobs are. Kaunas is cheaper on rent but the salary gap partly offsets that. The advantage is largest if you're a student, or if you work remotely for a foreign employer — then you get the lower costs without the lower local salary. If you need a Lithuanian tech job, Vilnius usually pays for itself.
The Student City
Kaunas has the largest concentration of international students in Lithuania, and the reason is specific.
LSMU — the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences — runs English-taught medicine, dentistry and veterinary programmes that have drawn students from India, Germany, Israel, Sweden, Lebanon and beyond for well over a decade. Tuition for medicine runs €12,800 a year for years I–III and €13,300 for years IV–VI, roughly €78,300 across the six-year programme. That's a fraction of comparable Western European or US costs for an EU degree taught in English.
KTU — Kaunas University of Technology — is the country's main technical university, strong in engineering, informatics and mechatronics, with substantial industry links. VMU follows an unusual liberal-arts model with strength in humanities and languages.
What this means practically
Kaunas has an international student infrastructure that Vilnius doesn't quite match: dormitories, student-oriented housing, English-speaking services around the universities, and a large peer community. If you're arriving as a student, that matters more than the size of the city.
See our medicine guide, universities guide and the complete student guide.
Cost of Living
Kaunas is cheaper than Vilnius, mostly on rent. Everything else — groceries, transport, eating out — is broadly similar and affordable by Western European standards.
| Cost | Kaunas | vs Vilnius |
|---|---|---|
| Room in a shared flat | Verify | Lower |
| Studio / 1-bed, centre | ≈€570/mo | €165/mo lower (≈€1,980/yr) |
| 1-bed, outside centre | ≈€405/mo | €163/mo lower (≈€1,956/yr) |
| University dormitory | Verify | Cheapest option overall |
| Utilities (winter) | Verify | Similar — depends on building |
| Monthly transport pass | Verify | Similar, student discounts |
⚠ Partially verified. The Vilnius–Kaunas rent gap is now quantified (see table) — €165/month in the centre, €163/month outside it. Dormitory, utility and transport figures still need researching from current listings and dating.
Heating is the variable that matters, not the city. A poorly insulated Soviet-era block in Kaunas can cost more to heat than a renovated flat in Vilnius. Always ask a landlord for the actual December, January and February bills before signing.
Neighbourhoods
| Area | Rent level | Best for | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senamiestis (Old Town) | Higher | Atmosphere | Historic centre at the river confluence, walkable and pretty |
| Naujamiestis (New Town) | Higher | Central living | The modernist core around Laisvės alėja, cafés and shops |
| Žaliakalnis | Medium | Residential charm | "Green hill" — leafy, interwar houses, the funicular |
| Šančiai | Lower–medium | Value, character | Riverside, gentrifying, wooden architecture |
| Eiguliai / Šilainiai | Lower | Budget | Large residential blocks, cheaper, well served by bus |
Students should check dormitory availability first — it's typically the cheapest option by a clear margin — and look at areas near their university before anything else.
Job Market
Smaller and more industrial than Vilnius. The English-language opportunities are real but fewer.
- Engineering and manufacturing — Kaunas has genuine industrial depth, and KTU feeds it
- IT and shared services — present, though the cluster is smaller than Vilnius
- Healthcare and life sciences — around LSMU and its teaching hospital
- Logistics — Kaunas sits on major transport corridors
- Universities — teaching and research
Outside these, Lithuanian is generally required. If your work is remote for a foreign employer, Kaunas is arguably the better choice in Lithuania — you keep the salary and take the lower costs.
Run any offer through the salary calculator; Lithuanian employers quote gross.
Getting Around
- Buses and trolleybuses cover the city; monthly passes are cheap with student discounts
- Compact and walkable — the centre is easy on foot, and Laisvės alėja is a long pedestrian street
- The funicular railways up Žaliakalnis are a genuine curiosity and still in use
- Kaunas Airport serves budget carriers with useful European connections
- Vilnius is about 1.5 hours by frequent, cheap intercity bus or train
- A car is rarely necessary in the city itself
Expat Life
The international community here is student-shaped. That's a real difference from Vilnius — the community is large but turns over, skews young, and clusters around the universities. For students that's ideal. For a settled professional in their thirties, Vilnius offers more.
Language. English works around the universities and in international companies. Russian is widely spoken, particularly by older generations. Lithuanian is needed for most other employment and for permanent residence.
Healthcare. LSMU's teaching hospital is one of the country's major medical centres — a genuine advantage of living here. Register with a primary care clinic early and set up esveikata.lt.
Open a bank account before you arrive
Traditional banks want a residence permit and asmens kodas you won't have for weeks. Revolut, Paysera and Wise open with just a passport, from abroad. Students in particular should do this before flying — you'll need to pay a dormitory deposit and buy a transport card in your first days. Student accounts →
Climate
Approximate average daytime temperatures (°C). Verify against a meteorological source before publishing.
Essentially the same as Vilnius — long, dark winters and pleasant summers with long evenings. If you're arriving from a warm climate for a six-year medical degree, take the winters seriously as a wellbeing factor rather than a joke about the weather.
Practical Information
- 112 — emergency number. Free from any phone, no SIM needed, English spoken
- Lithuania uses the euro — no conversion from the eurozone
- Cards work everywhere; contactless is standard
- Internet is fast and cheap across the country
- Decline Dynamic Currency Conversion at ATMs — always choose euros
- Declare your place of residence at the municipality once you have an address
Studying in Kaunas?
Permits, funds requirements, work rights and banking — the complete guide.
Related Guides
Disclaimer. General guidance, not financial or legal advice. Costs and conditions change — check current listings and confirm details locally. Some links on this page are affiliate links, which may earn us a commission at no cost to you.