Side by side
| Per month | Vilnius | Kaunas |
|---|---|---|
| Dorm place | ₹9,030–29,800 (€85–280) | ₹8,500–26,600 (€80–250) |
| Studio, private (average Q2 2026) | ₹50,500 (€475) | ₹39,300 (€370) |
| Food, cooking at home | ₹23,400–31,900 (€220–300) | ₹21,300–29,800 (€200–280) |
| Student transport pass | ₹810 (€7.60) | ₹600 (€5.60) |
| Typical total | ₹58,400–79,700 (€550–750) | ₹53,100–69,100 (€500–650) |
Where the real difference is
Housing. Several Vilnius institutions (VIKO, ISM, Vilnius Business College, SMK) have no dorms for international students, so their students rent a room for ₹26,600–47,800 (€250–450). In Kaunas, KTU and LSMU run their own dorms, which keeps most of their students on the cheaper side of the table.
When Vilnius is worth paying for
- you study IT, data or finance and want internships at international companies;
- you need a part-time job and do not speak Lithuanian: the capital has more English-speaking work;
- your university is there anyway, like Vilnius University or VILNIUS TECH.
For medicine, engineering at KTU or a tight budget, Kaunas is the sensible choice. City guides: Vilnius, Kaunas.