Living in Lithuania as a Pakistani student: money, housing, work and daily life
Lithuania has 133 English-taught programmes in our catalogue, in Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipėda. Tuition is moderate — our catalogue median is about €1,900 a semester — and living costs are among the lowest in the EU. The visa money is set as half the national minimum wage a month, which in 2026 means about €577.
Figures come from the government portal Study in Lithuania (studyin.lt), the Migration Department and the universities' own housing pages, checked in September 2026.
What a month costs
Lithuania uses the euro. The official portal puts a student month at €500–800, and Kaunas University of Technology at €450–1,000 including accommodation. Dormitories are what make the low end real.
| Item | Per month |
|---|---|
| University dormitory, Kaunas (LSMU / KTU) | €45–225 (typically €80–145) |
| University dormitory, Vilnius | €100–250 |
| Small flat in Vilnius | €200–400 (Vilnius Tech figure) |
| Food (cooking yourself) | €180–250 |
| Public transport (student pass) | €10–20 |
| Health insurance (private, required) | ≈ €30 |
| Phone + internet | €10–20 |
| Total, dormitory | ≈ €400–550 |
| Total, private flat in Vilnius | ≈ €650–850 |
Dormitory rent usually includes heating, water, electricity and internet — which matters in a country where heating bills in January are real.
What you must show for the visa
| Requirement | Amount |
|---|---|
| Means of subsistence | 0.5 × the minimum monthly wage per month |
| In 2026 (minimum wage €1,153) | ≈ €577 / month ≈ €6,900 for a year |
| National visa / residence permit fee | ≈ €120 |
| Also required | Private health insurance for the whole stay; proof of accommodation; admission letter |
| Accepted proof | Bank statement in your own name |
The temporary residence permit (TRP) is applied for through the MIGRIS online system, and it is the permit — not the visa — that carries your right to work. You submit the application and documents online, then give biometrics in person within four months.
Finding a room
- University dormitory: the default for international students, and in Kaunas the cheapest in this entire series — LSMU and KTU publish prices from €45 and €110. Apply through the university when admitted; bills and internet included.
- Private room or flat: Aruodas, Domoplius and Facebook groups. Deposit of one month; a written contract, which the Migration Department will want to see.
- Kaunas vs Vilnius: same degree, Kaunas 20–30% cheaper and the dormitory rarely full.
How to not get scammed
- No deposit before a viewing — video at minimum.
- Bank transfer after a signed contract. Never Western Union or gift cards.
- You need the landlord's consent to declare your place of residence for the permit. No consent, no flat.
Working while you study — 20 hours, with the permit
A temporary residence permit for studies includes the right to work — no other permit is needed — for up to 20 hours a week while enrolled at a higher-education institution. Doctoral students are not limited.
| Situation | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Up to 20 h/week with a study residence permit | Yes — no extra permit |
| Doctoral studies | Yes — no hour limit |
| On a national visa only, before the permit | Check with the Migration Department — the permit carries the right |
| On a tourist or Schengen C visa | No |
Part-time student jobs pay roughly €5–10 an hour — Lithuania is cheap to live in but wages match. English-speaking work exists in Vilnius and Kaunas shared-service centres, hospitality and delivery; Lithuanian or Russian widens it.
Your first two weeks: the checklist
| When | Do this | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Before you fly | Submit the residence permit application in MIGRIS and the national visa at the embassy | The permit carries your right to work |
| Week 1 | Enrol at the university and collect the student card (LSP) | Transport discount and student rate everywhere |
| Week 1 | Buy a Lithuanian SIM (Telia, Tele2, Bitė) | Everything runs on SMS |
| Week 1 | Declare your place of residence (dormitory does it for you; private landlord must consent) | Required for the permit |
| Within 4 months of applying | Biometrics and original documents at the Migration Department | The permit card |
| Week 2 | Open a bank account (Swedbank, SEB, Revolut works widely) | Rent and wages |
| Week 2 | Confirm your private health insurance is active and know your clinic | Required for the whole stay |
Weather and the dark — what to bring
Vilnius in January averages −4°C (typically −6 to −3°C), with 40–50 snow days a year and snow cover that lasts through January and February. July averages 19°C. December has about seven hours of daylight and under an hour of sunshine a day — plan like Finland: vitamin D, a lamp, a sport.
| Month (Vilnius) | Typical daytime | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Sep–Oct | 8–17°C | Jacket, closed shoes |
| Nov–Mar | −6 to 2°C | Insulated coat (−15°C rated), thermal layer, boots with grip, gloves, hat, reflector |
| Apr–May | 8–16°C | Jacket, layers |
| Jun–Aug | 18–24°C | Summer clothes from home are fine |
Buy the coat and boots in Lithuania in October. A reflector on your coat is a legal requirement for pedestrians in the dark outside towns and expected everywhere.
Halal food, prayer, and being Muslim in Lithuania
Lithuania's Muslim community is small but old — the Lipka Tatars have been here since the 14th century, and Kaunas has a historic mosque. The international student communities have added the rest.
- Mosques: Kaunas (the Tatar mosque in the city centre) and prayer rooms in Vilnius run by the Muslim community and student associations; universities with many international students have a quiet room — ask the international office.
- Halal meat from a handful of Turkish and Arab shops in Vilnius and Kaunas; kebab shops in every town. In supermarkets read labels — pork (kiauliena) is in most sausages.
- Ramadan: no timetable changes; lecturers in the international programmes are used to it. The Pakistani and Arab student groups in Kaunas and Vilnius organise iftars.
- Alcohol: part of student life; declining is unremarkable.
Where the Pakistani students are
Kaunas (KTU, Vytautas Magnus, LSMU medicine) has the largest Pakistani student community in Lithuania; Vilnius (Vilnius University, Vilnius Tech, MRU) the second; Klaipėda a smaller one. Kaunas is cheaper for the same degree, and its dormitories are the best value in this series.
Lithuania is the cheapest entry to the EU on this list after Poland, and one of the simplest: one online permit that also lets you work, dormitories from €45, and a winter you dress for. Use the Programmes page to filter Lithuania, and register free to see which of the 133 you qualify for.