Ice hockey match in Arena Riga during IIHF WC 2006
Latvia view 2
Barricade in Jēkaba street, Riga, to prevent Soviet Red Army fr…
Gauja River valley in Sigulda, Gauja National Park, Latvia
Turaida Castle in Latvia
Satellite image of Latvia in March 2003.

Latvia

Country Information of Latvia

Latvia is a Baltic state located in Northern Europe, bordered by Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south, Russia to the east, and Belarus to the southeast. Its strategic position on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea has historically made it a...

Capital

Riga

Languages

Latvian

UN-Member?

Yes

What Expats Say About LatviaBETA

Research in Progress

We're currently analyzing expat perspectives for Latvia. Check back soon for insights from real experiences!

We're gradually rolling out this feature and continuously improving the insights. The data is based on real expat discussions and will become more comprehensive over time.

Demographics in Latvia

Life Expectancy

74.5

Population

1,901,548

Religions

Christianity (Lutheran)
36.2%
Christianity (Catholic)
19.5%
Christianity (Orthodox)
19.1%

Ethnic Composition

Latvians
65.5%
Russians
24.1%
Belarusians
2.9%
Ukrainians
2.9%
Poles
1.9%
Climate & Weather in Latvia
Loading climate data, please wait
Loading climate data...
Entry Restrictions in Latvia
Summarizing data, please wait
Summarizing data... just a few seconds
Government & Politics in Latvia
Loading government data, please wait
Loading data...
Economic Overview in Latvia

GDP

$41.15B

HDI

0.9

Quality of Life

73/100

+30 vs NYC

Purchasing Power

35/100

-7 vs NYC

Understanding the economic landscape is essential for evaluating living costs and opportunities in Latvia. This comprehensive overview covers key financial indicators including cost of living, housing markets, income levels, and fiscal policies that shape daily life and long-term financial planning.

Economic & Living Costs in Latvia
Food & Dining Costs

Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant

8-20 €
Avg: 14 €

Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course

40-100 €
Avg: 70 €

McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal)

6-9 €
Avg: 7.5 €

Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

2-6 €
Avg: 4 €
Housing & Real Estate Costs

Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre

250-650 €
Avg: 450 €

Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre

200-450 €
Avg: 325 €

Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre

400-1200 €
Avg: 800 €

Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre

300-900 €
Avg: 600 €
Transportation Costs

One-way Ticket (Local Transport)

0.85-1.9 €
Avg: 1.38 €

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

4-8 €
Avg: 6 €

Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

30-50 €
Avg: 40 €

Gasoline (1 liter)

1.5-1.9 €
Avg: 1.7 €
Utilities & Communications Costs

Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 85m2 Apartment

200-366.15 €
Avg: 283.08 €

Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)

12-24 €
Avg: 18 €

Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data

10-25 €
Avg: 17.5 €
Grocery Costs

Milk (regular), (1 liter)

0.89-1.5 €
Avg: 1.2 €

Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g)

0.8-2 €
Avg: 1.4 €

Eggs (regular) (12)

1.67-3.6 €
Avg: 2.63 €

Local Cheese (1kg)

7-14 €
Avg: 10.5 €
Entertainment & Sports Costs

Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult

20-55 €
Avg: 37.5 €

Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend)

15-35 €
Avg: 25 €

Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat

7.8-15 €
Avg: 11.4 €

Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child

250-600 €
Avg: 425 €
Last updated: 2025-11-09
Loading education…
Transportation & Infrastructure in Latvia
Loading transportation and infrastructure data
Loading transportation data...
Work & Business in Latvia
Loading work and business data
Loading work & business data...
Social Integration in Latvia
Loading social integration data
Loading social integration data...
Retirement & Senior Living in Latvia

Upgrade to Premium to unlock this feature

Create an account to access:

  • District-level insights & personalization
  • Retirement planning module
  • Access to 3 continents
  • Enhanced filters & comparisons
  • Up to 10 comprehensive reports
  • API access (5000 req/month)
Get Started
Environment & Sustainability in Latvia
Loading environment and sustainability data
Loading environment and sustainability data...
Geography in Latvia

Coastline

N/A

Highest Point

Gaiziņkalns

Lowest Point

Baltic Sea

National Flag
Latvia flag
Quick Facts for Latvia

Population

1,901,548

Currency

EUR

Timezone

UTC+02:00

Calling Code

+371

Week starts on

monday

Gini Coefficient

35.1 (2018)

Drives on the

right side

Location

Data Source: Safety, crime, and quality metrics are sourced from Numbeo, a crowd-sourced global database of reported data.

All scores are relative comparisons on a 0-100 scale, where 50 = global average. Higher scores mean better than average, lower scores mean worse than average.