Europe · Riga
Cost of living in Latvia
Latvia is 45% cheaper than the US, ranking #74 of 203 countries we cover for cost of living.
World Bank data through 2024 · last reviewed 2026-06.
What drives the cost here
Price levels by category, where the world average = 100. Above 100 is pricier than the global norm; below it is cheaper.
In Latvia, food & groceries is the priciest category relative to the world (114), while health is the most affordable (70).
Category price levels: World Bank ICP 2021 (world average = 100) · source
What your money is worth here
A $100,000 US lifestyle would cost roughly $55,000 in Latvia.
Quality of life
91/100 · #50 of 198Beyond cost — health, safety, and connectivity. The score is a transparent, equal-weight composite of the verified metrics below (see methodology).
About Latvia
Several eastern Baltic tribes merged in medieval times to form the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but the USSR annexed it in 1940 -- an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 25% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in 2004; it joined the euro zone in 2014 and the OECD in 2016.
Background from the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived 2026-06-03.
Frequently asked
Is Latvia expensive to live in?
Latvia is 45% cheaper than the US, ranking #74 of the 203 countries we track. Its most expensive category relative to the world is food & groceries; health costs the least.
How much money do you need to live in Latvia?
A lifestyle that costs $100,000 in the United States would cost roughly $55,000 in Latvia, going by overall price levels. The salary translator turns your own figure into a local equivalent.
Is Latvia cheaper than the United States?
Yes. Its overall price level is 54.8, against 100 for the United States.
What is the quality of life in Latvia?
Latvia scores 91 out of 100 on our quality-of-life index (#50 of 198), a composite of life expectancy, safety, health, and connectivity, with life expectancy around 76 years.
Every number, sourced.
We cite the exact source and year for each figure. Derived values are computed at build time, never hand-entered.
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