Latvia : Cost of Living by CityHow Much Does It Cost to Live in Riga?
Most people wanting to move to Latvia will want to live in Riga since that’s were most of the jobs are.
However, bear in mind that the place certainly isn’t particularly cheap anymore. It once was, but in time the prices have most definitely increased a lot and are now on par with other European cities.
This is normal, since Riga is more and more visited by tourists.
Though it’s getting more and more expensive, many tourists that have been there say that Riga itself is completely beautiful, vibrant and worth a visit.
Cost of Living Breakdown in Riga
RESTAURANTS
If you want to go out, the best advice is to just use Google maps, see the offer of restaurants and open their websites, because Riga’s restaurants mostly offer menus with prices on their websites. Some are very expensive, yet others can be extremely cheap. The best advice is for you to stay away from the tourist trap places in Old Town. Many restaurants also have day offers which are very cheap.
| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $8.01 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $3.09 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $0.88 |
MARKETS
A very good piece of advice is to keep away from Livu square unless you want to spend all your money on one steak. In the Central mMrket there is a big hangar of meat. Another interesting fact about Riga and Latvia in general is that here fruit and veggies cost on average twice as in Italy, for example.
| Average Market Prices | |
|---|---|
| Milk (1 Liter) | $1.08 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $0.93 |
| Eggs (12) | $1.98 |
TRANSPORTATION
Public transport in Riga is considered to be pretty expensive taking into consideration the service you’re getting. A one way ticket costs 1.50$ which is rather expensive, while a monthly pass for all types of public transportation on all routes in Latvia is around 60$. Depending on where you have to go and how often, using a taxi might turn out to be much cheaper.
| Average Transport Prices | |
|---|---|
| One Way Ticket | $1.32 |
| Monthly Pass | $57.22 |
| Gasoline | $1.47 |
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Utilities are moderately priced in Riga, and services like mobile phone and internet can be considered inexpensive compared to the rest of Europe. Basic utilities including electricity, heating, cooling, water and garbage services for an 85m2 apartment can cost somewhere around 180$ which is pretty reasonable.
| Average Utilities Prices | |
|---|---|
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $187.94 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.09 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $17.23 |
SPORTS & LEISURE
Practicing sports is actually cheap in Latvia, especially compared to other European countries. If you want to be a member of a gym or a fitness club you won’t have to pay more than 40$. Also, cinema tickets are more expensive than in many other world countries, yet less than what is European standard – 8$ a ticket. Having fun (or losing weight) isn’t cheap in Latvia!
| Average Leisure Prices | |
|---|---|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $39.80 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $26.42 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $8.01 |
CLOTHING & SHOES
Sports is a lot cheaper than buying clothes, for example. Surprising, ain’t it? If you want to go shopping in Riga, count on paying more than 60$ on quality jeans like Levi’s and around 80$ on quality sneakers, which is actually normal given the fact that Riga is the biggest tourist destination in Latvia.
| Average Clothing Prices | |
|---|---|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $69.08 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $34.23 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $77.93 |
RENT PER MONTH
Rent is relatively inexpensive in Riga, though definitely more expensive than is Latvia’s average. It is highly possible to find an inexpensive place to live in the middle of Riga, for less than 250$ per month. However, if you want to find an apartment in the very center of Riga, it might cost your around 400$ and more.
| Average Rent Prices | |
|---|---|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $437.09 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $308.05 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $755.53 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Riga?
In Riga too, an average person spends most of their money on food.
This is the norm in most cities around the world (except for those where rent is ridiculously through the roof).
And speaking of rent, is the next aspect of life that people spend most of their money on, while restaurants are third on the list.
Transportation is among the things people have to pay and spend solid parts of their salaries on, followed by utility bills – that just have to be paid however low they are.
Average Costs Breakdown
Riga: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
With minimum wages of around 400$, living in Riga might be considered difficult though the situation is much better than in many countries around the world.
Their average monthly net salary is around 800$, allowing them to sort out their monthly salary so as to cover all expenses and not have to worry if they’ll have enough money for food.
Latvia is one of the poorest countries in EU, and taking that into consideration, Riga’s standard is pretty high.
Riga Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Riga Safety Review
| OVERALL RISK | MEDIUM |
|---|---|
| TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK | LOW |
| PICKPOCKETS RISK | MEDIUM |
| NATURAL DISASTERS RISK | LOW |
| MUGGING RISK | LOW |
| TERRORISM RISK | LOW |
| SCAMS RISK | HIGH |
| WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK | LOW |
| TAP WATER RISK | LOW |
