Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Latvia instead of Moldova, you would:

Health

live 3.5 years longer

In Moldova, the average life expectancy is 72 years (69 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2022. In Latvia, that number is 76 years (71 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2022.

be 24.9% more likely to be obese

In Moldova, 18.9% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Latvia, that number is 23.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 2.4 times more money

Moldova has a GDP per capita of $12,300 as of 2020, while in Latvia, the GDP per capita is $29,900 as of 2020.

be 23.0% more likely to be unemployed

In Moldova, 5.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2019. In Latvia, that number is 6.1% as of 2019.

be 3.1 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Moldova, 7.3% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Latvia, however, that number is 22.9% as of 2018.

pay a 27.8% higher top tax rate

Moldova has a top tax rate of 18.0% as of 2016. In Latvia, the top tax rate is 23.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 58.2% less likely to die during infancy

In Moldova, approximately 11.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Latvia, on the other hand, 4.8 children do as of 2022.

have 14.3% fewer children

In Moldova, there are approximately 10.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Latvia, there are 8.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 17.7% more likely to have internet access

In Moldova, approximately 76.3% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Latvia, about 89.8% do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 31.1% less on education

Moldova spends 6.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Latvia spends 4.2% of total GDP on education as of 2018.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: State Revenue Service, Latvia, The World Factbook, State tax Service.

Latvia: At a glance

Latvia is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 62,249 sq km. The name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed 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 it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 28% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004; it joined the eurozone in 2014.
Read more

How big is Latvia compared to Moldova? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Latvia.or Moldova It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.