Moving to Latvia from Albania

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Albania to Latvia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Albania to Latvia, you would find that Latvia is 4.4% more expensive than Albania overall. A ALL6,100,000 salary in Albania would need to be roughly €69,800 in Latvia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Latvian.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Latvia cheaper than Albania?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 11.3% more

Groceries

pay 1.2% more

Transportation

pay 4.4% less

Housing

pay 7.8% less

Childcare

pay 2.8 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 24.6% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ALL = 0.011 EUR (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Latvia?

What does your salary buy?

ALL6,100,000 → €69,800

To maintain the same standard of living in Latvia

Calculate with your salary →

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Latvia cost about 11% less than cities in Albania.

Albania

Sarande 47%
Shkoder 36%

Latvia

Riga ★ 43%
Liepaja 40%
Jelgava 33%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Albania to Latvia, based on official data.

Moved in 2021
6 ↑ 200% vs 2020

people moved from Albania to Latvia · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Latvia?

Top countries of origin for Latvia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Albania to Latvia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

AL
1.4
LV
2.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AL
10.8
LV
9.8

Albania generally does better on safety, though Latvia leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AL
$1,465
LV
$3,034
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

AL
18.8
LV
34.0

Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Albania leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AL
59.0
LV
40.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AL
1.8t
LV
3.6t

Albania generally does better on environment, though Latvia leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AL
24.9
LV
25.8
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AL
4.8%
LV
1.0%

Latvia performs significantly better than Albania across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

AL
10.9%
LV
6.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

AL
$12,998
LV
$26,312

Albania generally does better on employment & economy, though Latvia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

AL
79.8 yrs
LV
76.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AL
8.3
LV
2.2

Latvia generally does better on family life, though Albania leads in life expectancy.

Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Albanian Taxation Office (2016), State Revenue Service, Latvia (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

Can you move from Albania to Latvia?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Albania and Latvia. To live, work, or study long-term in Latvia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Latvia's immigration authority.

Albania passport

Albania passport holder visiting Latvia

Visa Free
Albania passport holders can enter Latvia without a visa.
Latvia passport

Latvia passport holder visiting Albania

Visa Free
Latvia passport holders can enter Albania without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Latvia than Albania?

No — Latvia is on average about 4% more expensive than Albania. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Latvia?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €17,450 in Latvia on a ALL6,100,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Latvia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Latvia has 25.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Latvia safe for expats?

Albania generally does better on safety, though Latvia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Latvia is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.4 in Albania.

How is healthcare in Latvia compared to Albania?

Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Albania leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 34.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 18.8 in Albania. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Albania: 64).

What language do they speak in Latvia?

The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In Albania, the official language is Albanian.

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At a Glance

AL LV
Population 2,349,580 1,847,785
Currency Albanian Lek (ALL) Euro (€)
Languages Albanian Latvian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +355 +371
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112