Moving to Latvia from Belgium

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Belgium to Latvia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Belgium to Latvia, you would find that Latvia is 40.7% cheaper than Belgium overall. A €67,000 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly €39,700 in Latvia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Latvian.

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Is Latvia cheaper than Belgium?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 44.0% less

Groceries

pay 29.3% less

Transportation

pay 23.9% less

Housing

pay 57.3% less

Childcare

pay 40.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 17.1% less

See full cost of living breakdown

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?

€67,000 → €39,700

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 30% less than cities in Belgium.

Belgium

Brugge 56%
Hasselt 55%
Mons 53%
Charleroi 52%

Latvia

Riga ★ 43%
Liepaja 40%
Jelgava 33%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Belgium to Latvia.

Moved in 2021
7 ↑ 250% vs 2020

people moved from Belgium 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

The numbers behind daily life in Latvia compared to Belgium.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

BE
1.1
LV
2.5
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

BE
62%
LV
75%

Belgium generally does better on safety, though Latvia leads in feel safe walking at night.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BE
$7,489
LV
$3,034
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BE
35.7
LV
34.0

Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia 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

BE
15.0
LV
40.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BE
7.3t
LV
3.6t

Belgium generally does better on environment, though Latvia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BE
44.2
LV
25.8
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BE
52.8%
LV
1.0%

Belgium generally does better on infrastructure, though Latvia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BE
5.9%
LV
6.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

BE
$60,750
LV
$26,312

Belgium generally does better on employment & economy, though Latvia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

BE
82.3 yrs
LV
76.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BE
3.1
LV
2.2

Belgium generally does better on family life, though Latvia leads in infant mortality.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Service Public Fédéral Finances (2016), State Revenue Service, Latvia (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Latvia vs Belgium

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Brussels Rain: 32.3 in/yr (820 mm)
57° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Riga Rain: 24.9 in/yr (633 mm)
50° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Brussels Riga
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) 60°/42°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) 67°/51°F (20°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 41°/31°F (5°/0°C)
View all months
Month Brussels Riga
Jan 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C)
Feb 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C)
Mar 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C)
May 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C)
Jun 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C)
Jul 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C)
Aug 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C)
Oct 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C)
Nov 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C)

Data: Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique, Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre

Can you move from Belgium to Latvia?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Belgium 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.

Belgium passport

Belgium passport holder visiting Latvia

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

Latvia passport holder visiting Belgium

Visa Free
Latvia passport holders can enter Belgium 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 Belgium?

On average Latvia is about 41% less expensive than Belgium, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Latvia?

Budget about €9,925 for 3 months in Latvia (based on a €67,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Latvia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Latvia: 25.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Latvia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Latvia safe for expats?

Belgium generally does better on safety, though Latvia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Latvia is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Belgium. About 75% of people in Latvia feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Latvia compared to Belgium?

Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 34.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 35.7 in Belgium. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Belgium: 86).

What's the weather like in Latvia compared to Belgium?

The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Brussels gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Latvia?

The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In Belgium, the official languages are Dutch, French and German.

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At a Glance

BE LV
Population 11,941,781 1,847,785
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Dutch, French, German Latvian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +32 +371
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112