Moving to Latvia from China
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from China to Latvia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from China to Latvia, you would find that Latvia is 49.4% more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly €99,400 in Latvia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Latvian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riga averages 50°F vs 68°F in Shanghai, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Latvia cheaper than China?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.8 times more
Groceries
pay 25.4% more
Transportation
pay 60.1% more
Housing
pay 46.7% more
Childcare
pay 10.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 59.6% more
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?
CN¥500,000 → €99,400
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 28% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from China to Latvia, based on official data.
Who's moving to Latvia?
Top countries of origin for Latvia's foreign-born residents.
- 116,771
- 42,251
- 32,262
- 14,209
- 5,651
- 3,712
- · · ·
-
22.369
China
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from China to Latvia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though Latvia leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Latvia performs significantly better than China across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
China generally does better on infrastructure, though Latvia leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
China generally does better on employment & economy, though Latvia leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Latvia generally does better on family life, though China leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), State Administration of Taxation (2016), State Revenue Service, Latvia (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Weather in Latvia vs China
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Shanghai | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) | 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) | 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Shanghai | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) | 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) |
| Feb | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) | 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) |
| Mar | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) | 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) |
| Apr | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) |
| May | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) | 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) |
| Jun | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) | 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) |
| Jul | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) | 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) |
| Aug | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Sep | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) | 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) | 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) |
| Nov | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) | 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) |
| Dec | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre
Can you move from China to Latvia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting Latvia
Visa Required
Latvia passport holder visiting China
Visa FreeData: 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 China?
No — Latvia is on average about 49% more expensive than China. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Latvia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €24,850 in Latvia on a CN¥500,000 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?
China 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 0.5 in China. About 75% of people in Latvia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Latvia compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 34.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 31.1 in China. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Latvia compared to China?
The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Latvia?
The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In China, the official language is Chinese.
