Moving to Latvia from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Costa Rica to Latvia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Latvia, you would find that Latvia is 28.4% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC34,000,000 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly €47,600 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 77°F in San Jose, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Costa Rica and Latvia.
What does your salary buy?
CRC34,000,000 → €47,600
To maintain the same standard of living in Latvia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 14.9% less
Groceries
pay 39.5% less
Transportation
pay 7.4% less
Housing
pay 41.7% less
Childcare
pay 13.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 0.4% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Costa Rica to Latvia.
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
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Latvia compared to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Latvia performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.
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
Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica performs better than Latvia 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
Latvia performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Latvia leads in unemployment rate.
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
Costa Rica 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), The World Factbook (2021), Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica (2016), State Revenue Service, Latvia (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | San Jose | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica 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.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Latvia
Visa Free
Latvia passport holder visiting Costa Rica
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 Costa Rica?
On average Latvia is about 28% less expensive than Costa Rica, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Latvia?
Budget about €11,900 for 3 months in Latvia (based on a CRC34,000,000 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?
Latvia performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Latvia is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.8 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Latvia compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica 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 26.9 in Costa Rica. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Latvia compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Latvia?
The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
