Moving to Latvia from Denmark

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Denmark to Latvia, you would find that Latvia is 46.0% cheaper than Denmark overall. A DKK500,000 salary in Denmark would need to be roughly €36,100 in Latvia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Latvian.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Denmark and Latvia.

What does your salary buy?

DKK500,000 → €36,100

To maintain the same standard of living in Latvia

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 46.4% less

Groceries

pay 42.9% less

Transportation

pay 43.0% less

Housing

pay 59.3% less

Childcare

pay 43.5% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 36.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 DKK = 0.1338 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.

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 43% less than cities in Denmark.

Denmark

Herning 69%
Vejle 65%
Svendborg 62%
Esbjerg 61%

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 Denmark to Latvia.

Moved in 2022
10 ↑ 11% vs 2021

people moved from Denmark 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 Denmark.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

DK
0.8
LV
2.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

DK
2.3
LV
9.8

Denmark performs better than Latvia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

DK
$7,262
LV
$3,034
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

DK
45.0
LV
34.0

Denmark 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

DK
13.0
LV
40.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

DK
4.3t
LV
3.6t

Denmark 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

DK
43.4
LV
25.8
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

DK
25.3%
LV
1.0%

Denmark 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

DK
5.5%
LV
6.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

DK
$76,970
LV
$26,312

Denmark 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

DK
82.2 yrs
LV
76.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

DK
3.5
LV
2.2

Denmark 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), Danish Central Tax Administration (2017), State Revenue Service, Latvia (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Copenhagen Rain: 20.7 in/yr (525 mm)
52° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Copenhagen Riga
Jan–Mar 38°/29°F (3°/-2°C) 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 58°/44°F (15°/7°C) 60°/42°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/53°F (19°/12°C) 67°/51°F (20°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 46°/37°F (8°/3°C) 41°/31°F (5°/0°C)
View all months
Month Copenhagen Riga
Jan 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C) 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C)
Feb 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C) 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C)
Mar 41°/30°F (5.0°/-1.0°C) 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C)
Apr 50°/36°F (10.0°/2.0°C) 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C)
May 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.0°C) 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C)
Jun 66°/52°F (19.0°/11.0°C) 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C)
Jul 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C) 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C)
Aug 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Sep 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.0°C) 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C)
Oct 54°/45°F (12.0°/7.0°C) 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C)
Nov 45°/37°F (7.0°/3.0°C) 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C)
Dec 39°/30°F (4.0°/-1.0°C) 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C)

Data: Danish Meteorological Institute Danish Meteorological Institute, Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Denmark 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.

Denmark passport

Denmark passport holder visiting Latvia

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

Latvia passport holder visiting Denmark

Visa Free
Latvia passport holders can enter Denmark 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 Denmark?

On average Latvia is about 46% less expensive than Denmark, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Latvia?

Budget about €9,025 for 3 months in Latvia (based on a DKK500,000 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?

Denmark performs better than Latvia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Latvia is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Denmark.

How is healthcare in Latvia compared to Denmark?

Denmark 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 45.0 in Denmark. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Denmark: 82).

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

The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 52°F in Copenhagen. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Copenhagen gets 20.7 in.

What language do they speak in Latvia?

The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In Denmark, the official language is Danish.

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At a Glance

DK LV
Population 6,009,169 1,847,785
Currency Danish Krone (DKK) Euro (€)
Languages Danish Latvian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +45 +371
Time zones 5 1
Emergency number 112 112