Moving to Latvia from Gambia

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Gambia to Latvia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Gambia to Latvia, and you’d need to navigate life in Latvian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riga averages 50°F vs 90°F in Banjul, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Gambia to Latvia, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2021
1

people moved from Gambia 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

How Gambia and Latvia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

GM
59%
LV
75%
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GM
22.0
LV
9.8

Latvia performs significantly better than Gambia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GM
$94
LV
$3,034
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

GM
1.0
LV
33.8

Gambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GM
90.0
LV
40.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GM
0.2t
LV
3.6t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GM
0.2
LV
26.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GM
2.2%
LV
1.1%

Latvia performs significantly better than Gambia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GM
6.5%
LV
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GM
$2,900
LV
$37,800

Gambia generally does better on employment & economy, though Latvia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GM
67.6 yrs
LV
75.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GM
37.2
LV
4.8

Latvia performs significantly better than Gambia across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Banjul Rain: 32.3 in/yr (821 mm)
90° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Banjul Riga
Jan–Mar 91°/65°F (33°/19°C) 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 89°/70°F (32°/21°C) 60°/42°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 67°/51°F (20°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 92°/71°F (33°/22°C) 41°/31°F (5°/0°C)
View all months
Month Banjul Riga
Jan 90°/64°F (32.4°/17.9°C) 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C)
Feb 92°/65°F (33.2°/18.3°C) 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C)
Mar 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.6°C) 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C)
Apr 89°/68°F (31.8°/19.9°C) 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C)
May 89°/70°F (31.6°/21.0°C) 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C)
Jun 90°/72°F (32.4°/22.4°C) 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C)
Jul 89°/74°F (31.8°/23.2°C) 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C)
Aug 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.4°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C)
Oct 92°/75°F (33.5°/23.9°C) 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C)
Nov 93°/71°F (34.0°/21.6°C) 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C)
Dec 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.7°C) 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C)

Data: Department of Water Resources Department of Water Resources, Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Gambia 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.

Gambia passport

Gambia passport holder visiting Latvia

Visa Required
Gambia passport holders need a visa to enter Latvia.
Latvia passport

Latvia passport holder visiting Gambia

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Latvia?

With 26.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Latvia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Gambia and Latvia.

Is Latvia safe for expats?

Latvia performs significantly better than Gambia across all safety metrics. About 75% of people in Latvia feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Latvia compared to Gambia?

Gambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 1.0 in Gambia. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Gambia: 46).

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

The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 90°F in Banjul. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Banjul gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Latvia?

The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In Gambia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

GM LV
Population 2,413,403 1,842,226
Currency Gambian Dalasi (GMD) Euro (€)
Languages English Latvian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +220 +371
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112