Moving to Latvia from Italy

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Italy to Latvia, you would find that Latvia is 11.0% cheaper than Italy overall. A €65,700 salary in Italy would need to be roughly €52,069 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 69°F in Rome, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Italy to Latvia.

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 €52,069

To maintain the same standard of living in Latvia

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 27.2% less

Groceries

pay 30.0% less

Transportation

pay 22.1% less

Housing

pay 23.1% less

Childcare

pay 26.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 0.7% 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
62 ↑ 2% vs 2022

people moved from Italy 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 Italy and Latvia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IT
0.6
LV
3.6
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

IT
61%
LV
75%

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IT
$4,993
LV
$3,034
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IT
42.5
LV
33.8

Italy 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

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IT
5.1t
LV
3.6t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IT
31.5
LV
26.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IT
29.6%
LV
1.1%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IT
7.6%
LV
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IT
$52,700
LV
$37,800

Italy generally does better on employment & economy, though Latvia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IT
82.6 yrs
LV
75.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IT
3.2
LV
4.8

Italy generally does better on family life, though Latvia leads in education spending.

Data: Italian Revenue Agency, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Rome Rain: 31.7 in/yr (804 mm)
69° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Rome Riga
Jan–Mar 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) 60°/42°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) 67°/51°F (20°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 41°/31°F (5°/0°C)
View all months
Month Rome Riga
Jan 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C)
Feb 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C)
Mar 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C)
May 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C)
Jun 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C)
Jul 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C)
Aug 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Sep 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C)
Oct 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C)
Nov 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C)
Dec 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C)

Data: Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology, Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Italy 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.

Italy passport

Italy passport holder visiting Latvia

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

Latvia passport holder visiting Italy

Visa Free
Latvia passport holders can enter Italy 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 Italy?

Generally yes: Latvia runs about 21% cheaper than Italy on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Latvia?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,700 comparable salary, that's around €13,017 in Latvia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

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 Italy and Latvia.

Is Latvia safe for expats?

Italy generally does better on safety, though Latvia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Latvia is 3.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Italy. About 75% of people in Latvia feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Latvia compared to Italy?

Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 33.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 42.5 in Italy. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Italy: 84).

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

The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 69°F in Rome. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Rome gets 31.7 in.

What language do they speak in Latvia?

The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In Italy, the official languages are Catalan and Italian.

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At a Glance

IT LV
Population 61,095,551 1,842,226
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Catalan, Italian Latvian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +39 +371
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112