Moving to Macedonia from Latvia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Latvia to Macedonia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Latvia to Macedonia, you would find that Macedonia is 29.1% cheaper than Latvia overall. A €67,000 salary in Latvia would need to be roughly MKD2,930,000 in Macedonia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Macedonian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Skopje averages 65°F vs 50°F in Riga, making it significantly warmer.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Latvia to Macedonia.
What does your salary buy?
€67,000 → MKD2,930,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Macedonia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 32.6% less
Groceries
pay 26.3% less
Transportation
pay 12.9% less
Housing
pay 30.0% less
Childcare
pay 60.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 43.5% 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.
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 Macedonia cost about 1% less than cities in Latvia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Latvia to Macedonia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Macedonia performs significantly better than Latvia 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
Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Macedonia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Latvia performs better than Macedonia 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 generally does better on infrastructure, though Macedonia leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Latvia generally does better on employment & economy, though Macedonia leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
percentage of adults who can read and write
Latvia generally does better on family life, though Macedonia leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2020–2021), State Revenue Service, Latvia (2016), Public Revenue Office (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 | Riga | Skopje |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) | 47°/30°F (9°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) | 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) | 84°/57°F (29°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) | 54°/35°F (12°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riga | Skopje |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) | 39°/26°F (4.0°/-3.6°C) |
| Feb | 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) | 47°/30°F (8.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Mar | 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) | 56°/35°F (13.6°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) | 65°/42°F (18.6°/5.4°C) |
| May | 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) | 75°/50°F (23.9°/10.0°C) |
| Jun | 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) | 81°/55°F (27.4°/13.0°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) | 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 86°/58°F (30.0°/14.6°C) |
| Sep | 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) | 79°/53°F (26.1°/11.4°C) |
| Oct | 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) | 67°/43°F (19.5°/6.3°C) |
| Nov | 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) | 52°/35°F (11.2°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) | 42°/28°F (5.3°/-2.2°C) |
Data:
Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre,
HydroMeteorological Service of Republic of North Macedonia
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Latvia and Macedonia. To live, work, or study long-term in Macedonia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Macedonia's immigration authority.
Latvia passport holder visiting Macedonia
Visa Free
Macedonia passport holder visiting Latvia
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 Macedonia than Latvia?
Yes — Macedonia is on average about 29% cheaper than Latvia. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Macedonia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly MKD732,500 in Macedonia on a €67,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Macedonia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Macedonia has 29.9 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 Macedonia safe for expats?
Macedonia performs significantly better than Latvia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Macedonia is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.5 in Latvia.
How is healthcare in Macedonia compared to Latvia?
Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Macedonia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 29.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Macedonia, compared to 34.0 in Latvia. Macedonia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Latvia: 75).
What's the weather like in Macedonia compared to Latvia?
The average high temperature in Skopje is 65°F, compared to 50°F in Riga. Skopje receives around 19.8 in of rainfall per year, while Riga gets 24.9 in.
What language do they speak in Macedonia?
The official language in Macedonia is Macedonian. In Latvia, the official language is Latvian.
