Moving to Norway from Latvia

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Latvia to Norway — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Latvia to Norway, you would find that Norway is 60.9% more expensive than Latvia overall. A €64,304 salary in Latvia would need to be roughly NOK1,055,730 in Norway to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Latvia to Norway.

What does your salary buy?

€64,304 NOK1,055,730

To maintain the same standard of living in Norway

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 86.3% more

Groceries

pay 86.4% more

Transportation

pay 71.8% more

Housing

pay 2.2 times more

Childcare

pay 41.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 86.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 10.79 NOK (June 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Latvia to Norway, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
1,040 ↓ 13% vs 2022

people moved from Latvia to Norway · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Norway?

Top countries of origin for Norway's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Latvia to Norway.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

LV
3.6
NO
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LV
9.8
NO
1.5

Norway performs significantly better than Latvia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LV
$3,034
NO
$9,523
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

LV
33.8
NO
51.7

Norway 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

LV
40.0
NO
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LV
3.6t
NO
7.2t

Latvia generally does better on environment, though Norway 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

LV
26.4
NO
45.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LV
1.1%
NO
2.0%

Norway 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

LV
6.5%
NO
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LV
$37,800
NO
$90,500

Norway generally does better on employment & economy, though Latvia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LV
75.9 yrs
NO
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LV
4.8
NO
2.3

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

Data: State Revenue Service, Latvia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Oslo Rain: 30.0 in/yr (763 mm)
49° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Riga Oslo
Jan–Mar 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) 59°/43°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) 66°/51°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Riga Oslo
Jan 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C)
Feb 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C)
Mar 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C)
Apr 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C)
May 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C)
Jun 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C)
Aug 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C)
Sep 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C)
Oct 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C)
Nov 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C)
Dec 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C)

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Latvia and Norway. To live, work, or study long-term in Norway, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Norway's immigration authority.

Latvia passport

Latvia passport holder visiting Norway

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

Norway passport holder visiting Latvia

Visa Free
Norway passport holders can enter Latvia 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 Norway than Latvia?

No — Norway is on average about 52% more expensive than Latvia. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Norway?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NOK263,932 in Norway on a €64,304 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Norway?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Norway has 45.9 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 Norway safe for expats?

Norway performs significantly better than Latvia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.6 in Latvia.

How is healthcare in Norway compared to Latvia?

Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 51.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Norway, compared to 33.8 in Latvia. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Latvia: 75).

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

The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 50°F in Riga. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Riga gets 24.9 in.

What language do they speak in Norway?

The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In Latvia, the official language is Latvian.

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At a Glance

LV NO
Population 1,842,226 5,553,840
Currency Euro (€) Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Languages Latvian Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +371 +47
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112