Moving to Rwanda from Latvia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Latvia to Rwanda, and you’d need to navigate life in English, French and Kinyarwanda. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Kigali averages 80°F vs 50°F in Riga, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

LV
3.6
RW
3.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LV
9.8
RW
11.6

Latvia performs better than Rwanda across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LV
$3,034
RW
$177
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

LV
33.8
RW
1.2

Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Rwanda 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
RW
62.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LV
3.6t
RW
0.2t

Latvia generally does better on environment, though Rwanda 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

LV
26.4
RW
0.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LV
1.1%
RW
20.2%

Latvia performs better than Rwanda across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LV
6.5%
RW
14.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LV
$37,800
RW
$3,000

Latvia performs better than Rwanda across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LV
75.9 yrs
RW
65.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LV
4.8
RW
26.4

Latvia performs better than Rwanda across all family life metrics.

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

Kigali Rain: 37.4 in/yr (951 mm)
80° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Riga Kigali
Jan–Mar 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) 80°/60°F (27°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) 79°/61°F (26°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) 82°/60°F (28°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) 80°/60°F (27°/16°C)
View all months
Month Riga Kigali
Jan 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.6°C)
Feb 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) 81°/60°F (27.4°/15.8°C)
Mar 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Apr 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) 79°/61°F (26.2°/16.1°C)
May 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.2°C)
Jun 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.3°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) 81°/59°F (27.1°/15.0°C)
Aug 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.0°C)
Sep 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.0°C)
Oct 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) 81°/61°F (27.2°/15.9°C)
Nov 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) 79°/60°F (26.1°/15.5°C)
Dec 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.6°C)

Data: Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre, Rwanda Meteorology Agency Rwanda Meteorology Agency

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Latvia passport

Latvia passport holder visiting Rwanda

Visa on Arrival
Latvia passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Rwanda.
Rwanda passport

Rwanda passport holder visiting Latvia

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Rwanda?

With 0.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Rwanda can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Latvia and Rwanda.

Is Rwanda safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in Rwanda compared to Latvia?

Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Rwanda leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Rwanda, compared to 33.8 in Latvia. Rwanda scores 49 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Latvia: 75).

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

The average high temperature in Kigali is 80°F, compared to 50°F in Riga. Kigali receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Riga gets 24.9 in.

What language do they speak in Rwanda?

The official languages in Rwanda are English, French and Kinyarwanda. In Latvia, the official language is Latvian.

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At a Glance

LV RW
Population 1,842,226 13,173,730
Currency Euro (€) Rwandan Franc (RWF)
Languages Latvian English, French, Kinyarwanda
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +371 +250
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112