Moving to Sweden from Latvia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Latvia to Sweden — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Latvia to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 33.4% more expensive than Latvia overall. A €64,304 salary in Latvia would need to be roughly SEK894,174 in Sweden to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Latvia to Sweden.
What does your salary buy?
€64,304 → SEK894,174
To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 43.0% more
Groceries
pay 65.4% more
Transportation
pay 71.6% more
Housing
pay 68.8% more
Childcare
pay 70.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 43.4% more
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 Latvia to Sweden, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Latvia and Sweden stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Sweden generally does better on safety, though Latvia leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia 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 generally does better on environment, though Sweden leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Sweden generally does better on infrastructure, though Latvia leads in water stress level.
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
Latvia generally does better on employment & economy, though Sweden leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Sweden performs significantly better than Latvia 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Riga | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riga | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre,
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Latvia and Sweden. To live, work, or study long-term in Sweden, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sweden's immigration authority.
Latvia passport holder visiting Sweden
Visa Free
Sweden 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 Sweden than Latvia?
Day-to-day costs in Sweden run about 29% higher than Latvia on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Sweden?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €64,304 comparable salary, that's around SEK223,544 in Sweden for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Sweden?
With 40.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Sweden 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 Sweden.
Is Sweden safe for expats?
Sweden generally does better on safety, though Latvia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.6 in Latvia. About 73% of people in Sweden feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Latvia?
Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 71.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 33.8 in Latvia. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Latvia: 75).
What's the weather like in Sweden compared to Latvia?
The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 50°F in Riga. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Riga gets 24.9 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Latvia, the official language is Latvian.
