Moving to United Kingdom from Latvia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Latvia to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 69.4% more expensive than Latvia overall. A €65,700 salary in Latvia would need to be roughly £82,545 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — London averages 60°F vs 50°F in Riga, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 £82,545

To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 36.6% more

Groceries

pay 33.9% more

Transportation

pay 78.5% more

Housing

pay 2.4 times more

Childcare

pay 2.3 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 77.3% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 0.8517 GBP (July 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?

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

Moved in 2015
2,000

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

Who's moving to United Kingdom?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Latvia and United Kingdom 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
GB
1.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LV
9.8
GB
2.4

United Kingdom performs significantly better than Latvia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

LV
$3,034
GB
$6,606
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

LV
33.8
GB
31.7

Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

LV
40.0
GB
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LV
3.6t
GB
4.2t

Latvia generally does better on environment, though United Kingdom 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
GB
41.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LV
1.1%
GB
14.3%

United Kingdom 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%
GB
4.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LV
$37,800
GB
$54,100

United Kingdom 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
GB
81.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LV
4.8
GB
3.8

United Kingdom 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

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Riga London
Jan–Mar 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) 49°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) 64°/48°F (18°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) 72°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) 53°/43°F (12°/6°C)
View all months
Month Riga London
Jan 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C)
Feb 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C)
Mar 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C)
Apr 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C)
May 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C)
Jun 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C)
Aug 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C)
Sep 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C)
Oct 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C)
Nov 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C)
Dec 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C)

Data: Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre, Met Office Met Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Latvia passport

Latvia passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Latvia passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United Kingdom.
United Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Latvia

Visa Free
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom than Latvia?

Day-to-day costs in United Kingdom run about 48% higher than Latvia on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,700 comparable salary, that's around £20,636 in United Kingdom for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?

With 41.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom.

Is United Kingdom safe for expats?

United Kingdom performs significantly better than Latvia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.6 in Latvia.

How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to Latvia?

Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 33.8 in Latvia. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Latvia: 75).

What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to Latvia?

The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 50°F in Riga. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Riga gets 24.9 in.

What language do they speak in United Kingdom?

The official language in United Kingdom is English. In Latvia, the official language is Latvian.

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At a Glance

LV GB
Population 1,842,226 67,791,400
Currency Euro (€) British Pound Sterling (£)
Languages Latvian English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +371 +44
Time zones 1 9
Emergency number 112 999