Moving to Latvia from Namibia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Namibia to Latvia, and you’d need to navigate life in Latvian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riga averages 50°F vs 80°F in Windhoek, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2020
1

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

Who's moving to Latvia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

NA
12.4
LV
3.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NA
22.0
LV
9.8

Latvia performs significantly better than Namibia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

NA
$1,068
LV
$3,034
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

NA
5.4
LV
33.8

Namibia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NA
43.0
LV
40.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NA
1.2t
LV
3.6t

Namibia generally does better on environment, though Latvia 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

NA
3.9
LV
26.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NA
0.9%
LV
1.1%

Latvia generally does better on infrastructure, though Namibia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NA
19.4%
LV
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NA
$11,500
LV
$37,800

Latvia performs significantly better than Namibia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NA
66.5 yrs
LV
75.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NA
29.4
LV
4.8

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

Data: Inland Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Windhoek Rain: 14.5 in/yr (368 mm)
80° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Windhoek Riga
Jan–Mar 84°/63°F (29°/17°C) 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/50°F (23°/10°C) 60°/42°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/49°F (24°/9°C) 67°/51°F (20°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/61°F (30°/16°C) 41°/31°F (5°/0°C)
View all months
Month Windhoek Riga
Jan 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.7°C) 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C)
Feb 84°/63°F (28.7°/17.0°C) 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C)
Mar 81°/61°F (27.4°/15.9°C) 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C)
Apr 78°/55°F (25.8°/12.9°C) 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C)
May 74°/50°F (23.4°/9.8°C) 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C)
Jun 69°/44°F (20.7°/6.9°C) 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C)
Jul 70°/44°F (21.2°/6.9°C) 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C)
Aug 75°/48°F (23.8°/8.9°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Sep 82°/54°F (27.5°/12.4°C) 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C)
Oct 85°/58°F (29.3°/14.7°C) 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C)
Nov 86°/61°F (30.2°/16.2°C) 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C)
Dec 89°/63°F (31.4°/17.2°C) 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C)

Data: Namibia Meteorological Service Namibia Meteorological Service, Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Namibia passport

Namibia passport holder visiting Latvia

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

Latvia passport holder visiting Namibia

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Latvia?

With 26.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Latvia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Namibia and Latvia.

Is Latvia safe for expats?

Latvia performs significantly better than Namibia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Latvia is 3.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 12.4 in Namibia.

How is healthcare in Latvia compared to Namibia?

Namibia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 5.4 in Namibia. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Namibia: 63).

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

The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 80°F in Windhoek. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Windhoek gets 14.5 in.

What language do they speak in Latvia?

The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In Namibia, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Khoekhoe, Kwangali, Lozi, Ndonga and Tswana.

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At a Glance

NA LV
Population 2,727,409 1,842,226
Currency Namibian Dollar (NAD) Euro (€)
Languages Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Khoekhoe, Kwangali, Lozi, Ndonga, Tswana Latvian
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +264 +371
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 10111 112