Moving to Latvia from New York
What to Expect
Considering a move from New York to Latvia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from New York to Latvia, you would find that Latvia is 55.3% cheaper than New York. A $75,000 salary in New York would need to be roughly €30,100 in Latvia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Latvian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riga averages 50°F vs 62°F in New York City, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Latvia cheaper than New York?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 40.2% less
Groceries
pay 47.7% less
Transportation
pay 17.4% less
Housing
pay 76.7% less
Childcare
pay 62.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 37.7% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Latvia?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €30,100
To maintain the same standard of living in Latvia
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Latvia cost about 47% less than cities in New York.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Latvia
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from New York to Latvia.
people moved from United States to Latvia · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to Latvia?
Top countries of origin for Latvia's foreign-born residents.
- 116,771
- 42,251
- 32,262
- 14,209
- 5,651
- 3,712
- · · ·
-
20.543
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Latvia compared to New York.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Latvia performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Latvia performs significantly better than New York across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
New York performs better than Latvia across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
New York performs better than Latvia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Latvia vs New York
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre
Can you move from New York to Latvia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Latvia
Visa Free
Latvia passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Latvia than New York?
On average Latvia is about 55% less expensive than New York, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Latvia?
Budget about €7,525 for 3 months in Latvia (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Latvia?
From major Latvia cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in New York and Latvia are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Latvia compared to New York?
Latvia performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Latvia compared to New York?
The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in Latvia?
The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In New York, the official language is English.
