Moving to Latvia from Serbia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Serbia to Latvia, you would find that Latvia is 29.9% more expensive than Serbia overall. A RSD7,694,475 salary in Serbia would need to be roughly €73,571 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 Belgrade, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

RSD7,694,475 €73,571

To maintain the same standard of living in Latvia

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 2.4% more

Groceries

pay 18.5% more

Transportation

pay 9.8% more

Housing

pay 14.8% more

Childcare

pay 2.1 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 57.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RSD = 0.0085 EUR (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 Serbia to Latvia, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
10

people moved from Serbia 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 Serbia 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

RS
1.0
LV
3.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RS
7.4
LV
9.8

Serbia performs better than Latvia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RS
$2,303
LV
$3,034
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RS
28.4
LV
33.8

Serbia 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

RS
45.0
LV
40.0

Latvia performs significantly better than Serbia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

RS
29.3
LV
26.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RS
5.7%
LV
1.1%

Serbia 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

RS
8.7%
LV
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RS
$24,500
LV
$37,800

Serbia generally does better on employment & economy, though Latvia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RS
74.2 yrs
LV
75.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RS
4.8
LV
4.8

Latvia generally does better on family life, though Serbia leads in infant mortality.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Republic of Serbia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Belgrade Rain: 26.9 in/yr (683 mm)
62° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Belgrade Riga
Jan–Mar 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) 60°/42°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 67°/51°F (20°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) 41°/31°F (5°/0°C)
View all months
Month Belgrade Riga
Jan 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C)
Feb 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C)
Mar 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C)
May 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C)
Jun 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C)
Jul 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C)
Aug 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Sep 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C)
Oct 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C)
Nov 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C)
Dec 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C)

Data: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia, Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Serbia 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.

Serbia passport

Serbia passport holder visiting Latvia

Visa Free
Serbia passport holders can enter Latvia without a visa.
Latvia passport

Latvia passport holder visiting Serbia

Visa Free
Latvia passport holders can enter Serbia 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 Latvia than Serbia?

Day-to-day costs in Latvia run about 12% higher than Serbia on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Latvia?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a RSD7,694,475 comparable salary, that's around €18,393 in Latvia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

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 Serbia and Latvia.

Is Latvia safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in Latvia compared to Serbia?

Serbia 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 28.4 in Serbia. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Serbia: 72).

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

The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 62°F in Belgrade. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Belgrade gets 26.9 in.

What language do they speak in Latvia?

The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In Serbia, the official language is Serbian.

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At a Glance

RS LV
Population 6,739,471 1,842,226
Currency Serbian Dinar (RSD) Euro (€)
Languages Serbian Latvian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +381 +371
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112