Moving to Latvia from Slovenia

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Slovenia to Latvia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Slovenia to Latvia, you would find that Latvia is 22.8% cheaper than Slovenia overall. A €67,000 salary in Slovenia would need to be roughly €51,700 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 59°F in Ljubljana, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Slovenia and Latvia.

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → €51,700

To maintain the same standard of living in Latvia

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 15.7% less

Groceries

pay 18.0% less

Transportation

pay 1.8% more

Housing

pay 45.2% less

Childcare

pay 15.3% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 17.6% more

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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 19% less than cities in Slovenia.

Slovenia

Kranj 48%
Koper 48%
Celje 46%

Latvia

Riga ★ 43%
Liepaja 40%
Jelgava 33%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Slovenia to Latvia.

Moved in 2021
2 ↑ 100% vs 2020

people moved from Slovenia 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

The numbers behind daily life in Latvia compared to Slovenia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

SI
0.6
LV
2.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SI
5.8
LV
9.8

Slovenia performs better than Latvia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

SI
$5,425
LV
$3,034
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SI
33.7
LV
34.0

Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Slovenia 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

SI
19.0
LV
40.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SI
6.3t
LV
3.6t

Slovenia generally does better on environment, though Latvia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SI
34.2
LV
25.8
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SI
5.6%
LV
1.0%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

SI
3.2%
LV
6.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

SI
$37,376
LV
$26,312

Slovenia generally does better on employment & economy, though Latvia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

SI
82.3 yrs
LV
76.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SI
1.8
LV
2.2

Slovenia generally does better on family life, though Latvia leads in literacy rate.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2015–2021), Tax Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (2016), State Revenue Service, Latvia (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Ljubljana Rain: 53.9 in/yr (1368 mm)
59° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ljubljana Riga
Jan–Mar 44°/30°F (7°/-1°C) 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/48°F (20°/9°C) 60°/42°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 77°/56°F (25°/13°C) 67°/51°F (20°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 48°/36°F (9°/2°C) 41°/31°F (5°/0°C)
View all months
Month Ljubljana Riga
Jan 37°/27°F (3.0°/-2.7°C) 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C)
Feb 43°/29°F (6.2°/-1.9°C) 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C)
Mar 52°/35°F (11.2°/1.4°C) 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C)
Apr 60°/41°F (15.4°/4.9°C) 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C)
May 69°/49°F (20.8°/9.4°C) 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C)
Jun 75°/55°F (23.9°/12.7°C) 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C)
Jul 80°/58°F (26.5°/14.6°C) 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C)
Aug 79°/58°F (26.1°/14.4°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Sep 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C)
Oct 60°/44°F (15.3°/6.7°C) 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C)
Nov 46°/35°F (7.9°/1.7°C) 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C)
Dec 38°/29°F (3.4°/-1.7°C) 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C)

Data: Slovenian Environment Agency Slovenian Environment Agency, Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Slovenia 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.

Slovenia passport

Slovenia passport holder visiting Latvia

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

Latvia passport holder visiting Slovenia

Visa Free
Latvia passport holders can enter Slovenia 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 Slovenia?

On average Latvia is about 23% less expensive than Slovenia, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Latvia?

Budget about €12,925 for 3 months in Latvia (based on a €67,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Latvia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Latvia: 25.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Latvia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Latvia safe for expats?

Slovenia performs better than Latvia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Latvia is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Slovenia.

How is healthcare in Latvia compared to Slovenia?

Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Slovenia leads in health coverage index. There are 34.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 33.7 in Slovenia. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Slovenia: 84).

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

The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 59°F in Ljubljana. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Ljubljana gets 53.9 in.

What language do they speak in Latvia?

The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In Slovenia, the official language is Slovene.

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At a Glance

SI LV
Population 2,130,986 1,847,785
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Slovene Latvian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +386 +371
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112