Moving to Latvia from South Africa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Africa to Latvia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Africa to Latvia, you would find that Latvia is 8.4% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly €70,200 in Latvia to maintain the same lifestyle, 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 71°F in Johannesburg, 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 South Africa?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 28.0% more
Groceries
pay 10.1% more
Transportation
pay 7.9% less
Housing
pay 11.7% less
Childcare
pay 2.8 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 52.5% more
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?
ZAR1,200,000 → €70,200
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 3% less than cities in South Africa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from South Africa to Latvia, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from South Africa 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
- · · ·
-
68.23
South Africa
Key Indicator Comparison
How South Africa and Latvia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Latvia performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Latvia performs significantly better than South Africa across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Latvia performs significantly better than South Africa across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Latvia performs significantly better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Latvia generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), State Revenue Service, Latvia (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Weather in Latvia vs South Africa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Johannesburg | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) | 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Johannesburg | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) | 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) |
| Feb | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) | 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) | 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) |
| Apr | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) |
| May | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) | 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) |
| Jun | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) | 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) |
| Jul | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) | 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) |
| Aug | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Sep | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) | 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) |
| Oct | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) | 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) |
| Nov | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) | 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) |
| Dec | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre
Can you move from South Africa to Latvia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Latvia
Visa Required
Latvia passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa FreeData: 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 South Africa?
Day-to-day costs in Latvia run about 8% higher than South Africa 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 ZAR1,200,000 comparable salary, that's around €17,550 in Latvia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Latvia?
With 25.8 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 South Africa and Latvia.
Is Latvia safe for expats?
Latvia performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Latvia is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa. About 75% of people in Latvia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Latvia compared to South Africa?
Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 34.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Latvia compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 71°F in Johannesburg. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 in.
What language do they speak in Latvia?
The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Latvia
At a Glance
ZA
|
LV
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 1,847,785 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Euro (€) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Latvian |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +371 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 112 |