Moving to Latvia from Turkey
What to Expect
Considering a move from Turkey to Latvia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Turkey to Latvia, you would find that Latvia is 16.1% more expensive than Turkey overall. A TRY3,700,000 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly €77,200 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 65°F in Istanbul, 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 Turkey?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 34.7% more
Groceries
pay 52.1% more
Transportation
pay 2.3% more
Housing
pay 1.2% more
Childcare
pay 4.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 27.1% 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?
TRY3,700,000 → €77,200
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 15% less than cities in Turkey.
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 Turkey to Latvia.
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
- · · ·
-
27.229
Turkey
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Latvia compared to Turkey.
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 generally does better on safety, though Turkey leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Turkey generally does better on environment, though Latvia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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 Turkey 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 generally does better on employment & economy, though Turkey leads in poverty rate.
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 Turkey leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey (2016), State Revenue Service, Latvia (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Weather in Latvia vs Turkey
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Istanbul | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (10°/3°C) | 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) | 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 60°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Istanbul | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°/37°F (8.7°/2.9°C) | 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) |
| Feb | 48°/37°F (9.1°/2.8°C) | 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) |
| Mar | 52°/39°F (11.2°/3.9°C) | 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) |
| Apr | 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.7°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.0°C) | 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) |
| Jun | 79°/61°F (26.0°/16.0°C) | 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) |
| Jul | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.5°C) | 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) |
| Aug | 83°/66°F (28.5°/18.7°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Sep | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.5°C) | 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) |
| Oct | 68°/54°F (20.1°/12.0°C) | 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) |
| Nov | 60°/47°F (15.3°/8.5°C) | 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) |
| Dec | 52°/42°F (11.1°/5.3°C) | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) |
Data:
Turkish State Meteorological Service,
Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre
Can you move from Turkey to Latvia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Turkey 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.
Turkey passport holder visiting Latvia
Visa Required
Latvia passport holder visiting Turkey
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 Turkey?
On average Latvia is around 16% pricier than Turkey, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Latvia?
Budget about €19,300 for 3 months in Latvia (based on a TRY3,700,000 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?
Latvia generally does better on safety, though Turkey leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Latvia is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.2 in Turkey. About 75% of people in Latvia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Latvia compared to Turkey?
Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 34.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 22.4 in Turkey. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkey: 76).
What's the weather like in Latvia compared to Turkey?
The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 65°F in Istanbul. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Istanbul gets 26.7 in.
What language do they speak in Latvia?
The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.
