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 50.9% more expensive than Turkey overall. A TRY3,523,838 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly €65,979 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 64°F in Ankara, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Turkey and Latvia.
What does your salary buy?
TRY3,523,838 → €65,979
To maintain the same standard of living in Latvia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 79.8% more
Groceries
pay 52.1% more
Transportation
pay 18.5% more
Housing
pay 94.5% more
Childcare
pay 25.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 55.9% 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.
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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
Turkey generally does better on safety, though Latvia leads in feel safe walking at night.
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.
Data: Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ankara | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) | 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) | 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ankara | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) | 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) |
| Feb | 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) | 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) |
| Mar | 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) | 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) |
| Apr | 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) |
| May | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) | 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) |
| Jun | 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) | 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) |
| Jul | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) | 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) |
| Aug | 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Sep | 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) | 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) | 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) |
| Nov | 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) | 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) |
| Dec | 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) |
Data:
Turkish State Meteorological Service,
Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre
Visitor Visa Requirements
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?
Latvia and Turkey are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Latvia?
Budget about €16,495 for 3 months in Latvia (based on a TRY3,523,838 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: 26.4 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?
Turkey generally does better on safety, though Latvia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Latvia is 3.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.7 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 33.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 21.7 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 64°F in Ankara. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Ankara gets 15.0 in.
What language do they speak in Latvia?
The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.
