Moving to Latvia from United Arab Emirates

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from United Arab Emirates to Latvia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Latvia, you would find that Latvia is 10.8% more expensive than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,486 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly €46,157 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 93°F in Abu Dhabi, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from United Arab Emirates to Latvia.

What does your salary buy?

AED275,486 €46,157

To maintain the same standard of living in Latvia

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 69.5% more

Groceries

pay 6.8% more

Transportation

pay 23.5% more

Housing

pay 35.1% less

Childcare

pay 47.1% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 34.1% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 AED = 0.2334 EUR (June 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?

How many people actually move from United Arab Emirates to Latvia, based on official data.

Moved in 2020
1

people moved from United Arab Emirates 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Arab Emirates to Latvia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AE
0.5
LV
3.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AE
5.9
LV
9.8

United Arab Emirates 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

AE
$3,727
LV
$3,034
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

AE
29.1
LV
33.8

United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AE
70.0
LV
40.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AE
18.3t
LV
3.6t

Latvia performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates 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

AE
40.0
LV
26.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AE
1533.3%
LV
1.1%

United Arab Emirates 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

AE
2.7%
LV
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AE
$75,600
LV
$37,800

United Arab Emirates performs better than Latvia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AE
79.6 yrs
LV
75.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AE
5.1
LV
4.8

Latvia generally does better on family life, though United Arab Emirates leads in life expectancy.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Abu Dhabi Rain: 3.5 in/yr (89 mm)
93° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Abu Dhabi Riga
Jan–Mar 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) 60°/42°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) 67°/51°F (20°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) 41°/31°F (5°/0°C)
View all months
Month Abu Dhabi Riga
Jan 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C)
Feb 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C)
Mar 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C)
Apr 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C)
May 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C)
Jun 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C)
Jul 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C)
Aug 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Sep 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C)
Oct 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C)
Nov 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C)
Dec 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C)

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates 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.

United Arab Emirates passport

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Latvia

Visa Free
United Arab Emirates passport holders can enter Latvia without a visa.
Latvia passport

Latvia passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa Free
Latvia passport holders can enter United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates?

Yes — Latvia is on average about 28% cheaper than United Arab Emirates. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Latvia?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €11,539 in Latvia on a AED275,486 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Latvia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Latvia has 26.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Latvia safe for expats?

United Arab Emirates performs better than Latvia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Latvia is 3.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in United Arab Emirates.

How is healthcare in Latvia compared to United Arab Emirates?

United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 33.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).

What's the weather like in Latvia compared to United Arab Emirates?

The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.

What language do they speak in Latvia?

The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

AE LV
Population 9,915,803 1,842,226
Currency United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) Euro (€)
Languages Arabic Latvian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +971 +371
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 112