Moving to Latvia from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Latvia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Latvia, you would find that Latvia is 50.2% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly €33,300 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 66°F in Washington, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from United States to Latvia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €33,300
To maintain the same standard of living in Latvia
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 37.0% less
Groceries
pay 44.5% less
Transportation
pay 8.0% less
Housing
pay 72.8% less
Childcare
pay 53.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 29.1% less
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 57% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from United States to Latvia, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from United States 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
- · · ·
-
20.543
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
How United States 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 United States 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 United States 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
United States 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
United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Latvia leads in water stress level.
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
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Latvia leads in top income tax 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
United States generally does better on family life, though Latvia leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), State Revenue Service, Latvia (2016), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Washington | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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 States passport holder visiting Latvia
Visa Free
Latvia passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 States?
Generally yes: Latvia runs about 50% cheaper than United States on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
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 $75,000 comparable salary, that's around €8,325 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 United States and Latvia.
Is Latvia safe for expats?
Latvia performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Latvia is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States. About 75% of people in Latvia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Latvia compared to United States?
Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 34.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 36.8 in United States. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Latvia compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Latvia?
The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In United States, the official language is English.
