Riga skyline

🇱🇻Cost of Living in Riga

Latvia · Population: 615,000 · Cost Index: 35/100

Cost of Living in Riga

Latvia · Europe

Riga is Latvia's capital and the largest city in the Baltic states, renowned for its stunning Art Nouveau architecture, vibrant cultural scene, and charming Old Town. It provides an affordable European lifestyle.

615,000

Population

35

Cost Index

72

Safety Index

68

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $1,550 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in Riga

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person
$1,550
per month
Couple
$2,330
per month
Family of 4
$3,260
per month
Student
$1,160
per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in Riga, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $755.00
1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)
$620.00
1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)
$420.00
3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)
$1,200.00
3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)
$780.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $8.03
Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)
$10.00
Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)
$45.00
McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)
$7.50
Milk (1 liter)(per liter)
$1.10
Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)
$1.10
Rice (1 kg)(per kg)
$1.80
Eggs (12)(per dozen)
$2.20
Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)
$6.80
Apples (1 kg)(per kg)
$1.60
Cappuccino(per cup)
$3.20

Transportation

Avg: $8.36
Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)
$35.00
One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)
$1.20
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)
$3.00
Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)
$0.90
Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)
$1.70

Utilities

Avg: $66.67
Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)
$170.00
Mobile Phone Plan(per month)
$12.00
Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)
$18.00

Healthcare

Avg: $27.67
Doctor Visit(per visit)
$30.00
Dentist Visit(per visit)
$45.00
Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)
$8.00

Entertainment

Avg: $12.93
Fitness Club Monthly(per month)
$35.00
Cinema Ticket(per ticket)
$9.00
Cappuccino(per cup)
$3.20
Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)
$4.50

Clothing

Avg: $60.67
Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)
$72.00
Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)
$32.00
Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)
$78.00

Popular Riga comparisons

Frequently asked questions about Riga

Is Riga expensive to live in?
Riga has a cost of living index of 35 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This makes it one of the more affordable cities we track.
How much money do you need to live in Riga?
A single person needs an estimated $1,550 per month to live in Riga, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.
What is the cost of living index in Riga?
Riga's cost of living index is 35 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.
What is quality of life like in Riga?
Riga scores 68 out of 100 for quality of life and 72 out of 100 for safety in our index.

Data & sources

As an independent cross-check, the World Bank puts the overall price level in Latvia at 58 relative to the United States (=100) in 2024. View source

Cost figures on this site are independent estimates, cross-referenced with public data sources including World Bank, Numbeo, Eurostat, OECD.

Compare Riga with another city

See how Riga stacks up against any other city in our database.

Quick Facts

Currency
EUR
Language
Latvian
Cost Index
35/100
Safety Index
72/100
Quality of Life
68/100

Data last updated: . Prices are approximate and shown in USD.

Cities with a similar cost of living to Riga