Cost of Living Comparison Between Gulbene and Riga Cost of Living Comparison Between Gulbene and Riga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,443 per month in Gulbene vs $1,593 in Riga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,185 per month in Gulbene vs $2,433 in Riga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,927 per month in Gulbene vs $3,273 in Riga, rent included.

Gulbene is about 9% cheaper than Riga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Gulbene and Riga sit above the global median – Gulbene by 8%, Riga by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.50 €15.32

$17.60 €15.41

-0.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 €61.9

$68.2 €59.8

3.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.13 €8.00

$9.05 €7.93

0.88%

Cappuccino

$3.58 €3.14

$3.59 €3.14

-0.28%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.55

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.20

$1.29 €1.13

6.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 €4.92

$5.69 €4.99

-1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 €4.96

$5.85 €5.12

-3.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.20

$1.33 €1.16

3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.68 €1.48

1.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 €2.62

$2.89 €2.53

3.81%

Eggs

$3.09 €2.70

$3.16 €2.77

-2.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 €10.64

$12.37 €10.83

-1.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.71 €6.75

$7.59 €6.64

1.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.81 €10.34

$11.89 €10.41

-0.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 €1.52

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.86 €1.63

-0.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 €2.24

$2.59 €2.27

-1.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 €3.09

$3.52 €3.09

0.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 €0.95

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 €0.92

$1.10 €0.97

-3.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 €1.56

$1.79 €1.57

-0.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.77

$0.87 €0.76

1.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 €5.13

$5.65 €4.95

3.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 €7.06

$8.03 €7.03

0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.81 €1.58

2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €2.00

$2.28 €1.99

0.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 €0.84

$1.79 €1.57

-46.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.15 €31.66

$34.85 €30.52

3.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.96 €2.59

0.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.81 €0.71

4.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.15 €12.39

$13.80 €12.08

2.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.59

$1.81 €1.58

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.5K €26.7K

$30.4K €26.6K

0.37%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.8K €27.9K

$31.9K €28.0K

-0.32%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$326 €285

$323 €283

0.97%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$19.70 €17.25

$20.16 €17.66

-2.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.43 €17.89

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 €45.53

$52.1 €45.59

-0.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.25 €26.50

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 €10.10

$11.44 €10.02

0.79%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$555 €486

$543 €476

2.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K €13.4K

$15.8K €13.8K

-3.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 €78.6

$91.3 €80.0

-1.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.84 €41.02

$46.00 €40.29

1.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 €85.4

$97.4 €85.3

0.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €117

$135 €118

-1.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 €319

$597 €523

-39.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 €224

$418 €366

-38.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 €670

$1,064 €932

-28.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 €395

$684 €599

-33.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,167 €2,774

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,094 €1,834

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,545 €1,353

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.63

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Gulbene: July 14, 2026

Last update for Riga: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $364 in Gulbene versus $597 in Riga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Gulbene versus $68.0 in Riga. Groceries tell a different story – $266 in Gulbene vs $266 in Riga – so Gulbene wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Gulbene vs Riga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,443 in Gulbene, $1,593 in Riga – roughly 10% apart. Riga costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,164 per month in Gulbene and $2,389 in Riga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gulbene, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Riga – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Gulbene and $68.0 in Riga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gulbene, where all-in costs run around $1,443, than in Riga at $1,593. In Gulbene it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riga it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Riga has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,443 in Gulbene to $1,593 in Riga. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gulbene. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Riga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.