Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Latvia Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Latvia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,719 in Italy versus $1,349 in Latvia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,625 in Italy versus $2,040 in Latvia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,531 in Italy versus $2,730 in Latvia.

Living in Italy is roughly 27% more expensive than Latvia on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Italy 28% above, Latvia 0% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,156 to $2,452, compared to $1,210$1,589 in Latvia. City choice carries more weight in Italy.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Latvia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.02 €14.75
$13.84 €12.00
22.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.3 €71.4
$68.6 €59.5
19.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.62 €10.07
$8.27 €7.16
40.51%
Cappuccino
$1.91 €1.65
$3.40 €2.95
-43.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 €2.62
$1.68 €1.46
79.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 €1.14
$1.27 €1.10
3.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.81 €5.04
$5.10 €4.42
13.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.12 €4.44
$4.51 €3.91
13.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Latvia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 €1.43
$1.30 €1.13
26.15%
White Bread (500g)
$2.42 €2.10
$1.63 €1.42
48.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.92 €2.53
$3.05 €2.65
-4.26%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.57
$3.16 €2.74
30.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.70 €14.47
$11.62 €10.07
43.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.60 €10.92
$7.90 €6.84
59.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.61 €17.86
$12.39 €10.74
66.34%
Apples (1kg)
$2.48 €2.15
$1.60 €1.39
55.00%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.86
$1.87 €1.62
14.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.72 €2.36
$2.65 €2.30
2.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.25 €2.82
$3.42 €2.96
-4.97%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 €1.68
$0.95 €0.82
104.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.57
$1.02 €0.89
77.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 €1.28
$1.83 €1.59
-19.13%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.47
$0.87 €0.75
-37.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.82 €5.91
$5.91 €5.12
15.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.33 €6.36
$8.02 €6.95
-8.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.56
$1.76 €1.53
2.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 €2.20
$2.07 €1.80
22.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Latvia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.01 €1.74
$1.72 €1.49
16.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.70 €36.14
$34.85 €30.21
19.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.90 €5.12
$2.72 €2.36
116.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 €1.31
$0.77 €0.67
97.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.23 €29.67
$11.46 €9.93
198.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.84
$1.85 €1.60
15.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K €28.4K
$29.6K €25.6K
10.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K €29.0K
$30.7K €26.6K
9.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Latvia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$226 €196
$308 €267
-26.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.32 €11.54
$19.08 €16.54
-30.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.26 €27.10
$20.00 €17.33
56.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Latvia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.9 €49.31
$46.35 €40.17
22.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.71 €22.28
$28.23 €24.47
-8.93%
Cinema Ticket
$10.35 €8.97
$11.68 €10.12
-11.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Latvia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$579 €502
$533 €462
8.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K €9,130
$15.8K €13.7K
-33.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Latvia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.2 €78.2
$92.6 €80.2
-2.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.79 €35.36
$47.29 €40.98
-13.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.7 €85.6
$93.0 €80.6
6.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 €115
$140 €122
-5.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Latvia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$853 €739
$470 €407
81.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 €578
$328 €285
103.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,517 €1,315
$923 €800
64.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,083 €938
$623 €540
73.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,767 €3,264
$2,644 €2,292
42.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,403 €2,083
$1,722 €1,492
39.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Latvia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,986 €1,721
$1,318 €1,142
50.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
4.33
1.85%

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

Last update for Italy: June 9, 2026

Last update for Latvia: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $353 in Latvia. Capital cities: $1,368 in Rome vs $578 in Riga.

National salary averages: $1,931 in Italy, $1,057 in Latvia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 110% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 28% more in Italy.

Public transport is 19% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 83% higher in Italy, giving Italy stronger purchasing power.

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
Italy vs Latvia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Latvia?
At $1,804 per month in Italy and $1,400 in Latvia, there's a 29% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Latvia is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Italy beats Latvia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Italy or Latvia?
In Latvia, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Italy, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or Latvia?
It depends on what you're after. Latvia wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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