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: $1,718 in Italy versus $1,354 in Latvia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,623 in Italy versus $2,049 in Latvia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,527 in Italy versus $2,743 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 1% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,195 to $2,531, compared to $1,202โ€“$1,578 in Latvia. City choice carries more weight in Italy.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Italy
Latvia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.20 โ‚ฌ14.67
$13.71 โ‚ฌ11.69
25.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.2 โ‚ฌ69.3
$70.5 โ‚ฌ60.1
15.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.40 โ‚ฌ9.72
$7.91 โ‚ฌ6.75
44.12%
Cappuccino
$1.91 โ‚ฌ1.63
$3.28 โ‚ฌ2.79
-41.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 โ‚ฌ2.44
$1.76 โ‚ฌ1.50
62.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 โ‚ฌ1.13
$1.25 โ‚ฌ1.06
6.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.89 โ‚ฌ5.03
$5.32 โ‚ฌ4.54
10.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.12 โ‚ฌ4.37
$4.56 โ‚ฌ3.89
12.28%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Italy
Latvia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 โ‚ฌ1.40
$1.31 โ‚ฌ1.12
25.19%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 โ‚ฌ1.96
$1.57 โ‚ฌ1.34
46.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.03 โ‚ฌ2.59
$3.10 โ‚ฌ2.64
-2.26%
Eggs
$4.09 โ‚ฌ3.49
$3.01 โ‚ฌ2.57
35.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.26 โ‚ฌ13.87
$11.47 โ‚ฌ9.78
41.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.24 โ‚ฌ10.44
$7.82 โ‚ฌ6.67
56.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.45 โ‚ฌ17.44
$12.04 โ‚ฌ10.27
69.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.55 โ‚ฌ2.17
$1.54 โ‚ฌ1.32
65.58%
Banana (1kg)
$2.12 โ‚ฌ1.81
$1.87 โ‚ฌ1.60
13.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.68 โ‚ฌ2.29
$2.64 โ‚ฌ2.25
1.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.38 โ‚ฌ2.89
$3.37 โ‚ฌ2.87
0.30%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 โ‚ฌ1.71
$1.02 โ‚ฌ0.87
96.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 โ‚ฌ1.60
$1.06 โ‚ฌ0.91
77.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 โ‚ฌ1.25
$1.82 โ‚ฌ1.55
-19.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 โ‚ฌ0.46
$0.85 โ‚ฌ0.73
-36.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.75 โ‚ฌ5.75
$5.96 โ‚ฌ5.08
13.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.18 โ‚ฌ6.12
$8.17 โ‚ฌ6.97
-12.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 โ‚ฌ1.54
$1.70 โ‚ฌ1.45
5.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 โ‚ฌ2.09
$2.18 โ‚ฌ1.86
12.39%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Italy
Latvia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.02 โ‚ฌ1.73
$1.72 โ‚ฌ1.47
17.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.49 โ‚ฌ35.39
$34.13 โ‚ฌ29.12
21.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.77 โ‚ฌ4.92
$2.72 โ‚ฌ2.32
112.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 โ‚ฌ1.30
$0.76 โ‚ฌ0.65
101.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.33 โ‚ฌ30.14
$11.74 โ‚ฌ10.02
200.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 โ‚ฌ1.81
$1.90 โ‚ฌ1.62
11.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.3K โ‚ฌ27.5K
$30.5K โ‚ฌ26.0K
5.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K โ‚ฌ28.5K
$31.1K โ‚ฌ26.5K
7.52%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Latvia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$224 โ‚ฌ191
$304 โ‚ฌ259
-26.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.24 โ‚ฌ11.29
$19.13 โ‚ฌ16.32
-30.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.96 โ‚ฌ26.41
$19.94 โ‚ฌ17.01
55.27%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Latvia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.6 โ‚ฌ48.30
$47.46 โ‚ฌ40.48
19.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.11 โ‚ฌ21.42
$28.55 โ‚ฌ24.35
-12.05%
Cinema Ticket
$10.32 โ‚ฌ8.80
$11.79 โ‚ฌ10.06
-12.47%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Italy
Latvia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$563 โ‚ฌ481
$534 โ‚ฌ456
5.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.6K โ‚ฌ9,063
$15.6K โ‚ฌ13.3K
-31.99%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Latvia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.1 โ‚ฌ76.9
$92.8 โ‚ฌ79.2
-2.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.60 โ‚ฌ34.63
$46.11 โ‚ฌ39.33
-11.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 โ‚ฌ85.4
$93.2 โ‚ฌ79.5
7.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 โ‚ฌ113
$140 โ‚ฌ120
-5.57%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Italy
Latvia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$864 โ‚ฌ737
$462 โ‚ฌ394
87.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$668 โ‚ฌ570
$335 โ‚ฌ285
99.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,473 โ‚ฌ1,257
$949 โ‚ฌ809
55.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,088 โ‚ฌ928
$609 โ‚ฌ519
78.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,808 โ‚ฌ3,248
$2,792 โ‚ฌ2,382
36.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,454 โ‚ฌ2,093
$1,767 โ‚ฌ1,507
38.89%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Italy
Latvia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,935 โ‚ฌ1,651
$1,359 โ‚ฌ1,159
42.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
4.33
1.85%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Italy: April 21, 2026

Last update for Latvia: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $353 in Latvia. Capital cities: $1,366 in Rome vs $595 in Riga.

National salary averages: $1,935 in Italy, $1,068 in Latvia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money โ€“ weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 110% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 25% more in Italy.

Public transport is 19% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 81% 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 $1,863 per month in Italy and $1,390 in Latvia, there's a 34% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city โ€“ 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 โ€“ 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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