Cost of Living Comparison Between Ludza and Riga Cost of Living Comparison Between Ludza and Riga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Ludza vs $1,640 in Riga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,564 per month in Ludza vs $2,479 in Riga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,126 per month in Ludza vs $3,318 in Riga, rent included.

Ludza is about 39% cheaper than Riga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ludza sits 27% below the global median, while Riga is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 €6.96

$17.13 €14.74

-52.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.7

$69.1 €59.4

0.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.13 €7.85

$9.14 €7.87

-0.11%

Cappuccino

$3.79 €3.26

$3.77 €3.24

0.53%

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

$1.69 €1.45

$1.68 €1.44

0.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.18 €1.02

5.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 €5.14

$5.72 €4.93

4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 €3.88

$4.60 €3.96

-1.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.19 €1.02

4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.53 €1.32

0.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$2.51 €2.16

5.58%

Eggs

$3.96 €3.40

$3.81 €3.28

3.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 €9.31

$11.01 €9.48

-1.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.11 €7.84

$9.05 €7.79

0.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 €12.45

$14.89 €12.81

-2.82%

Apples (1kg)

$0.67 €0.58

$2.26 €1.94

-70.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.93 €1.66

-20.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$2.49 €2.14

-27.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 €2.77

$3.14 €2.70

2.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.96 €0.83

-7.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.03 €0.89

1.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.82 €1.57

2.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.92

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.15 €6.15

$6.86 €5.91

4.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 €7.10

$8.22 €7.08

0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.10 €1.81

-1.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.78

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 €1.98

$1.70 €1.46

35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.43 €29.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.41 €2.93

4.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 €0.91

$1.03 €0.89

2.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.61 €16.01

$18.66 €16.06

-0.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.11 €1.82

-4.74%

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

$28.1K €24.1K

$28.4K €24.4K

-1.20%

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

$32.0K €27.5K

$32.5K €28.0K

-1.61%

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

$298 €257

$383 €330

-22.14%

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

$21.55 €18.54

$21.91 €18.85

-1.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.39 €17.54

$19.75 €16.99

3.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 €43.28

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.42 €31.34

Cinema Ticket

$11.35 €9.77

$11.33 €9.75

0.18%

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

$650 €559

$634 €545

2.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K €15.9K

$18.6K €16.0K

-0.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 €61.3

$71.8 €61.8

-0.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 €45.03

$52.7 €45.31

-0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 €71.1

$87.8 €75.6

-5.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 €123

$145 €125

-1.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 €511

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 €336

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 €1,005

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 €640

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,159 €2,718

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,201 €1,894

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$642 €553

$1,533 €1,319

-58.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

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

Last update for Ludza: August 30, 2026

Last update for Riga: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 139% higher in Riga, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Ludza versus $69.0 in Riga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $280 – making Ludza the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ludza vs Riga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Riga is pricier by about 63%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,505 per month in Ludza and $2,460 in Riga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Ludza and $69.0 in Riga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Riga, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ludza, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Riga at $1,640. In Ludza it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riga it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ludza – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ludza. 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.