Cost of Living Comparison Between Riga and Cesis Cost of Living Comparison Between Riga and Cesis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,589 in Riga versus $1,420 in Cesis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Riga versus $2,164 in Cesis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,241 in Riga versus $2,908 in Cesis.

Living in Riga is roughly 12% more expensive than Cesis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Riga 19% above, Cesis 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.41 €14.97

$17.61 €15.15

-1.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 €58.7

$70.7 €60.8

-3.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 €8.19

$9.46 €8.14

0.63%

Cappuccino

$3.44 €2.96

$3.55 €3.06

-3.10%

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

$1.77 €1.52

$1.85 €1.59

-4.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.12

$1.29 €1.11

1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 €4.96

$5.70 €4.90

1.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.65 €4.86

$5.74 €4.94

-1.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.32 €1.13

0.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.46 €1.26

12.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 €2.47

$2.88 €2.48

-0.35%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.71 €2.33

16.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.36 €10.63

$12.23 €10.52

1.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.56 €6.50

$7.92 €6.81

-4.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 €9.99

$12.04 €10.36

-3.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.67 €1.44

3.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.88 €0.76

118.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 €2.19

$2.66 €2.29

-4.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 €3.05

$2.23 €1.92

59.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.95 €0.82

13.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.01 €0.87

8.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.72 €1.48

4.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.76

$0.84 €0.72

5.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 €5.12

$4.22 €3.63

41.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.97 €6.85

$7.41 €6.37

7.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.14 €0.98

62.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.13 €0.97

93.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.95 €0.82

88.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.67 €29.83

$36.71 €31.58

-5.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 €2.41

$2.92 €2.51

-4.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.87 €0.75

-8.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 €11.96

$13.79 €11.86

0.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.79 €1.54

1.12%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$30.5K €26.2K

1.39%

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

$31.4K €27.0K

-0.08%

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

$330 €284

$321 €276

2.94%

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

$20.25 €17.42

$20.37 €17.52

-0.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.59 €17.71

$11.34 €9.75

81.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.7 €44.51

$51.3 €44.09

0.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.43 €26.18

Cinema Ticket

$11.61 €9.98

$11.67 €10.04

-0.51%

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

$546 €470

$555 €477

-1.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K €13.2K

$15.7K €13.5K

-2.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 €78.9

$88.8 €76.3

3.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.86 €40.31

$46.18 €39.72

1.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 €83.7

0.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €118

$136 €117

1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 €498

$365 €314

58.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 €346

$256 €220

57.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 €927

$748 €644

43.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$708 €609

$460 €396

53.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,261 €2,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,229 €1,917

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 €1,349

$1,947 €1,675

-19.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.63

2.4

92.92%

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

Last update for Riga: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cesis: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $579 in Riga and $365 in Cesis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cesis pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Riga vs $71.0 in Cesis. Groceries flip the comparison at $264 vs $243, with Cesis cheaper for home cooking.

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

Riga vs Cesis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cesis is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cesis earns 24% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $579 in Riga versus $365 in Cesis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,589 per month in Riga versus $1,420 in Cesis – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cesis runs roughly 6% less than in Riga. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,420 in Cesis versus $1,589 in Riga, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cesis but tight or insufficient in Riga. The gap between the two cities makes Cesis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cesis is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Riga, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Riga and Cesis are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cesis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Riga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.