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: $1,640 in Riga versus $1,159 in Cesis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,479 in Riga versus $1,892 in Cesis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,318 in Riga versus $2,625 in Cesis.

Living in Riga is roughly 42% more expensive than in Cesis, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riga is 19% above, Cesis is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.13 €14.78

$17.06 €14.72

0.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 €59.6

0.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 €7.89

$9.07 €7.83

0.77%

Cappuccino

$3.77 €3.25

$3.95 €3.41

-4.56%

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

$1.68 €1.45

$1.66 €1.44

1.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.23 €1.06

-4.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 €4.94

$5.88 €5.08

-2.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 €3.97

$4.51 €3.89

2.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.23 €1.07

-3.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.48 €1.27

3.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.53 €2.18

-0.79%

Eggs

$3.81 €3.29

$2.84 €2.45

34.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.01 €9.50

$10.66 €9.20

3.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 €7.81

$9.20 €7.94

-1.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 €12.84

$14.50 €12.51

2.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 €1.95

$2.25 €1.95

0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.91 €1.65

1.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 €2.15

$2.54 €2.19

-1.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 €2.71

$3.01 €2.59

4.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 €0.83

$0.93 €0.81

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 €0.89

$1.00 €0.87

3.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.78 €1.54

2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.01 €0.87

5.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.86 €5.92

$7.03 €6.07

-2.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 €7.10

$8.03 €6.93

2.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.78 €1.54

17.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.05 €1.77

0.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.43 €29.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 €2.94

$3.57 €3.08

-4.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 €0.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.66 €16.10

$18.32 €15.81

1.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.01 €1.74

4.98%

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

$28.4K €24.5K

-0.10%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$32.6K €28.1K

-0.25%

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

$383 €331

$381 €328

0.71%

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

$21.91 €18.91

$21.56 €18.60

1.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.75 €17.04

$19.78 €17.06

-0.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 €43.40

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.42 €31.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 €9.78

$11.30 €9.75

0.27%

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

$634 €547

$647 €558

-2.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K €16.1K

$18.4K €15.8K

1.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.8 €62.0

$73.1 €63.0

-1.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 €45.44

$52.0 €44.84

1.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 €75.8

$90.3 €77.9

-2.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 €125

$141 €122

2.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 €512

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 €337

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 €1,007

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 €642

$289 €249

157.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,159 €2,726

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,201 €1,899

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,533 €1,322

$1,892 €1,632

-18.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

2.4

93.33%

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

Last update for Riga: August 29, 2026

Last update for Cesis: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Cesis pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Riga vs $69.0 in Cesis. Groceries flip the comparison at $280 vs $271, 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 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Cesis. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $634 in Riga versus $647 in Cesis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cesis – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $69.0 in Riga. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,159 in Cesis versus $1,640 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 42% less than in Riga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.