Cost of Living Comparison Between Riga and Jekabpils Cost of Living Comparison Between Riga and Jekabpils

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,657 in Riga versus $1,218 in Jekabpils.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,482 in Riga versus $1,809 in Jekabpils.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Riga versus $2,401 in Jekabpils.

Living in Riga is roughly 36% more expensive than in Jekabpils, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riga is 21% above, Jekabpils is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.04 €14.85

$12.92 €11.26

31.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 €60.0

$32.50 €28.32

111.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 €8.33

$9.81 €8.55

-2.55%

Cappuccino

$3.77 €3.29

$3.55 €3.09

6.20%

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

$1.67 €1.46

$1.02 €0.89

63.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.05

$0.99 €0.86

21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 €5.08

$5.91 €5.15

-1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$4.57 €3.98

-0.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.03

$1.11 €0.97

6.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 €1.27

$1.51 €1.32

-3.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 €2.28

$2.58 €2.25

1.16%

Eggs

$3.96 €3.45

$2.36 €2.06

67.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 €9.39

$10.90 €9.50

-1.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 €7.62

$7.02 €6.12

24.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 €12.47

$14.41 €12.55

-0.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 €2.00

$1.63 €1.42

41.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.71 €1.49

11.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 €2.11

$1.97 €1.71

22.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 €2.82

$3.14 €2.73

2.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 €0.81

$0.94 €0.82

-2.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 €0.86

$0.96 €0.84

3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 €1.62

$1.77 €1.54

5.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 €0.89

$0.85 €0.74

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.07 €6.16

$5.85 €5.10

20.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €7.09

$6.94 €6.05

17.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.49 €1.30

42.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.76

$1.70 €1.48

19.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.50

$1.13 €0.98

52.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.17 €30.64

$69.7 €60.7

-49.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 €3.08

$1.03 €0.89

243.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 €0.92

$0.42 €0.36

150.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.43 €16.05

$18.31 €15.95

0.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.81

$1.78 €1.55

16.85%

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

$28.3K €24.6K

$28.2K €24.6K

0.12%

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

$32.1K €28.0K

$31.8K €27.7K

1.02%

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

$388 €338

$277 €242

39.82%

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

$21.50 €18.73

$11.33 €9.87

89.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.95 €17.38

$16.80 €14.64

18.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.84 €43.42

$34.02 €29.64

46.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.74 €32.01

$13.60 €11.84

170.15%

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 €9.68

$11.13 €9.70

-0.18%

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

$664 €578

$633 €551

4.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K €15.7K

$8,104 €7,060

122.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.4 €61.3

$72.8 €63.4

-3.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 €44.72

$29.34 €25.56

74.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 €75.6

$88.4 €77.0

-1.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 €124

-0.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 €522

$233 €203

157.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 €342

$173 €151

126.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 €1,015

$408 €356

185.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$736 €642

$346 €302

112.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,152 €2,746

$855 €745

268.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,260 €1,969

$827 €721

173.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,577 €1,374

$1,020 €888

54.65%

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 Riga: September 12, 2026

Last update for Jekabpils: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $599 in Riga and $233 in Jekabpils. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riga pays 55% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Riga vs $33.00 in Jekabpils for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $246 per month, with Jekabpils cheaper across the board.

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 Jekabpils: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riga and Jekabpils differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,657 vs $1,218 including rent). Jekabpils is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 55% higher in Riga, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $599 in Riga versus $233 in Jekabpils. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,657 per month in Riga versus $1,218 in Jekabpils – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jekabpils runs roughly 98% less than in Riga. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,218 in Jekabpils versus $1,657 in Riga, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jekabpils but tight or insufficient in Riga. The gap between the two cities makes Jekabpils the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Riga and Jekabpils 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 Jekabpils gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Riga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.