Cost of Living Comparison Between Riga and Jurmala Cost of Living Comparison Between Riga and Jurmala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,656 per month in Riga vs $1,736 in Jurmala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,523 per month in Riga vs $2,752 in Jurmala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,390 per month in Riga vs $3,769 in Jurmala, rent included.

Riga is about 5% cheaper than Jurmala, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Riga and Jurmala sit above the global median – Riga by 20%, Jurmala by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.75 €14.44

$14.40 €12.42

16.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 €59.6

$69.5 €59.9

-0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.41 €8.11

$7.64 €6.59

23.17%

Cappuccino

$3.82 €3.29

$3.72 €3.21

2.69%

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

$1.68 €1.45

$0.92 €0.80

82.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.20 €1.03

-0.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 €4.94

$5.17 €4.46

10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 €4.08

$2.91 €2.51

62.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 €1.05

$1.13 €0.98

7.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 €1.34

$1.47 €1.26

5.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 €2.22

$2.34 €2.02

9.83%

Eggs

$3.92 €3.38

$3.84 €3.31

2.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 €9.48

$5.86 €5.05

87.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 €7.59

$7.04 €6.07

25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.87 €12.82

$14.75 €12.71

0.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$2.26 €1.95

-3.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.95 €1.68

-2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$2.50 €2.16

1.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 €2.76

$3.23 €2.78

-0.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 €0.76

$0.95 €0.82

-7.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.00 €0.86

5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.88 €1.62

-1.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 €0.88

$1.06 €0.92

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

$5.97 €5.15

20.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 €7.06

$8.34 €7.19

-1.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.05 €1.77

3.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.06 €1.78

-0.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.15 €0.99

52.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.35 €29.61

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 €2.98

$3.50 €3.02

-1.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 €0.90

$1.07 €0.93

-2.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.78 €16.19

$18.83 €16.23

-0.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.80

$2.00 €1.73

4.00%

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

$28.4K €24.5K

$28.7K €24.7K

-0.83%

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

$32.1K €27.7K

$32.0K €27.6K

0.52%

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

$378 €326

$380 €328

-0.47%

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

$21.59 €18.61

$11.59 €9.99

86.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.95 €17.19

$17.59 €15.17

13.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 €44.23

$27.61 €23.80

85.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.48 €31.45

$22.96 €19.79

58.89%

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 €9.64

$10.15 €8.75

10.15%

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

$634 €547

$584 €503

8.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K €15.7K

$18.5K €16.0K

-1.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 €61.3

$72.1 €62.1

-1.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 €45.17

$52.6 €45.36

-0.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 €77.9

$90.7 €78.2

-0.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 €122

$145 €125

-2.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 €527

$1,092 €942

-44.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 €341

$630 €543

-37.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 €1,025

$698 €601

70.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 €655

$1,445 €1,246

-47.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,221 €2,776

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,280 €1,966

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,556 €1,341

$1,177 €1,014

32.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

4.2

10.48%

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

Last update for Riga: September 6, 2026

Last update for Jurmala: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $611 in Riga versus $1,092 in Jurmala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 32% higher in Riga, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Riga versus $69.0 in Jurmala. Groceries tell a different story – $279 in Riga vs $253 in Jurmala – so Jurmala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Jurmala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Jurmala is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,484 per month in Riga and $2,605 in Jurmala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Riga, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,656 in Riga and $1,736 in Jurmala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $634 per month in Riga and $584 in Jurmala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Riga, where all-in costs run around $1,656, than in Jurmala at $1,736. In Riga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jurmala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Riga – 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 Riga. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jurmala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.