Cost of Living Comparison Between Riga and Saldus Cost of Living Comparison Between Riga and Saldus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,657 in Riga versus $1,156 in Saldus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,482 in Riga versus $1,757 in Saldus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Riga versus $2,359 in Saldus.

Living in Riga is roughly 43% more expensive than in Saldus, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riga is 21% above, Saldus is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.04 €14.85

$16.68 €14.53

2.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 €60.0

$68.5 €59.7

0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 €8.33

$9.57 €8.34

-0.10%

Cappuccino

$3.77 €3.29

$3.90 €3.39

-3.33%

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

$1.67 €1.46

$1.61 €1.40

3.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.05

$1.18 €1.03

1.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 €5.08

$5.70 €4.96

2.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$4.67 €4.07

-3.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.03

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 €1.27

$1.54 €1.34

-5.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 €2.28

Eggs

$3.96 €3.45

$3.79 €3.30

4.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 €9.39

$10.84 €9.44

-0.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 €7.62

$9.00 €7.84

-2.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 €12.47

$14.70 €12.81

-2.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 €2.00

$2.28 €1.99

0.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.93 €1.68

-1.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 €2.11

$2.43 €2.12

-0.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 €2.82

$3.12 €2.72

3.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 €0.81

$0.89 €0.78

3.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 €0.86

$1.00 €0.87

-1.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 €1.62

$1.78 €1.55

4.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 €0.89

$1.01 €0.88

0.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.07 €6.16

$6.73 €5.86

5.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €7.09

$8.32 €7.25

-2.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.02 €1.76

5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.76

$2.09 €1.82

-2.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.50

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.17 €30.64

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 €3.08

$3.38 €2.95

4.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 €0.92

$1.07 €0.93

-1.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.43 €16.05

$18.18 €15.84

1.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.81

$2.10 €1.83

-0.95%

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

$28.3K €24.6K

$27.8K €24.2K

1.78%

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

$32.1K €28.0K

$32.0K €27.9K

0.30%

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

$388 €338

$381 €332

1.95%

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

$21.50 €18.73

$21.49 €18.72

0.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.95 €17.38

$20.15 €17.56

-0.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.84 €43.42

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.74 €32.01

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 €9.68

$11.16 €9.72

-0.45%

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

$664 €578

$658 €573

0.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K €15.7K

0.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.4 €61.3

$72.3 €63.0

-2.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 €44.72

$50.4 €43.94

1.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 €75.6

$88.6 €77.2

-2.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 €124

$140 €122

1.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 €522

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 €342

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 €1,015

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$736 €642

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,152 €2,746

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,260 €1,969

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,577 €1,374

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 Saldus: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $69.0 in Riga vs $68.0 in Saldus. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $278, with Riga 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 Saldus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riga and Saldus differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,657 vs $1,156 including rent). Saldus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,486 in Riga and $1,733 in Saldus to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Riga pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,657 per month in Riga versus $1,156 in Saldus – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,156 in Saldus versus $1,657 in Riga, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Saldus but tight or insufficient in Riga. The gap between the two cities makes Saldus 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 Saldus 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 Saldus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Riga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.