Cost of Living Comparison Between Riga and Ventspils Cost of Living Comparison Between Riga and Ventspils

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,589 in Riga versus $1,248 in Ventspils.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Riga versus $1,896 in Ventspils.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,241 in Riga versus $2,544 in Ventspils.

Living in Riga is roughly 27% more expensive than Ventspils, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riga is 19% above, Ventspils is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.41 €14.97

$11.42 €9.83

52.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 €58.7

$58.7 €50.5

16.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 €8.19

$7.29 €6.27

30.59%

Cappuccino

$3.44 €2.96

$2.80 €2.41

22.86%

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

$1.77 €1.52

$1.78 €1.53

-0.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.12

$1.31 €1.13

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 €4.96

$3.44 €2.96

67.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.65 €4.86

$2.89 €2.48

95.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.17 €1.00

13.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.16 €1.00

41.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 €2.47

$3.01 €2.59

-4.65%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.97 €2.56

6.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.36 €10.63

$9.46 €8.14

30.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.56 €6.50

$7.75 €6.67

-2.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 €9.99

$11.50 €9.89

0.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.96 €0.82

80.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.61 €1.39

19.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 €2.19

$2.09 €1.80

22.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 €3.05

$3.57 €3.07

-0.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.78 €0.67

38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.58 €0.50

89.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.28 €1.10

39.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 €5.12

$4.80 €4.13

23.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.97 €6.85

$8.20 €7.05

-2.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.25 €1.08

48.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.58 €1.36

38.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.83 €0.72

115.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.67 €29.83

$38.16 €32.82

-9.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 €2.41

$2.40 €2.06

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.72 €0.62

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 €11.96

$10.35 €8.90

34.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.88 €1.62

-3.72%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$25.6K €22.0K

20.83%

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

$31.4K €27.0K

$24.3K €20.9K

28.89%

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

$330 €284

$319 €275

3.45%

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

$20.25 €17.42

$17.02 €14.64

18.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.59 €17.71

$20.40 €17.55

0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.7 €44.51

$35.76 €30.76

44.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.43 €26.18

$20.02 €17.22

52.00%

Cinema Ticket

$11.61 €9.98

$7.02 €6.04

65.38%

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

$546 €470

$349 €301

56.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K €13.2K

$13.9K €11.9K

10.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 €78.9

$53.6 €46.10

71.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.86 €40.31

$43.95 €37.81

6.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 €83.7

$81.6 €70.2

19.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €118

$119 €102

15.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 €498

$267 €230

116.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 €346

$245 €211

64.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 €927

$428 €368

151.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$708 €609

$448 €385

58.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,261 €2,805

$1,007 €866

223.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,229 €1,917

$718 €617

210.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 €1,349

$1,036 €891

51.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.63

3.39

36.58%

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

Last update for Riga: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ventspils: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $579 in Riga and $267 in Ventspils. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riga pays 51% 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: $68.0 in Riga vs $59.0 in Ventspils for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $235 per month, with Ventspils 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 Ventspils: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riga and Ventspils differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,589 vs $1,248 including rent). Ventspils is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Riga pays 51% more on average, 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: $579 in Riga versus $267 in Ventspils. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $546 in Riga versus $349 in Ventspils. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Riga. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,248 in Ventspils versus $1,589 in Riga, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ventspils but tight or insufficient in Riga. The gap between the two cities makes Ventspils 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 Ventspils 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 Ventspils gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Riga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.