Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Latvia Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Latvia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,642 in Spain versus $1,349 in Latvia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,399 in Spain versus $2,040 in Latvia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,155 in Spain versus $2,730 in Latvia.

Living in Spain is roughly 22% more expensive than Latvia on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Spain 22% above, Latvia 0% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $1,127 to $3,255, compared to $1,210$1,589 in Latvia. City choice carries more weight in Spain.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Latvia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.98 €13.85
$13.84 €12.00
15.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.6 €49.92
$68.6 €59.5
-16.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.27 €8.90
$8.27 €7.16
24.18%
Cappuccino
$2.38 €2.06
$3.40 €2.95
-30.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 €2.23
$1.68 €1.46
53.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 €1.59
$1.27 €1.10
44.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.54 €3.06
$5.10 €4.42
-30.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.09 €3.54
$4.51 €3.91
-9.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Latvia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 €1.06
$1.30 €1.13
-6.15%
White Bread (500g)
$1.53 €1.32
$1.63 €1.42
-6.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.60 €1.39
$3.05 €2.65
-47.54%
Eggs
$2.93 €2.54
$3.16 €2.74
-7.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.33 €12.42
$11.62 €10.07
23.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.31 €7.20
$7.90 €6.84
5.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.62 €13.54
$12.39 €10.74
26.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.53 €2.19
$1.60 €1.39
58.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.99 €1.73
$1.87 €1.62
6.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.11 €1.83
$2.65 €2.30
-20.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.54 €2.20
$3.42 €2.96
-25.73%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.53
$0.95 €0.82
86.32%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 €1.71
$1.02 €0.89
94.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 €1.13
$1.83 €1.59
-28.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 €0.64
$0.87 €0.75
-14.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.19 €5.36
$5.91 €5.12
4.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.93 €5.14
$8.02 €6.95
-26.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 €1.08
$1.76 €1.53
-28.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.79
$2.07 €1.80
-
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Latvia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.78 €1.54
$1.72 €1.49
3.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.91 €30.25
$34.85 €30.21
0.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.48 €3.88
$2.72 €2.36
64.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.34 €1.16
$0.77 €0.67
74.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.24 €22.75
$11.46 €9.93
128.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.76 €1.52
$1.85 €1.60
-4.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K €33.1K
$29.6K €25.6K
29.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6K €27.4K
$30.7K €26.6K
2.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Latvia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 €129
$308 €267
-51.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.16 €17.47
$19.08 €16.54
5.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.11 €29.57
$20.00 €17.33
70.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Latvia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.12 €40.84
$46.35 €40.17
1.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.83 €13.72
$28.23 €24.47
-43.92%
Cinema Ticket
$9.47 €8.21
$11.68 €10.12
-18.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Latvia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$517 €448
$533 €462
-3.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.2K €8,804
$15.8K €13.7K
-35.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Latvia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.2 €75.5
$92.6 €80.2
-5.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.36 €32.38
$47.29 €40.98
-21.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.3 €79.2
$93.0 €80.6
-1.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 €91.5
$140 €122
-24.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Latvia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,074 €930
$470 €407
128.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$815 €707
$328 €285
148.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,691 €1,466
$923 €800
83.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,228 €1,064
$623 €540
97.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,338 €3,760
$2,644 €2,292
64.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,744 €2,378
$1,722 €1,492
59.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Latvia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,031 €1,760
$1,318 €1,142
54.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.51
4.33
-18.94%

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

Last update for Spain: June 9, 2026

Last update for Latvia: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $898 in Spain, $353 in Latvia. Capital cities: $1,609 in Madrid vs $578 in Riga.

National salary averages: $2,011 in Spain, $1,057 in Latvia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 154% higher in Spain.

Salaries are 90% higher in Spain, giving Spain stronger purchasing power.

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
Spain vs Latvia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Latvia or Spain?
At $1,400 per month in Latvia and $2,191 in Spain, there's a 57% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Latvia or Spain?
Latvia is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Latvia and Spain?
Rent in Spain beats Latvia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Latvia vs Spain?
In Latvia, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Spain, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Latvia and Spain?
It depends on what you're after. Latvia wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Spain vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries