Living in Rīga
In Rīga, rents across existing tenancies average €5.77 per m² a month (2023) and unemployment is 4.6% (2025).
Rīga had a population of 595,474 in 2026. The unemployment rate was 4.6% at the start of 2025. Rīga is the national capital of Latvia. The airport and transport estimates are from 2026, while the population is from early 2025.
Which Latvia-wide rules apply when you move to Rīga?
National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.
Housing and cost
Practical estimates in July 2026 placed basic utilities for an 85 m² home at €329.84 per month and an inexpensive restaurant meal at €15. Fixed internet cost €19.50 per month at the provider's published price in October 2026. A mobile plan with at least 10 GB of data cost €16.75 per month at the provider's published price in 2026.
How much does it cost to rent in Rīga?
Average net cold rent is 5.77 EUR/m² per month (2023), excluding heating and operating charges.
Published average over existing tenancies; a specific flat can sit either side of it. Asking-rent series, where present, are separate rows in the table.
- Average net rent (nettokalt): 5.77 EUR/m²/month · Eurostat13
Supplemental estimate lane, not official statistics: Utilities, 85 m² flat, Private kindergarten, Fitness club. The others are published prices.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness club membership, monthly | 42.5 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Lebenshaltungskosten in Riga36Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Grocery basket, monthly | 63.32 EUR/month | 3 Aug 2026 | Numbeo37Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited | 19.5 EUR/month | 31 Oct 2026 | Tet Starta internets — optical connection, standard price28Official · national market |
| Private kindergarten, monthly | 551.2 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Lebenshaltungskosten in Riga36Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | 15 EUR | 31 Jul 2026 | Lebenshaltungskosten in Riga36Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Mobile plan, 10 GB | 16.75 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2026 | Bite Starts 102Official · national market |
| Monthly transport pass | 50 EUR/month | 26 Jul 2026 | One-month ticket23Official |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² home | 329.8 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Lebenshaltungskosten in Riga36Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Dwellings | 323,901 dwellings | 31 Dec 2024 | VZD Building register (Būvju kadastrs) + CSP Census 2024 estimate30Official |
| Average property price per m² | 1,850 EUR/m² | 31 Dec 2025 | VZD (Valsts zemes dienests) — Latvijas nekustamā īpašuma tirgus statistika29Official |
| Average net rent (nettokalt) | 5.77 EUR/m²/month | 31 Dec 2023 | Eurostat13Official |
Is Rīga a good place to live?
There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.
Worked out from these numbers
What does a 60 m² flat cost?
About 346 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 5.77 EUR/m² per month, before heating and operating charges.
Heating, water and operating charges come on top, and a specific flat can sit either side of an average.
Work and income
What is the unemployment rate in Rīga?
The unemployment rate is 4.6 % (January 2025). Source: CSB Latvia RIG090 — share of unemployed persons among economically active population aged 15-747
Rīga 4.6%
Unemployment rate (%)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public employment offices | 2 count | 15 Sept 2026 | NVA — Rīgas Regional Branch21Official |
| Median gross salary (regional) | 1,360 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2024 | CSB Latvia RIG110 — Riga monthly gross median wages, 20248Official · regional context |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6 %country median 6.0% | 1 Jan 2025 | CSB Latvia RIG090 — share of unemployed persons among economically active population aged 15-747Official |
Unemployment rate fell 72.3% between 1998 and 2025, from 16.6% to 4.6%.
What does a salary buy in Rīga?
Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.
RentUtilitiesTransportInternetMobileLeft over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
| Each month | € |
|---|---|
| Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions. | €1,037 |
| Rent, 60 m²€5.77/m² · official · Eurostat · 2023-12-31 | − €346 |
| Public transport pass€50 · official · One-month ticket · 2026-07-26 | − €50 |
| Utilities, 85 m²€330 · market price · Lebenshaltungskosten in Riga · 2026-07-31 | − €330 |
| Internet€20 · official · Tet Starta internets · 2026-10-31 | − €20 |
| Mobile plan€17 · official · Bite Starts 10 · 2026-12-31 | − €17 |
| Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish | €275 |
Public employment offices in Rīga
NVA lists 2 public employment offices in Rīga (checked 2026-09-16). Use the official office finder for addresses and appointments; registration and job search are also available online through the national service below.
State Employment Agency — Public employment service
The office count comes from the service's own directory. Individual addresses and opening hours are not listed here yet. Sources checked through 16 Sept 2026.
Family and education
A monthly estimate placed private kindergarten fees at €551.15 in July 2026.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public language course providers | 19 count | 31 Dec 2026 | Approved project applications — Latvian language courses for Ukrainian civilians 20261Official |
| Schools | 130 count | 31 Dec 2024 | IZM (Izglītības un zinātnes ministrija) — School register 202418Official |
School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 5 to 16. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: additional support in learning the Latvian language (papildu atbalsts latviešu valodā; regulation for pupils with asylum/alternative status). How to enrol a child (izm.gov.lv).
A country-wide rule for Latvia; Rīga's school authority applies it locally.
Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2025–2026.
Healthcare
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians per 100,000 residents | 7.5 per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2024 | SPKC (Slimību profilakses un kontroles centrs) — Yearbook 202427Official |
Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Rīga when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.
Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.
Open the official coverage guideSafety
How safe is Rīga?
Police recorded 2,760 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source.
- Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents: 2,760 offences per 100,000 · Official Statistics Portal Latvia — NOR023 recorded crimes and crime rates 2021–202522
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents | 2,760 offences per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2025 | Official Statistics Portal Latvia — NOR023 recorded crimes and crime rates 2021–202522Official |
Mobility and administration
The nearest airport was RIX, 8.8 km away, with 68 listed destinations in June 2026. An estimate placed a monthly public-transport pass at €50 in 2026.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Destinations from nearest airport | 68 count | 13 Jun 2026 | OpenFlights — routes.dat24Official |
| Nearest airport | RIX | 13 Jun 2026 | OurAirports — airports.csv25Official |
| Distance to nearest airport | 8.8 km | 13 Jun 2026 | OurAirports — airports.csv25Official |
| Public transport monthly pass | 30 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2024 | Eurostat15Official |
Language courses and integration in Rīga
2 exact course-location records are linked to this city. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.
Rīga
View official recordRaiņa bulvāris 15, Rīga
Raiņa bulvāris 15, Rīga
View official recordClimate and air quality
Monthly mean temperatures were −2.1°C in January and 19.3°C in July. Monthly precipitation was 46.5 mm in January and 79.5 mm in July. Annual PM2.5 was 9 µg/m³ in 2025.
Is the air quality good in Rīga?
The annual PM2.5 mean is 9 µg/m³ (2025) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — LV 2025 PM2.5 exact station temporal replacement12
Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.
Night-time low to daytime high
mm
hours
Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³
City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| NO₂ — annual mean | 27.4 µg/m³ | 31 Dec 2013 | Eurostat14Official |
| PM2.5 — annual mean | 9 µg/m³country median 9.0 — about the same | 31 Dec 2025 | EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — LV 2025 PM2.5 exact station temporal replacement12Official |
| Average January temperature | -2.8 °C | 31 Dec 2020 | LVĢMC — Climate normals 1991-2020 (nearest station observation)19Official · nearest-station reading |
| Annual mean temperature (modelled) | 6.41 °C | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology20Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| Annual precipitation (modelled) | 763.4 mm/year | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology20Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| January mean temperature (modelled) | -4.88 °C | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology20Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| January minimum temperature (modelled) | -32.84 °C | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology20Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| July maximum temperature (modelled) | 29.21 °C | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology20Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| July mean temperature (modelled) | 18.23 °C | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology20Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| Daily precipitation rate (modelled) | 2.09 mm/day | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology20Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| Solar exposure (modelled) | 2.8 kWh/m²/day | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology20Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| Average daytime high by month | Jan -0.1 · Feb 0.3 · Mar 4.8 · Apr 11.9 · May 17.8 · Jun 21.3 · Jul 23.8 · Aug 22.7 · Sep 17.3 · Oct 10.5 · Nov 4.8 · Dec 1.4 °C | 1991–2020 | WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV39Independent |
| Average night-time low by month | Jan -4.5 · Feb -4.6 · Mar -1.7 · Apr 2.9 · May 8.2 · Jun 12.4 · Jul 14.9 · Aug 14.1 · Sep 9.8 · Oct 4.9 · Nov 1.1 · Dec -2.4 °C | 1991–2020 | WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV39Independent |
| Average temperature by month | Jan -2.1 · Feb -2 · Mar 1.5 · Apr 7.4 · May 13 · Jun 16.7 · Jul 19.3 · Aug 18.3 · Sep 13.4 · Oct 7.5 · Nov 3 · Dec -0.3 °C | 1991–2020 | WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV39Independent |
| Average precipitation by month | Jan 46.5 · Feb 40.1 · Mar 34.1 · Apr 35 · May 47.5 · Jun 65 · Jul 79.5 · Aug 77.9 · Sep 67.1 · Oct 75.6 · Nov 56.3 · Dec 50.2 mm | 1991–2020 | WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV39Independent |
| Average sunshine by month | Jan 36.6 · Feb 64.2 · Mar 141.2 · Apr 203.6 · May 286.7 · Jun 282.2 · Jul 291.2 · Aug 250.4 · Sep 166.7 · Oct 95.5 · Nov 36.1 · Dec 24.4 hours | 1991–2020 | WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV39Independent |
Population and city profile
How many people live in Rīga?
The published population was 595,474 people in 2026. Source: Population by territory, sex and age group, RIG01026
By nationality
National passport79.9%Foreign residents20.1%
Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 303.8 km² | 27 Aug 2026 | VZD Latvia31Official |
| Cars per 1,000 residents | 508.3 cars per 1000 people | 31 Dec 2024 | Eurostat15Official |
| City area | 304.2 km² | 31 Dec 2024 | Eurostat GISCO, European Commission17Official |
| Foreign-resident share | 20.8 % | 31 Dec 2024 | Eurostat16Official |
| Foreign residents | 119,466 people | 1 Jan 2025 | CSB Latvia IRV031 — population by citizenship and sex6Official |
| Population density | 1,979 people/km² | 31 Dec 2024 | Eurostat GISCO / Eurostat Urban Audit17Official |
| Population | 595,474 people | 1 Jan 2026 | Population by territory, sex and age group, RIG01026Official |
Population fell 34.5% between 1990 and 2026, from 909,135 to 595,474.
Foreign residents fell 61.4% between 2000 and 2025, from 309,807 to 119,466.
International community in Rīga
Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.
Country of birth
Official Latvian register-based population estimate at the beginning of 2026; all ages; total sex · 2026 (beginning of year)
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Russian Federation (Russia) | 43,261 | 7.3% |
| Ukraine | 22,569 | 3.8% |
| Belarus | 11,982 | 2.0% |
| Lithuania | 2,783 | 0.5% |
| Germany | 1,147 | 0.2% |
Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source5
Citizenship
Official Latvian register-based population estimate at the beginning of 2026; all ages; total sex · 2026 (beginning of year)
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 588,911 | 100.0% |
| Citizens of Latvia | 472,583 | 80.2% |
| Non-citizens of Latvia | 80,480 | 13.7% |
| Other citizenship | 34,030 | 5.8% |
| Citizens of European Union 27 countries from 2020 (excluding Latvia) | 1,818 | 0.3% |
Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source3
Ancestry or ethnicity
Official Latvian register-based population estimate at the beginning of 2026; all ages; total population · 2026 (beginning of year)
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Latvians | 284,869 | 48.4% |
| Russians | 199,076 | 33.8% |
| Ukrainians | 28,117 | 4.8% |
| Belarusians | 19,522 | 3.3% |
| Poles | 9,805 | 1.7% |
Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source4
Alternatives for people set on Rīga
Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.
Jūrmala as a Rīga alternative in the same region
23 km away, better on 1 of 4 metrics measured the same way, worse on 3.
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 1,832 Jūrmala vs 2,760 Rīga−34%
- Nearest airport: 13.3 km Jūrmala vs 8.8 km Rīga+51%
- Median gross pay, region: €1,272 Jūrmala vs €1,360 Rīga−6%
- Unemployment: 4.9% Jūrmala vs 4.6% Rīga+7%
Lisbon as a Rīga alternative in another country
Better on 2 of 3 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0. Rent and recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.
- Rent: €17.42/m² (2026) Lisbon vs €5.77/m² (2023) Rīgano percentage
- Basic utilities, 85 m²: €150 Lisbon vs €330 Rīga−54%
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 5,090 (2022) Lisbon vs 2,760 (2025) Rīgano percentage
- Nearest airport: 7.2 km Lisbon vs 8.8 km Rīga−18%
- A meal out: €15 Lisbon vs €15 Rīgasame level
Cities near Rīga
Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.
Alternative cities in Latvia
Other cities in Latvia to compare with Rīga, nearest in population first.
How does Rīga compare?
Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Rīga's.
Rīga in rankings
Common questions
Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.
How many people live in Rīga?
The published population was 595,474 people in 2026. Source: Population by territory, sex and age group, RIG010.
How much does it cost to rent in Rīga?
Average net cold rent is 5.77 EUR/m² per month (2023), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 404 EUR a month before utilities. Source: Eurostat.
Is the air quality good in Rīga?
The annual PM2.5 mean is 9 µg/m³ (2025) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — LV 2025 PM2.5 exact station temporal replacement.
How safe is Rīga?
Police recorded 2,760 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Official Statistics Portal Latvia — NOR023 recorded crimes and crime rates 2021–2025.
What is the unemployment rate in Rīga?
The unemployment rate is 4.6 % (January 2025). Source: CSB Latvia RIG090 — share of unemployed persons among economically active population aged 15-74.
What is the typical salary around Rīga?
The median gross salary is 1,360 EUR/month. Source: CSB Latvia RIG110 — Riga monthly gross median wages, 2024.
Is Rīga a good place to live?
Rīga may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.
Which cities are near Rīga?
Ulbroka, Baloži, Jūrmala are near Rīga. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.
How many people born in Russian Federation (Russia) live in Rīga?
The official country of birth distribution records 43,261 people (7.3%) in the source-defined population for 2026 (beginning of year). This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.
Cite this page
Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.
APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 25). Rīga, Latvia: population, rent, salary, cost of living, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; version ee462bdafefb47d269dc954dc0877f32]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/lv/riga/ Retrieved 2026-10-25. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_riga-latvia-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living-jobs_ad031cb18865,
author = {ImmigrationDB},
title = {Rīga, Latvia: population, rent, salary, cost of living, jobs},
publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-10-25},
version = {ee462bdafefb47d269dc954dc0877f32},
url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/lv/riga/},
note = {Retrieved 2026-10-25. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}Markdown citation
[Rīga, Latvia: population, rent, salary, cost of living, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/lv/riga/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version ee462bdafefb47d269dc954dc0877f32; retrieved 2026-10-25; built 2026-10-25.This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.
Sources
- Approved project applications — Latvian language courses for Ukrainian civilians 2026 Approved project applications · sif.gov.lv · checked 2026-09-15
- Bite Starts 10 bite.lv · checked 2026-10-09
- Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia api.stat.gov.lv · checked 2026-08-30
- Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia ancestry or ethnicity distribution api.stat.gov.lv · checked 2026-08-28
- Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia country of birth distribution api.stat.gov.lv · checked 2026-08-28
- CSB Latvia IRV031 — population by citizenship and sex CSB Latvia IRV031 · api.stat.gov.lv · checked 2026-07-26
- CSB Latvia RIG090 — share of unemployed persons among economically active population aged 15-74 CSB Latvia RIG090 · api.stat.gov.lv · checked 2026-07-26
- CSB Latvia RIG110 — Riga monthly gross median wages, 2024 CSB Latvia RIG110 · api.stat.gov.lv · checked 2026-07-29
- download.geonames.org recorded crime data download.geonames.org · checked 2026-08-28
- ec.europa.eu place coordinates ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-28
Show 29 more sources
- ec.europa.eu place coordinates ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-28
- EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — LV 2025 PM2.5 exact station temporal replacement EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-29
- Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-27
- Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
- Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
- Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
- Eurostat GISCO, European Commission gisco-services.ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
- IZM (Izglītības un zinātnes ministrija) — School register 2024 IZM (Izglītības un zinātnes ministrija) · izm.gov.lv · checked 2026-06-12
- LVĢMC — Climate normals 1991-2020 (nearest station observation) LVĢMC · data.gov.lv · checked 2026-06-12
- NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology NASA POWER · power.larc.nasa.gov · checked 2026-10-25
- NVA — Rīgas Regional Branch NVA · nva.gov.lv · checked 2026-09-15
- Official Statistics Portal Latvia — NOR023 recorded crimes and crime rates 2021–2025 Official Statistics Portal Latvia · api.stat.gov.lv · checked 2026-07-29
- One-month ticket rigassatiksme.lv · checked 2026-07-26
- OpenFlights — routes.dat OpenFlights · raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-07-14
- OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
- Population by territory, sex and age group, RIG010 api.stat.gov.lv · checked 2026-09-01
- SPKC (Slimību profilakses un kontroles centrs) — Yearbook 2024 SPKC (Slimību profilakses un kontroles centrs) · spkc.gov.lv · checked 2026-06-12
- Tet Starta internets — optical connection, standard price Tet Starta internets · tet.lv · checked 2026-10-09
- VZD (Valsts zemes dienests) — Latvijas nekustamā īpašuma tirgus statistika VZD (Valsts zemes dienests) · vzd.gov.lv · checked 2026-06-12
- VZD Building register (Būvju kadastrs) + CSP Census 2024 estimate vzd.gov.lv · checked 2026-06-12
- VZD Latvia data.gov.lv · checked 2026-06-12
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Lebenshaltungskosten in Riga de.numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-26
- Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-08-03
- wikidata.org place coordinates wikidata.org · checked 2026-08-28
- WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-26
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.