Living in Rīga
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, fixed internet at €17.54 per month, and an inexpensive restaurant meal at €15. A monthly estimate placed a mobile plan with at least 10 GB of data at €20 in July 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 · Eurostat10
Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness club membership, monthly | 42.5 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Lebenshaltungskosten in Riga27Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Col Groceries Index Basket Eur Month | 63.32 EUR/month | 3 Aug 2026 | Numbeo28Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited | 17.54 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Lebenshaltungskosten in Riga27Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Private kindergarten, monthly | 551.2 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Lebenshaltungskosten in Riga27Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | 15 EUR | 31 Jul 2026 | Lebenshaltungskosten in Riga27Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Mobile plan, 10 GB | 19.87 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Lebenshaltungskosten in Riga27Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Monthly transport pass | 50 EUR/month | 26 Jul 2026 | One-month ticket19Official |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² home | 329.8 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Lebenshaltungskosten in Riga27Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Dwellings Count | 323,901 dwellings | 31 Dec 2024 | VZD Building register (Būvju kadastrs) + CSP Census 2024 estimate25Official |
| Property Price Avg Eur | 1,850 EUR/m² | 31 Dec 2025 | VZD (Valsts zemes dienests) — Latvijas nekustamā īpašuma tirgus statistika24Official |
| Average net rent (nettokalt) | 5.77 EUR/m²/month | 31 Dec 2023 | Eurostat10Official |
Cost of living
Fixed monthly costs for one person in an 85 m² flat were about €908 in the latest published figures. From a median gross salary of €994, that leaves €86 before income tax and social contributions.
- Net rent, 85 m² · 54%€490
- Utilities, 85 m² · 36%€330
- Transport pass · 6%€50
- Internet and mobile · 4%€37
One person, 85 m² flat; the ring splits the €908 fixed basket before income tax and social contributions, latest published figures (checked 2026-08-27).
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.
Is rent affordable on a local salary?
A 60 m² flat at the published average rent is about 346 EUR a month, which is 35% of the published median gross salary of 994 (2024). Gross, not take-home, and before heating and operating charges.
Work and income
What is the typical salary in Rīga?
The median gross salary is 994 EUR/month (2024). The regional series (home-region basis, 2024) is a separate labelled row in the table.
City-scope median, gross, before tax and social contributions. the regional series (home-region basis, {period}) is a separate labelled row in the table — shown in the table below.
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 15-746
Unemployment rate (%)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross salary | 994 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2024 | Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia1Official |
| Median gross salary (regional) | 1,360 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2024 | CSB Latvia RIG110 — Riga monthly gross median wages, 20247Official · regional context |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6 %country median 5.5% | 1 Jan 2025 | CSB Latvia RIG090 — share of unemployed persons among economically active population aged 15-746Official |
Unemployment rate fell 72.3% between 1998 and 2025, from 16.6% to 4.6%.
Public employment service
No exact public employment office is currently linked to Rīga. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.
State Employment Agency — Public employment service
Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Rīga. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.
Family and education
A monthly estimate placed private kindergarten fees at €551.15 in July 2026.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| School Count | 130 count | 31 Dec 2024 | IZM (Izglītības un zinātnes ministrija) — School register 202415Official |
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 202423Official |
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 2021–202518
| 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 2021–202518Official |
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.dat20Official |
| Nearest airport | RIX | 13 Jun 2026 | OurAirports — airports.csv21Official |
| Distance to nearest airport | 8.8 km | 13 Jun 2026 | OurAirports — airports.csv21Official |
| Public transport monthly pass | 30 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2024 | Eurostat12Official |
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 replacement9
Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.
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 | Eurostat11Official |
| 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 replacement9Official |
| Average January temperature | -2.8 °C | 31 Dec 2020 | LVĢMC — Climate normals 1991-2020 (nearest station observation)16Official · nearest-station reading |
| Annual mean temperature (modelled) | 6.41 °C | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology17Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| Annual precipitation (modelled) | 763.4 mm/year | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology17Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| January mean temperature (modelled) | -4.88 °C | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology17Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| January minimum temperature (modelled) | -32.84 °C | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology17Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| July maximum temperature (modelled) | 29.21 °C | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology17Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| July mean temperature (modelled) | 18.23 °C | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology17Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| Daily precipitation rate (modelled) | 2.09 mm/day | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology17Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| Solar exposure (modelled) | 2.8 kWh/m²/day | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology17Modelled 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 CSV30Independent |
| 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 CSV30Independent |
| 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 CSV30Independent |
| 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 CSV30Independent |
| 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 CSV30Independent |
Which nearby places are linked to Rīga?
Official and functional links appear before nearby-only places.
- Rent
- Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
- Recorded crime
- Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact
- Rent
- Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
- Recorded crime
- Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact
- Rent
- Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
- Recorded crime
- Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact
- Rent
- Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
- Recorded crime
- Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact
Cities of a similar size in Latvia
Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.
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, RIG01022
Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 303.8 km² | 27 Aug 2026 | VZD Latvia26Official |
| Cars per 1,000 residents | 508.3 cars per 1000 people | 31 Dec 2024 | Eurostat12Official |
| City area | 304.2 km² | 31 Dec 2024 | Eurostat GISCO, European Commission14Official |
| Foreign-resident share | 20.8 % | 31 Dec 2024 | Eurostat13Official |
| Foreign residents | 119,466 people | 1 Jan 2025 | CSB Latvia IRV031 — population by citizenship and sex5Official |
| Population density | 1,979 people/km² | 31 Dec 2024 | Eurostat GISCO / Eurostat Urban Audit14Official |
| Population | 595,474 people | 1 Jan 2026 | Population by territory, sex and age group, RIG01022Official |
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 source4
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 source2
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 source3
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.
Common questions
Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.
Is Rīga expensive?
Fixed monthly costs for one person in an 85 m² flat — net rent, utilities, a transport pass, internet and mobile — came to about €908 against a median gross salary of €994 (figures), leaving about €86 before income tax. Sources: the rent, recurring-cost and salary series published on this page, each with its own 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 typical salary in Rīga?
The median gross salary is 994 EUR/month (2024). The regional series (home-region basis, 2024) is a separate labelled row in the table. Source: Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia.
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.
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 nearby places are linked to Rīga?
Ulbroka, Baloži, Ikšķile, Lielvārde are linked in the current source-backed set. The relationship label distinguishes administrative, metropolitan, commuting and distance-only links.
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, September 12). Rīga, Latvia: cost of living, rent and salaries [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/lv/riga/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_riga-latvia-cost-of-living-rent-and-salaries_7c69d858f719,
author = {ImmigrationDB},
title = {Rīga, Latvia: cost of living, rent and salaries},
publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-09-12},
version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/lv/riga/},
note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}Markdown citation
[Rīga, Latvia: cost of living, rent and salaries](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/lv/riga/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.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
- Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia stat.gov.lv · checked 2026-08-04
- 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
- 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
Show 20 more sources
- 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 2026-09-12
- 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
- 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
- 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.