Pros and Cons of Living in Latvia
Last updated on Sep 26, 2025
Summary: The pros of living in Latvia include its beautiful natural scenery, its vibrant culture, and its low cost of living. Latvia also offers excellent educational opportunities and a high quality of life. On the other hand, the cons of living in Latvia include its cold climate, its language barrier, and its limited job opportunities. Additionally, the country has a high rate of poverty and a lack of economic development.
What are the pros and cons of living in Latvia?
Expats, digital nomads and retirees living in Latvia responded:
"Expats and digital nomads in Latvia appreciate the country's low cost of living, which allows them to stretch their budget further. They also enjoy the country's natural beauty, with its forests, lakes, and rivers. Additionally, they appreciate the fact that Latvia is a safe and secure country with a low crime rate. On the other hand, some expats and digital nomads find the language barrier to be a challenge, as Latvian is not widely spoken outside of the country. Additionally, the winter months can be quite cold and dark, which can be difficult to adjust to," remarked one expat in Latvia.
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What do expats in Latvia appreciate most about the local culture?
"The Latvian culture is beautiful and interesting - as are the people. I appreciate that most Latvians work in Riga (or other city) and then immediately disappear to the woods in their other homes to be out in nature. They are fine, decent people. They sort of just keep to themselves, like most Europeans, and this can be seen by us Americans as being stand-offish or even rude," explained one expat living in Latvia.
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What do expats find most challenging?
"The languages. They're tough. This winter was very cold/snowy but being a Minnesota girl, just took a few weeks to remember this is what I grew up in even though I'd done the last 4.5 years in the tropics! It was beautiful too even with the mounds of snow. Just dress warm," said one expat in Riga.
About the Author
Betsy Burlingame is the Founder and President of Expat Exchange and is one of the Founders of Digital Nomad Exchange. She launched Expat Exchange in 1997 as her Master's thesis project at NYU. Prior to Expat Exchange, Betsy worked at AT&T in International
and Mass Market Marketing. She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University
with a BA in International Business and German.
Some of Betsy's articles include 12 Best Places to Live in Portugal, 7 Best Places to Live in Panama and 12 Things to Know Before Moving to the Dominican Republic. Betsy loves to travel and spend time with her family. Connect with Betsy on LinkedIn.
Other Questions:
- What should I pack when moving to Latvia?
- Where should I setup a bank account in Latvia?
- Will I be able to find a job in Latvia?
- What is life like as an expat in your area?
- What do expats in Latvia appreciate most about the local culture?
- What do expats find most challenging?
- Is there a lot of crime in Latvia?
- Is there a lot of diversity? Are people in Latvia accepting of differences?
- What are the schools in Latvia like?
- How are healthcare services in Latvia?
- What are medical services in Latvia like?
- Are healthcare and health insurance expensive in Latvia?
- What are emergency services like in Latvia?
- Will I need to travel to see a specialist?
- Are common prescription medications available in Latvia?
- How are local medical facilities in Latvia?
- As a foreigner living in Latvia, will I have access to public healthcare? What is it like?
- What have your experiences during the pandemic with the local healthcare system been like?