Living in Latvia

Whilst this website isn’t specifically about moving to Latvia, my services can be relevant to anywhere in the world however as this is where I live and I often get asked questions about here I thought I’d provide some information about Latvia.

Living in Latvia: An Overview

Latvia, a picturesque country nestled in Northern Europe, offers a blend of rich cultural heritage, scenic landscapes, and modern urban living. With its capital, Riga, being a UNESCO World Heritage site, Latvia boasts stunning architecture, vibrant arts, and a thriving café culture. The country is known for its lush forests, pristine lakes, and beautiful coastline along the Baltic Sea, making it a haven for nature lovers.

The cost of living in Latvia is relatively affordable compared to Western Europe, with quality healthcare and education systems. English is widely spoken, especially in urban areas, making it easier for expatriates to integrate, however out in the countryside whilst the younger generations learn English at school it is not widely spoken by older generations Latvia’s climate features cold winters and mild summers, perfect for enjoying seasonal activities like skiing and beach outings.

Whether you’re drawn to the bustling city life in Riga, the tranquillity of rural areas, or the charm of its small towns, Latvia offers a balanced lifestyle with a strong sense of community and a deep connection to nature.

Climate & Geology

Latvia’s climate is classed is ‘boreal’ which means cold winters and hot summers. Winters can go down to -30c (I’ve experienced -35c once) and summer’s can be as hot as +35c. The winter can feel long and grey and summer often feels like it’s quickly over. Latvia is rpughly 54% forested most of which is state owned and forestry and timber production is a big deal here. People enjoy foraging for various berries and mushrooms in the vast state forests.

Latvia is very flat with the highest point being 330 meters above sea level. There are the odd small ‘mountain’ here and there. The country sits on sand and gravel and the soil is mostly very sandy, there are the odd patches of clay soil here and there.

Moving here:

I can’t give specific legal advice about your individual circumstances, especially if you’re from a 3rd country outside of the EU. However your first port of call for information should be the PLMP website which is the Latvian ministry of citizenship and immigration. You can of course contact the Latvian embassy in your own county or for more complicated cases it might be worth hiring a solicitor.

Learning the Latvian language:

I am quoted as saying ‘Latvia is the place of dreams, Latvian is the language of nightmares’!  Latvian isn’t an easy language to learn, it has a complicated grammar structure and this is difficult to grasp especially if your native tongue is English however it’s easy to pick up essential phrases. This doesn’t mean it’s impossible and it is important to learn the language if you’re looking for better integration, English can’t be relied upon, neither can Russian.

If you are with a Latvian partner/spouse then firstly I suggest each week you have a Latvian only day, this will be painful at first however it’s the best way to learn.

If you are looking for help to study the language then I recommend ‘Learn Latvian With Dace’ Dace Pure is a great teacher and I had the opportunity to interview her not long ago and that interview can be found here. Dace has an online Latvian course which you can work through at your own pace with interactive lessons and personalised feedback from Dace. She also does group and one to one lessons as and when time slots are available, you can also pick up free daily hints and tips on her Instagram account.

Property Renovations

Many properties here will be in need of renovation. If you are needing a builder then we recommend Keystones. Owner Ben is, like me, a British national and is experienced with all size projects and works across the EU but is based here in Latvia. More information can be found on their website keystones.io