In short
Riga is the cheaper city: a single person with a central 1-bedroom spends about €1,390 a month, against about €1,510 in Vilnius. Lithuania has no digital nomad, retirement or golden visa. Latvia offers Americans a digital nomad visa, a retirement visa and a golden visa. Every figure below is checked against official sources.
The verdict
Which City Fits You?
Where one side is clearly better for most Americans, it gets the point — the rest depends on your plans.
Choose Vilnius if…
- You are a founder: Startup Visa Lithuania — committee-scored plan, no investment threshold.
- You want a simple company set-up: UAB — €1,000 capital.
- You want cheap public transport: 30-day ticket €38; train to the airport about 8 minutes.
Choose Riga if…
- You want lower costs — about €120 a month less for a single person with a central 1-bedroom in Riga.
- You have a job offer — the EU Blue Card salary bar is lower: €2,723 a month (€2,178 for shortage jobs).
- You work remotely: Digital nomad visa — €4,538 gross a month (2026); a visa, not a residence permit. Lithuania has none.
- You live on a pension or savings: Pensioner permit — pension at least €1,231 a month (2026); private health insurance. Lithuania has none.
- You want residence through investment: Golden visa — €50,000 share capital in a Latvian company + €10,000 state fee; other routes closed in 2026. Lithuania has none.
Cost of Living
Riga Is About €120 a Month Cheaper
| Vilnius | Riga | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed apartment, city centre | Vilniusabout €730 | Rigaabout €520✓ |
| 1-bed apartment, outside centre | Vilniusabout €555 | Rigaabout €345✓ |
| Everyday costs, single person (no rent) | Vilniusabout €780✓ | Rigaabout €870 |
| Total a month — single, central 1-bed | Vilniusabout €1,510 | Rigaabout €1,390✓ |
Living costs: Numbeo estimates for the capital (2026), as shown with sources on each city guide and in the key facts below.
Daily Life
Daily Life in Vilnius and Riga
| Vilnius | Riga | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | VilniusAbout 610,000 | RigaAbout 589,000 (2026) |
| Public transport | Vilnius30-day ticket €38; train to the airport about 8 minutes | RigaMonthly pass €30 |
| Currency | VilniusEuro | RigaEuro |
Visas & Residence
Visas & Work Permits Compared
| Vilnius | Riga | |
|---|---|---|
| Main work permit | VilniusResidence permit needed for any local job (no work on a visa since 2024) | RigaEU Blue Card from €2,723 a month — decided within 10 working days |
| EU Blue Card salary | VilniusAbout €3,940 a month (1.5× the average wage); decision in 1 month | Riga€2,723 a month (€2,178 for shortage jobs)✓ |
| Digital nomad visa | VilniusNone | Riga€4,538 gross a month (2026); a visa, not a residence permit✓ |
| Retirement / passive-income visa | VilniusNone | RigaPensioner permit — pension at least €1,231 a month (2026); private health insurance✓ |
| Golden (investor) visa | VilniusNone | Riga€50,000 share capital in a Latvian company + €10,000 state fee; other routes closed in 2026✓ |
| Founders & startups | VilniusStartup Visa Lithuania — committee-scored plan, no investment threshold | RigaStartup founder permit, kept and widened by the 2026 law |
Settling In
Permanent Residence, Citizenship & Healthcare
| Vilnius | Riga | |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent residence | VilniusAfter 5 years, with an A2-level Lithuanian exam | RigaAfter 5 years, with A2 Latvian and a culture course |
| Public healthcare | VilniusState insurance only if employed or self-employed in Lithuania | RigaState-funded care only for people working in Latvia and permanent residents |
Tax & Business
Taxes & Company Rules
| Vilnius | Riga | |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | Vilnius20% up to €83,237, then 25% and 32% (2026) | Riga25.5% up to €105,300 a year, 33% above |
| Special tax regime | VilniusNone | RigaNone |
| Usual company | VilniusUAB — €1,000 capital | RigaSIA — €2,800 capital, or from €1 for a small-capital SIA |
| Corporate tax | Vilnius17% (7% for small companies, 0% in their first 2 years) | Riga20% on distributed profit only — 0% on retained profit✓ |
| US tax treaty | VilniusSigned 1998; no Social Security agreement | RigaUS–Latvia treaty in force |
US citizens & Green Card holdersThe US still taxes you
Wherever you live, the US taxes its citizens on worldwide income. You keep filing a US return, and an FBAR once your foreign accounts total more than $10,000 at any time in the year.
FAQ
Vilnius or Riga? Your questions
Is Vilnius or Riga cheaper?
Riga is cheaper: a single person with a central 1-bedroom spends about €1,390 a month there, against about €1,510 in Vilnius (Numbeo, 2026). Rent for a central 1-bedroom is about €730 in Vilnius and €520 in Riga.
Does Lithuania or Latvia have a digital nomad visa?
Lithuania has no digital nomad visa. Latvia: €4,538 gross a month (2026); a visa, not a residence permit.
Do I still pay US taxes if I move?
Yes. The US taxes its citizens on worldwide income wherever they live. You keep filing a US return, and an FBAR once your foreign accounts total more than $10,000. Foreign tax credits and the treaties usually prevent paying twice on the same income.
Vilnius vs Riga: key factsLast verified 27 September 2026
| Lithuania: 1-bed apartment, Vilnius | about €730/month in the centre, €555 outside (Numbeo, Sep 2026) estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Vilnius (Sep 2026) |
|---|---|
| Lithuania: Living costs, single person (Vilnius) | about €780/month without rent estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Vilnius (Sep 2026) |
| Latvia: 1-bed apartment | about €345/month (range €280–450) estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Riga (Sep 2026) |
| Latvia: 1-bed apartment | about €520/month (range €400–600) estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Riga (Sep 2026) |
| Latvia: Living costs, single person | about €870/month without rent estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Riga (Sep 2026) |
| Lithuania: Population | Lithuania about 2.89 million; Vilnius about 610,000 Source: Statistics Lithuania: Lithuania in Figures · CityPopulation: Vilnius (Statistics Lithuania data) |
| Latvia: Riga population | 589,000 (start of 2026) Source: Official Statistics Portal: population at the start of 2026 |
| Lithuania: Vilnius transport | 30-day ticket €38, 30-minute ticket €1 (since July 2025); train to the airport about 8 minutes Source: LRT: Vilnius public transport fares from July 2025 · Go Vilnius: arriving by plane |
| Latvia: Public transport pass (Riga) | €30 per month Source: Rīgas satiksme: monthly ticket |
| Lithuania: Working in Lithuania | Since July 2024 you can work for a Lithuanian employer only with a residence permit — not on a visa or visa-free stay Source: KPMG: Lithuania immigration changes from July 2024 |
| Latvia: EU Blue Card salary | €2,723/month gross (€2,178 in shortage jobs) Source: PMLP: Necessary means of subsistence (from 1 Apr 2026) |
| Lithuania: EU Blue Card | 1.5 times the average gross wage (about €3,940 a month in 2026; 1.2 times for shortage jobs); degree or 5 years' experience; 3 years; decision in 1 month Source: EU Immigration Portal: EU Blue Card in Lithuania |
| Lithuania: Digital nomads | No digital nomad visa or remote-work permit. A national (D) visa is discretionary, lasts up to 1 year and is not a remote-work route Source: Remote Work Europe: what non-EU remote workers should know about Lithuania · Lithuanian Foreign Ministry: national (D) visas |
| Latvia: Digital nomad visa: income in 2026 | €4,538 gross per month (2.5 × 2025 average wage of €1,815) Source: PMLP: Long-stay visa for remote work · Central Statistical Bureau: 2025 average gross wage €1,815 |
| Lithuania: Investor or retiree visa | None — Lithuania has no golden visa and no residence permit for retirees or passive income Source: Law on the Legal Status of Aliens (consolidated text) · Deloitte Lithuania: residence permits for business and work |
| Latvia: Pensioner permit: minimum pension | €1,231/month personal, regular pension (from 1 Apr 2026) Source: PMLP: Necessary means of subsistence (from 1 Apr 2026) |
| Latvia: Share capital investment | €50,000 (company with ≤50 staff and ≤€10m turnover or balance) Source: PMLP: Share capital investor |
| Lithuania: Startup Visa Lithuania | An expert committee scores your innovative, scalable plan — no incubator or investment threshold; living funds of €13,836 for 12 months (2026); 2-year permit, extendable to 5 Source: Startup Visa Lithuania (Innovation Agency): official site · Startup Visa Lithuania: FAQ · Startup Visa Lithuania: guidebook (Aug 2025) |
| Latvia: Startup founder permit | Kept and widened by the new law (only high terrorism-risk countries excluded) Source: PMLP: New Immigration Law, main changes and requirements (LV) |
| Lithuania: Permanent residence | After 5 years with a temporary permit; Lithuanian exam (category I, about A2) and a Constitution exam Source: Law on the Legal Status of Aliens (consolidated text) · Triniti Jurex: permanent residence in Lithuania |
| Latvia: Permanent residence | After 5 years on a temporary permit, with Latvian at A2 level and a culture and history course Source: PMLP: New Immigration Law takes effect, key changes · LV portāls: New Immigration Law in force (official publisher) |
| Lithuania: Healthcare | Permit holders join the state health insurance (PSD) only if legally employed or self-employed in Lithuania; others need private insurance (at least €30,000 cover for a visa) Source: Go Vilnius: eligibility for compulsory health insurance (PSD) · Lithuanian Foreign Ministry: national (D) visas |
| Latvia: Healthcare | Private health insurance needed; state-funded care covers only people working in Latvia and permanent residents Source: Health Care Financing Law, likumi.lv |
| Lithuania: Income tax | 20% up to €83,237 a year, 25% up to €138,729, 32% above (2026); dividends 15% Source: PwC Tax Summaries: Lithuania — personal income tax · KPMG Lithuania: Tax Card 2026 |
| Latvia: Personal income tax | 25.5% up to €105,300/year, 33% above Source: State Revenue Service: personal income tax rates |
| Lithuania: Usual company type | UAB (private limited company): €1,000 minimum capital since May 2023; MB small partnership with no minimum capital Source: Ecovis: Lithuanian Law on Companies — €1,000 minimum capital · Law on Small Partnerships (e-TAR) |
| Latvia: Minimum share capital | €2,800 (or from €1 for a small-capital SIA) Source: Register of Enterprises: share capital · Register of Enterprises: small-capital SIA |
| Lithuania: Corporate tax | 17% from 2026 (16% in 2025, 15% before); small companies 7% (revenue up to €300,000), and 0% for the first 2 tax periods of a new small company Source: KPMG Lithuania: Tax Card 2026 · KPMG: Lithuania corporate income tax changes from 1 January 2026 |
| Latvia: Corporate income tax | 20% on distributed profit (= 25% of the net dividend) Source: Corporate Income Tax Law, likumi.lv · State Revenue Service: corporate income tax |
| Lithuania: US tax treaty | Signed 1998, in effect since 2000; US citizens still file US returns Source: IRS: technical explanation of the US–Lithuania tax convention |
| Latvia: US–Latvia tax treaty | In force Source: IRS: Latvia tax treaty documents |
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