In short
Riga is the cheaper capital: a single person with a central 1-bedroom spends about €1,390 a month, against about €1,510 in Vilnius. Latvia offers Americans a digital nomad visa, a retirement visa and a golden visa. Lithuania has no digital nomad, retirement or golden visa. Every figure below is checked against official sources.
The verdict
Which Country Fits You?
Where one side is clearly better for most Americans, it gets the point — the rest depends on your plans.
Choose Latvia 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.
Choose Lithuania 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.
Cost of Living
Riga Is About €120 a Month Cheaper
| Latvia | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed apartment, city centre | Latviaabout €520 (Riga)✓ | Lithuaniaabout €730 (Vilnius) |
| 1-bed apartment, outside centre | Latviaabout €345 (Riga)✓ | Lithuaniaabout €555 (Vilnius) |
| Everyday costs, single person (no rent) | Latviaabout €870 (Riga) | Lithuaniaabout €780 (Vilnius)✓ |
| Total a month — single, central 1-bed | Latviaabout €1,390 (Riga)✓ | Lithuaniaabout €1,510 (Vilnius) |
Living costs: Numbeo estimates for the capital (2026), as shown with sources on each city guide and in the key facts below.
Visas & Residence
Visas & Work Permits Compared
| Latvia | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| Main work permit | LatviaEU Blue Card from €2,723 a month — decided within 10 working days | LithuaniaResidence permit needed for any local job (no work on a visa since 2024) |
| EU Blue Card salary | Latvia€2,723 a month (€2,178 for shortage jobs)✓ | LithuaniaAbout €3,940 a month (1.5× the average wage); decision in 1 month |
| Digital nomad visa | Latvia€4,538 gross a month (2026); a visa, not a residence permit✓ | LithuaniaNone |
| Retirement / passive-income visa | LatviaPensioner permit — pension at least €1,231 a month (2026); private health insurance✓ | LithuaniaNone |
| Golden (investor) visa | Latvia€50,000 share capital in a Latvian company + €10,000 state fee; other routes closed in 2026✓ | LithuaniaNone |
| Founders & startups | LatviaStartup founder permit, kept and widened by the 2026 law | LithuaniaStartup Visa Lithuania — committee-scored plan, no investment threshold |
Settling In
Permanent Residence, Citizenship & Healthcare
| Latvia | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent residence | LatviaAfter 5 years, with A2 Latvian and a culture course | LithuaniaAfter 5 years, with an A2-level Lithuanian exam |
| Public healthcare | LatviaState-funded care only for people working in Latvia and permanent residents | LithuaniaState insurance only if employed or self-employed in Lithuania |
Tax & Business
Taxes & Company Rules
| Latvia | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | Latvia25.5% up to €105,300 a year, 33% above | Lithuania20% up to €83,237, then 25% and 32% (2026) |
| Special tax regime | LatviaNone | LithuaniaNone |
| Usual company | LatviaSIA — €2,800 capital, or from €1 for a small-capital SIA | LithuaniaUAB — €1,000 capital |
| Corporate tax | Latvia20% on distributed profit only — 0% on retained profit✓ | Lithuania17% (7% for small companies, 0% in their first 2 years) |
| US tax treaty | LatviaUS–Latvia treaty in force | LithuaniaSigned 1998; no Social Security agreement |
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.
Daily Life
Daily Life in Riga and Vilnius
| Latvia | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| Population (capital) | LatviaAbout 589,000 (2026) | LithuaniaAbout 610,000 |
| Public transport (capital) | LatviaMonthly pass €30 | Lithuania30-day ticket €38; train to the airport about 8 minutes |
| Currency | LatviaEuro | LithuaniaEuro |
FAQ
Latvia or Lithuania? Your questions
Is Riga or Vilnius 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 €520 in Riga and €730 in Vilnius.
Does Latvia or Lithuania have a digital nomad visa?
Latvia: €4,538 gross a month (2026); a visa, not a residence permit. Lithuania has no digital nomad visa.
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.
Latvia vs Lithuania: key factsLast verified 27 September 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: 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: EU Blue Card salary | €2,723/month gross (€2,178 in shortage jobs) Source: PMLP: Necessary means of subsistence (from 1 Apr 2026) |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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: 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: Pensioner permit: minimum pension | €1,231/month personal, regular pension (from 1 Apr 2026) Source: PMLP: Necessary means of subsistence (from 1 Apr 2026) |
| 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: Share capital investment | €50,000 (company with ≤50 staff and ≤€10m turnover or balance) Source: PMLP: Share capital investor |
| 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: Personal income tax | 25.5% up to €105,300/year, 33% above Source: State Revenue Service: personal income tax rates |
| 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: US–Latvia tax treaty | In force Source: IRS: Latvia tax treaty documents |
| 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: Riga population | 589,000 (start of 2026) Source: Official Statistics Portal: population at the start of 2026 |
| Lithuania: Population | Lithuania about 2.89 million; Vilnius about 610,000 Source: Statistics Lithuania: Lithuania in Figures · CityPopulation: Vilnius (Statistics Lithuania data) |
| Latvia: Public transport pass (Riga) | €30 per month Source: Rīgas satiksme: monthly ticket |
| 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 |
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