Just Landed in Latvia? Your First 7 Days

Latvia has fast, cheap and near-universal 4G and 5G; coverage is excellent throughout Riga, along main roads and in most towns. Prepaid SIMs are sold with a passport at the airport LMT stand, telco shops and Narvesen kiosks, and public Wi-Fi is common in cafes, malls and on many buses. All three carriers support eSIM, so you can often be online before you leave the terminal.

Typical cost: Around EUR 10-20/month for a prepaid plan with tens of GB of data; larger or unlimited bundles run EUR 20-30, and pay-as-you-go top-ups are available at any Narvesen.

Latvia uses the euro and is one of Europe's more cashless societies; contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport, market stalls and small cafes. Keep a little cash for the Central Market, some village shops and the occasional tip, but you can go days without touching a banknote in Riga.

Opening an account: Swedbank, SEB and Citadele are the main foreigner-friendly banks and open accounts for residents holding a passport and residence permit or proof of a declared address; Luminor is another established option. Revolut and Wise are widely used and cover you while your local account is being set up, and Smart-ID or the bank's own app is essential for logins and payment confirmations.

Cash: Largely cashless in Riga, where cards are expected even for small purchases and many places no longer keep much change. The exceptions are the Central Market, some rural shops and older kiosks, where a handful of euros in cash still helps.

Tipping: Tipping is modest and not obligatory; rounding up or leaving 5-10 percent in restaurants for good service is normal and appreciated. There is no real tipping culture for taxis, bars or cafes, and service charges are only occasionally added to bills.

New residents are legally required to declare their place of residence (deklareta dzivesvieta) with the authorities once they hold a residence permit or right to reside. This address declaration is not just a formality: it is tied to your personal code and is needed to open a bank account, register with a family doctor, enrol children in school and access most state e-services. The process is free and can usually be completed online in minutes if you have an eID or bank authentication, or in person at the municipality otherwise.

Deadline: Within one month of settling at your address.

Where: Your local municipality (pasvaldiba); in Riga at the Riga City Council, or online via latvija.gov.lv using an eID, Smart-ID or bank authentication.

Riga has a dense, cheap and reliable network of trams, trolleybuses and buses run by Rigas Satiksme, and the compact centre is very walkable. You pay by tapping a contactless bank card on the validator or with a loaded e-talons card, and a monthly pass makes commuting cheap. Intercity travel uses comfortable coaches from the central bus station and a limited but improving rail network out of Riga Central Station, with frequent trains to Jurmala.

From the airport: Bus 22 links Riga International Airport (RIX) to the centre for about EUR 2 and runs frequently, taking roughly 30 minutes; a Bolt ride costs around EUR 12-20 depending on demand and takes about 20 minutes off-peak. A rail link between the airport and the city is under construction as part of the Rail Baltica project but is not yet in service.

Most newcomers rent flats in Riga through ss.com (the dominant local classifieds site), the City24 portal or letting agencies. Housing ranges from renovated Soviet-era blocks to grand Art Nouveau apartments in the centre and modern developments on the fringes. Winter heating costs are significant, so always ask how the building is heated (district heating, gas or electric) and what the utilities have run in previous winters before signing.

Typical rent: A one-bedroom flat in central Riga runs roughly EUR 500-800/month; outside the centre EUR 350-550, with heating adding sharply to the bill from October to April.

Deposit norm: One month's rent as a deposit is standard, often plus the first month in advance; a broker's fee of around one month's rent is common when you rent through an agency. Insist on a written contract and check whether the deposit is held securely and how it is returned.

Latvia runs a state healthcare system funded through taxes and social contributions, alongside a large private sector. Residents who pay social contributions get subsidised public care, but waiting times can be long, so many expats use private clinics for speed and English-speaking doctors. Pharmacies (aptiekas) are widespread and pharmacists can advise on minor ailments.

How to access it: Register with a family doctor (gimenes arsts) near your declared address once you have your personal code; they are your first point of contact and the gateway to specialist referrals and prescriptions. For urgent problems, hospital emergency departments and the 113 ambulance line (or 112) are available around the clock, and pharmacies handle everyday needs directly.

Insurance: Non-EU residence permit holders generally must hold private health insurance as a condition of their permit; EU citizens can use an EHIC or GHIC short term but should register in the state system once resident and paying contributions. Private clinics such as Veselibas centrs 4 and ARS are popular with expats for fast, English-friendly appointments and can be paid out of pocket or through insurance.

• Latvians are reserved with strangers and value quiet, so loud conversation or phone calls on public transport stands out and is best avoided.
• Remove your shoes when entering someone's home, and bring flowers if invited, always an odd number, as even numbers are reserved for funerals.
• Punctuality is expected for both appointments and social plans; arriving noticeably late is seen as inconsiderate.
• Learn a few Latvian words such as 'labdien' (hello) and 'paldies' (thank you); the effort is warmly received even when the conversation switches to English.
• Be thoughtful about language: defaulting to Russian can be sensitive for some Latvians, so open in Latvian or English and let the other person choose.
• Personal space and directness are valued; small talk is minimal, and a warmth that seems slow to appear tends to be genuine once it does.
• Respect nature and the outdoors, which are central to Latvian identity, especially around midsummer (Jani), forests and the coast.

• Winters are long, dark and genuinely cold, with barely a few hours of daylight in December, so plan for warm clothing and the effect on your mood.
• State office paperwork is largely in Latvian and staff may not switch to English, so bring translations or a Latvian-speaking helper for anything official.
• Many shops and services close or run short hours on Sundays and public holidays, and some rural areas wind down early on weekdays too.
• Icy pavements in winter are a real hazard; proper footwear with grip prevents a lot of falls.
• Cash-only pockets still exist at the Central Market and in the countryside, so do not rely entirely on cards when you leave Riga.