With a location that is remote for most travelers, Riga and all of Latvia aren’t obvious destinations unless you are on a serious tour of the region. Those who go to the trouble to reach Riga will be rewarded with a pleasant and handsome city center along with very low prices (by European standards) for most everything.
In addition to the cheap and hearty local food and the free-flowing and cheap local lager beer, even the museums and other major attractions cost very little.
| Population | 720,000 |
| Area | 1,100,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+2 |
| Currency | Euro |
| Airports | Riga International Airport (RIX) |
| Budget breakfast | If your hotel doesn't include breakfast you'll still have cheap options nearby. | $3.23 - $5.38 |
| Budget lunch | Pancakes, blinis, and potatoes are among the many cheap local options here. | $5.38 - $7.53 |
| Budget dinner | Even sit-down meals with a meat dish are very affordable in Riga if you go local. | $7.53 - $13.98 |
| Beer (.5l) | As always, the local lager is the cheapest option. | $2.15 - $4.30 |
| Month | High F | Low F | Precip (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28 | 18 | 1.3 |
| February | 29 | 18 | 1.1 |
| March | 37 | 24 | 1.1 |
| April | 51 | 34 | 1.6 |
| May | 61 | 43 | 1.7 |
| June | 68 | 50 | 2.5 |
| July | 71 | 54 | 3.4 |
| August | 70 | 53 | 2.9 |
| September | 61 | 46 | 3.0 |
| October | 51 | 39 | 2.4 |
| November | 39 | 31 | 2.2 |
| December | 33 | 24 | 1.8 |
Summers in Riga are nicely warm and somewhat humid, but the temperature rarely rises to the point that it becomes uncomfortable. There isn’t much rainfall at any time of year, though there is usually a snow cover for at least two months each winter so it’s not a good time to visit.
| 21 Mar | 6:22am | 6:40pm |
| 21 Jun | 4:30am | 10:21pm |
| 21 Sep | 7:07am | 7:25pm |
| 21 Dec | 9:00am | 3:34pm |
This former Soviet country costs only a fraction of what you’d spend in nearby Scandinavia, with hotels and hostels available at prices that are drawing in the nightlife crowd from the UK looking for a cheap weekend break. The Old Town area is where you’ll find most hostels and hotels, and fortunately there is so much competition among restaurants and bars that deals are common and prices are quite low. If you can get a cheap flight, this is one of the better places for a stag weekend and that sort of thing.
Riga hotels generally have high season rates from May through September, and the rest of the year is low season, except for the period around Christmas. Hostels in Riga are bargains all year round.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 12.90 - 32.26 |
| 36.56 - 53.76 |
| 45.16 - 75.27 |
| 43.01 - 129.03 |
| 102.15 - 204.30 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 4.30 - 23.66 |