Latvia (LV)
Latvia is a parliamentary republic and EU member state on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Estonia, Lithuania, Russia, and Belarus.
Daily Life
Practical day-to-day information for living in Latvia.
🛒 Supermarkets
Latvia's largest supermarket chain; now owned by Danish Salling Group (Bilka/Netto in Denmark) following acquisition from Swedish ICA Gruppen completed 2 June 2025. Wide product range, many Riga and regional locations in Hyper, Super and Mini formats. Rimi loyalty card available.
Baltic discount supermarket chain — the most common store in towns outside Riga. Good value for everyday groceries. Less premium selection but covers all essentials.
German discounter with growing presence in Riga and major towns. Excellent value, good German and European products, weekly special offers.
Local Latvian convenience chain — widespread in Riga neighbourhoods. Good for quick shopping. Part of the Latvian retail landscape.
Finnish-owned supermarket with a good range of Scandinavian and international products. Popular among expats for familiar brands.
Finnish department store with a premium food hall in Riga's Domina Shopping centre. Excellent for imported goods, wines, and international products.
Opening Hours
Most supermarkets: 08:00–22:00 daily. Larger hypermarkets: 07:00–23:00 or 24/7. Shopping centres: Monday–Sunday 10:00–21:00 or 22:00. Banks: Monday–Friday 09:00–17:00 (some 18:00), closed weekends. Post offices (Latvijas Pasts): Monday–Friday 08:00–18:00, Saturday 09:00–14:00, closed Sunday. Government offices (PMLP, VID): typically Monday–Friday 08:30–17:30 (some locations have queues — book appointments online). Pharmacies: typically 09:00–20:00 weekdays, shorter hours weekends; some 24-hour pharmacies in Riga.
Sunday Rules
Sunday trading is unrestricted in Latvia — most supermarkets, shopping centres, and restaurants are open. Government offices are closed on Sundays and public holidays. Some smaller shops in towns may close on Sunday afternoons.
Recycling
Latvia has a deposit return system (Depozīta sistēma) for bottles and cans, managed by Depozīts SIA. €0.10 deposit on most plastic and glass bottles and aluminium cans. Return at machines (depozīta automāts) in supermarkets. Separate recycling bins (atkritumu šķirošana) for paper, plastic, glass, and mixed waste are standard in apartment blocks and houses. Yellow bins: plastic and metal. Blue bins: paper and cardboard. Green bins: glass. Grey/mixed: general waste. Hazardous waste (batteries, electronics, medicines) — collect at designated points in supermarkets. Bulky waste: contact municipality for collection.
Dining Out
Riga has a diverse and excellent restaurant scene for its size — Baltic cuisine, international restaurants, and a growing number of high-quality establishments. Lunch (pusdienas) is the main meal of the day for many Latvians — most restaurants offer a business lunch (biznesa pusdienas) 12:00–15:00 for €5–10 which is excellent value. Dinner is typically 18:00–21:00. Latvian cuisine features rye bread, pork, potatoes, dairy, and seasonal produce. Vegetarian options are improving but Latvia is still very meat-centric. Central Market (Centrāltirgus) in Riga is a must-visit for fresh local produce, smoked fish, dairy, and street food.
Utilities & Internet
Electricity: Latvenergo is the main supplier (latvenergo.lv). Average monthly electricity cost for an apartment: €40–80. Gas: Latvijas Gāze (latvijasgazze.lv) — natural gas for heating and cooking. Average monthly gas cost for an apartment: €30–70 in winter. District heating (centrālā apkure) is common in Riga apartment blocks — supplied by Rīgas Siltums, billed separately from the landlord or house management company. Water: included in building management fees in most apartment blocks. Internet: fast fibre broadband widely available in Riga. Monthly costs: €15–25 for fast fibre (100–1000 Mbps). Mobile: LMT, Tele2, and Bite are the three main operators.
Cultural Tips for Expats
- → Name days (vārda dienas): every Latvian given name has a specific day on the calendar — celebrated like a second birthday. Colleagues and friends bring cake. Latvians rarely forget a colleague's name day. Check a Latvian name day calendar.
- → Jāņi (Midsummer): Latvia effectively shuts down for 23–24 June. Expect reduced services, closed businesses, and a mass exodus from cities. Plan accordingly.
- → The Song and Dance Festival (Dziesmu un Deju svētki) is held every 5 years — a massive national event requiring early accommodation planning if visiting Riga at that time.
- → Foraging culture: mushroom picking (sēņošana) in autumn is almost a national sport. Latvians are deeply connected to their forests.
- → Latvians are reserved initially but warm and generous once a relationship is established. Invitations to someone's home are meaningful and should be reciprocated.
- → Russian is widely spoken — approximately 25% of Latvia's population are native Russian speakers, concentrated in Riga and eastern Latvia (Latgale). While Latvian is the only official language, Russian is commonly used in many shops, restaurants, and services in Riga. Language tensions exist — recent language law changes have restricted Russian language use in education and public life.
- → Markets (tirgi): the Central Market (Centrāltirgus) in Riga is one of Europe's largest market complexes — housed in five former Zeppelin hangars. Go for fresh produce, dairy, smoked fish, meats, and local specialities.
Quiet Hours
Latvia's noise regulations are set by the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 16 (2014) and local municipal rules. Riga's noise regulations require that residential premises are kept quiet during designated night hours.
Residential buildings — no noise above 40 dB inside dwellings
Residential buildings — extended quiet hours on weekends
Enhanced quiet period on public holidays
- •Playing loud music at house parties past 22:00 on weekdays
- •Renovation work (drilling, hammering) outside allowed hours (typically 08:00–20:00 on weekdays)
- •Loud parties in apartment buildings — noise travels easily in Soviet-era concrete buildings
Police (110) can be called for noise complaints. Fines for noise violations range from €50 to €700 for individuals. Apartment building rules (mājas kārtības noteikumi) may add further restrictions.
Postal Services
Latvijas Pasts is the national postal service (pasts.lv). Reliable for domestic and EU mail. Post offices throughout Latvia.
DPD pickup points and Omniva parcel terminals are available at Rimi, Maxima, and other supermarkets. Very convenient for online shopping deliveries.
Required for collecting registered mail and parcels above a certain value. Bring your passport or ID card.
Registered letters and parcels tracked via pasts.lv tracking system.
Address change can be registered at a post office or online at pasts.lv for mail forwarding.
- →Most bills and official correspondence from VID and PMLP are now sent via e-address (e-adrese) or email. Register for e-address at latvija.lv.
- →Online shopping: DPD, DHL, and Omniva are the main parcel carriers. Delivery to pickup point is cheaper than home delivery.
- →For important documents, always use registered mail (ierakstīta vēstule).