A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Ankara vs. Riga for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Ankara or Riga?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Ankara and Riga. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Ankara or Riga?

Ankara

Located at the heart of Turkey near Central Anatolia, Ankara is the capital city and second largest city in the country after Istanbul. Formerly known for its long-haired goats and textiles, the city has since developed into a metropolitan mix of modern cultures with historic landmarks.

Riga

Riga is the vibrant capital city of Latvia. It continues to gain popularity as a tourist destination in part because it is the base for the airline Air Baltic. This affordable airline offers discount flights around Europe and most of these flights pass through Riga with a forced overnight layover. This encourages travelers to visit this fascinating city for at least a night or two.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Turkey, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey.


Which place is cheaper, Riga or Ankara?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Ankara is $118, while the average daily cost in Riga is $113. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Ankara and Riga in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ankara $57
    Riga $57
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ankara $114
    Riga $114
Compare Hotels in Ankara and Riga

Looking for a hotel in Ankara or Riga? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Ankara


Hotels in Riga


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Ankara Hotel Prices and Riga Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ankara $37
    Riga $16
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ankara

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Ankara:


  • Metro Ride
    $0.04
  • Short Taxi Ride
    $0.16

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ankara

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ankara:

  • Private transfer: Ankara Airport (ESB) to Ankara: $40
  • Private transfer: Ankara to Ankara Airport (ESB): $40
  • Ankara Private Departure Transfer from City hotels to Airport: $60
  • Ankara Esenboğa Airport From/To City Center Private Transfer: $65
  • Ankara Esenboga Airport to Ankara City Hotels Private Arrival Transfer: $66
  • Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers to Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels: $72
  • Private Transfers Between Ankara Esenboga Airport - Ankara City Centre: $75
  • Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels to Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers: $77
  • Ankara Private Transfer from central Ankara hotels to Ankara Airport (ESB): $110
  • Private Transfer from Ankara Esenboga Airport (ESB) to Central Ankara: $110
  • Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Kizilcahamam Town: $185
  • Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Gordion Ancient City: $185

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:

  • From Cesis and Sigulda Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $152
  • From Private Transfer to Tallinn: $347
  • From Private Transfer to Tallinn with Sightseeing: $466
  • From Private Transfer to Vilnius with Sightseeing: $433
  • From Transfer to Tallinn with Turaida Museum Reserve: $233
  • From Vilnius: One-Way Private Transfer to Riga: $185
  • Paintball Adventure: Expert Guide & Transfers Included!: $81
  • Private Transfer from Hotel to Riga Airport with English speaking driver: $54
  • Private Transfer from Riga Airport (RIX) to Riga Cruise Port: $27
  • Private Transfer from Riga Airport to Riga City: $72
  • Private Transfer from Riga City Center to Riga Airport RIX: $32
  • Private Transfer from Riga City to Riga Airport RIX by Car or Van: $70

Is it cheaper to fly into Ankara or Riga?

Prices for flights to both Riga and Ankara change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Ankara $33
    Riga $36
Typical Food Prices in Ankara

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Ankara:


  • A Quick Lunch
    $0.36

Typical Food Prices in Riga

Some typical examples of dining costs in Riga are as follows:


  • Fast Food Lunch
    $6.28

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Riga

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Riga.

  • Central Market Latvian Food Tour: $42
  • Medieval Guided Tour & Three-Course Dinner Experience: $98

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ankara $34
    Riga $23
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ankara

Here are a few typical costs in Ankara for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Underground City
    $0.25

Tours and Activities in Ankara

Here are a few actual costs in Ankara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Family-Friendly Smartphone Walking Tour: $6.00
  • Quick Tour, Essentials of Ankara: $6.00
  • Inns and Baths City Sightseeing Mobile Audio Guide: $6.00
  • Ankara : Highlights Walking Tour: $31
  • Private Walking tour With A Guide (Private Tour): $33
  • Ankara : Private Walking Tour With A Guide ( Private Tour ) : $33
  • Private Tour with a Local: $38
  • Istanbul: Half-Day Tour with Topkapi Palace: $145
  • Istanbul: Golden Horn & Bosphorus Day Cruise: $165
  • İstanbul: Full-Day Tour with Grand Bazaar: $180
  • Half Day Private Tour in Ankara: $215
  • Ankara Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $221

Tours and Activities in Riga

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Riga are as follows:

  • First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.26
  • City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.52
  • Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $7.06
  • Riga Old Town Legends Audio Tour on Your Phone (ENG): $7.39
  • Entrance Ticket - House of the Black Heads: $7.60
  • Complete Self-guided Audio Tour on your Phone: $8.58
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
  • Riga Nightlife Ticket: $11
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
  • Riga:Cruises: $16
  • Old Town Guided Walking Tour: $16
  • Canal Boat Sightseeing Tour: $16

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ankara $15
    Riga $21

Sample the Local Flavors in Riga

Also in Riga, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Old town pub & bar crawl, hidden gems, and local party: $25
  • Pub Crawl in Riga: $33
  • Riga Pub Crawl Nightlife Experience: $35
  • Riga's Old Town Beer Bike Tour & Guided Pub Crawl: $38
  • Riga Happy Hour Pub Crawl: $54
  • Riga Brewery Tour: $54
  • Riga Beer Killer Bar Crawl: $55
  • Riga Brewery Tour: $71
  • Riga Wine Tasting Session: $104
  • Riga Pub Crawl & Party Bus Tour: $531
  • Yacht Tour with Medieval Banquet and Wine Tasting: $3,371


When comparing the travel costs between Ankara and Riga, we can see that Ankara is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ankara Expensive? and Is Riga Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Ankara or Riga?

Ankara has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Riga. When comparing the sizes of Ankara and Riga, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.