Should you visit Riga or Brussels?
Should I visit Riga or Brussels? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
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.
Brussels
Brussels is the capital of Belgium and also the sight of the headquarters of the European Union. Generally speaking, it's an expensive city that sees a good amount of travelers. It is also a highly political city that has an air of importance and power. It's an incredibly international city, with people from all over the world flocking to it due to its political, economical, and cultural significance.
Which city is cheaper, Brussels or Riga?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Riga is €82, while the average daily cost in Brussels is €109. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Riga and Brussels in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around €42. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Riga the cost is €84 on average.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about €116 for a double occupancy room in Brussels.
Food
Riga food costs typically run travelers around €26 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
The price of a meal in Brussels can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is €31 per person, and a typical meal will cost around €12 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
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Food
Meals for one day
Riga €26
Brussels €31
Typical Food prices in Riga
Some typical examples of dining costs in Riga are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Riga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Riga.
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Private Guided Virtual Food Tour of Riga:
$12
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Riga Medieval Dinner:
$102
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Riga Medieval Dinner:
$102
Typical Food prices in Brussels
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Brussels:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Brussels
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Brussels.
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Classic Belgian cooking class and lunch:
$79
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Your Private Tailored Belgian Food Tour with a Local:
$93
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Cooking Lesson and Gourmet Belgian-Inspired Meal with a Local in Brussels:
$115
-
Private Brussels Food Tour (walking lunch or dinner):
$373
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Riga is €12 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
The cost of a taxi ride in Brussels is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent €13 per person, per day, on local transportation in Brussels.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:
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Airport transfer & private driver services:
$25
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Departure Private Transfer Riga City to Riga Airport RIX by Minibus:
$93
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Departure Private Transfer Riga City to Riga Airport RIX by Minivan:
$46
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Departure Private Transfer Riga City to Riga Airport RIX by Sedan Car:
$26
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English Speaking Private Arrival Transfer from Riga Airport:
$25
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English Speaking Private Departure Transfer to Riga Airport:
$37
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English Speaking Private Minibus Arrival Transfer from Riga Airport:
$49
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Mercedes-Benz Viano Van Transfer from Riga to Vilnius/Talinn/Any Baltic Country:
$425
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PanCars CITY RACE + airport/hotel transfer:
$81
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Private Airport Transfer: from Riga to Riga International Airport (RIX):
$18
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Private Arrival Transfer from Riga Airport (RIX) to Riga City Center:
$19
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Private Departure Transfer from Riga City Center to Riga Airport (RIX):
$19
Typical Local Transportation prices in Brussels
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Brussels are as follows:
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Subway Pass
€4.50
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Atomium train ticket (2)
€8.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Brussels
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Brussels:
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Private Airport Transfer: from Brussels to Brussels Airport (BRU):
$25
-
Private Departure Transfer from Brussels City Center to Brussels Airport (BRU):
$32
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Private Departure Transfer: Brussels Hotel to Brussels Railway Station:
$46
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Private Business Transfer from Brussels Hotel to Brussels Airport (BRU):
$49
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Private Airport Transfer: Brussels to Charleroi Airport (CRL):
$55
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Private Airport Transfer: Brussels to Brussels Airport (BRU):
$56
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Departure Private Transfer from Brussels to Brussels Airport in Business Car:
$57
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Brussels City all area to Brussels Airport BRU - Private Airport transfer 1-7pax:
$60
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Brussels City all area to Brussels Airport BRU - Private Airport transfer 1-3pax:
$60
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Brussels Shuttle Transfer Charleroi Airport (1 to 8 PLACES):
$62
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Private Airport Transfer: Charleroi Airport (CRL) to Brussels:
$63
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Taxi transfert Brussels city Brussels Airport:
$65
Is it cheaper to fly into Riga or Brussels?
Prices for flights to both Brussels and Riga 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.
Entertainment
Riga's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €17 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Entertainment and activities in Brussels typically cost an average of €18 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Riga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Riga are as follows:
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An audio tour of Old from St Peter's Church to the Monument of Freedom:
$5.00
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Riga's Architecture: An art nouveau history audio tour:
$5.00
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Entrance Ticket - House of the Black Heads:
$8.28
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Riga Art Nouveau walking tour:
$8.71
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Classic Car Museum Tour:
$9.95
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Riga Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$12
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Gastronomic tour with professional chef:
$19
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The Best Of Riga Walking Tour:
$22
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Daily Riga Bike Tour:
$22
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The Best Of Riga Walking Tour:
$23
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Best of Riga Walking Tour - Regular Walking tours:
$25
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Best of Riga Walking Tour - Highlights and Hidden Gems:
$31
Tours and Activities in Brussels
Here are a few actual costs in Brussels for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Brussels Autoworld Museum Entrance Ticket:
$15
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Brussels Atomium Admission Ticket:
$19
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Pick Up from your Hotel in Brussels to Departure point Brussels City Tours:
$22
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Self-Guided Interactive Place Saint Catherine Tour:
$26
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The Best Of Brussels Walking Tour:
$54
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Artistic Bruges on a Private Tour with a local:
$75
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2-Hours Private Sightseeing Trip in Brussels:
$83
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Private And Personalized Experience: See Brussels With A Local:
$84
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Politics Experience With A Local Host:
$84
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Private 2-Hour Sightseeing Tour in Brussels:
$84
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Touristic highlights of Bruges on a Half Day (4 Hours) Private Tour with a local:
$93
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Experience the best of Bruges on a Private Tour with Boat Ride with a local:
$93
Alcohol
The average person spends about €16 on alcoholic beverages in Riga per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Brussels may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €10 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Riga
Also in Riga, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Pub Crawl in Riga:
$37
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Pub Crawl- Your best night out in Riga with our local guide!:
$47
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Riga Public Pub Crawl:
$60
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Riga Happy Hour Pub Crawl:
$64
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Riga Brewery Tour:
$83
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Riga Brewery Tour:
$83
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Riga Beer Killer Bar Crawl:
$83
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Riga Wine Tasting Session:
$115
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Gauja National Park Tour: Castles and Wine Tasting:
$149
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Culinary, Historic and Wine Tour to Sigulda and Cesis:
$224
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Exclusive Latvian Wine Tasting In Riga:
$380
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Exclusive Latvian Wine Tasting in Riga:
$765
Typical Alcohol prices in Brussels
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Brussels are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine
€10
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Beer
€6.00
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Riga and Brussels, we can see that Brussels is more expensive. And not only is Riga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Riga would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Riga and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Brussels would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Brussels than you might in Riga.
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