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

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Should you visit Riga or Lofoten Islands?

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

Should I visit Riga or Lofoten Islands? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and 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.

Lofoten Islands

Lofoten Islands is an archipelago and traditional district in Norway. Lofoten is known for excellent fishing, spectacular nature attractions such as the northern lights and the midnight sun, and small villages off the beaten track. The Lofoten Islands are draped across the turbulent waters of the Norwegian Sea, far above the Arctic Circle. Kayak between the islands, go fishing for the catch of your life, or look for sea eagles soaring in the sky. If you are seeking unforgettable nature experiences, Lofoten will definitely not let you down.

Which city is cheaper, Lofoten Islands 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 Lofoten Islands is €45. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Riga and Lofoten Islands in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Riga €42
    Lofoten Islands €6.10
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Riga €84
    Lofoten Islands €12

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Riga €12
    Lofoten Islands €9.01

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:

  • Private Departure Transfer from Riga City to Riga RIX Airport: $15
  • Private Airport Transfer: from Riga to Riga International Airport (RIX): $18
  • Private Arrival Transfer from Riga Airport (RIX) to Riga City Center: $19
  • Private Departure Transfer from Riga City Center to Riga Airport (RIX): $19
  • Private Transfer: Riga to Riga International Airport (RIX): $21
  • English Speaking Private Arrival Transfer from Riga Airport: $25
  • Airport transfer & private driver services: $25
  • Departure Private Transfer Riga City to Riga Airport RIX by Sedan Car: $26
  • Private Minibus Departure Transfer to Riga Airport: $27
  • Private Taxi transfer from Jurmala to Riga: $27
  • English Speaking Private Departure Transfer to Riga Airport: $37
  • Transfer service Riga airport: $37

Is it cheaper to fly into Riga or Lofoten Islands?

Prices for flights to both Lofoten Islands 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Riga €26
    Lofoten Islands €29
Typical Food prices in Riga

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


  • Fast Food Lunch
    €5.77

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Riga

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

  • Private Guided Virtual Food Tour of Riga: $12
  • Central Market Latvian Food Tour: $34
  • Riga Medieval Dinner: $102
  • Riga Medieval Dinner: $102

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Riga €17
    Lofoten Islands €21

Tours and Activities in Riga

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

  • An audio tour of Old from St Peter's Church to the Monument of Freedom: $5.00
  • Riga's Architecture: An art nouveau history audio tour: $5.00
  • Riga Art Nouveau walking tour: $8.71
  • Classic Car Museum Tour: $9.95
  • Riga Self-Guided Audio Tour: $12
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
  • Riga Sightseeing Tour by Canal Boat: $16
  • Gastronomic tour with professional chef: $19
  • The Best Of Riga Walking Tour: $22
  • Daily Riga Bike Tour: $22
  • The Best Of Riga Walking Tour: $23
  • Best of Riga Walking Tour - Regular Walking tours: $25

Tours and Activities in Lofoten Islands

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

  • Svolvaer: Lofoten Islands 5-Hour Tour with Photographer: $107
  • Lofoten: 2-to-3-Hour Snowshoe Tour: $129
  • From Svolvær: Midnight Sun Photography Tour: $140
  • From Svolvær: Southern Lofoten Islands Photography Tour: $152

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Riga €16
    Lofoten Islands €0.62

Sample the Local Flavors in Riga

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

  • Pub Crawl in Riga: $37
  • Pub Crawl- Your best night out in Riga with our local guide!: $47
  • Riga Public Pub Crawl: $60
  • Riga Happy Hour Pub Crawl: $64
  • Riga Brewery Tour: $83
  • Riga Brewery Tour: $83
  • Riga Beer Killer Bar Crawl: $83
  • Riga Wine Tasting Session: $115
  • Gauja National Park Tour: Castles and Wine Tasting: $149
  • Culinary, Historic and Wine Tour to Sigulda and Cesis: $224
  • Exclusive Latvian Wine Tasting In Riga: $380
  • 1.5-Hour Latvian Wine Tasting Experience: $476

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Riga and Lofoten Islands, we can see that Riga is more expensive. And not only is Lofoten Islands much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Lofoten Islands would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lofoten Islands 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 Riga would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Riga than you might in Lofoten Islands.

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.
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Riga vs. Lofoten Islands Travel Comparison

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