Should you visit Riga or Stockholm?
Should I visit Riga or Stockholm? 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.
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital city of Sweden and is made up of over 14 islands that are connected by countless bridges. Water is an integral part of the city, but so are parks and gardens. The city is covered in strategically positioned green space. Together, the water and parkland cover more than half of the city's area, giving this bustling city a breath of fresh air.
Which city is cheaper, Stockholm 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 Stockholm is €145. 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 Stockholm 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.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Stockholm is €162. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
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.
Stockholm food costs typically run travelers around €31 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Riga €26
Stockholm €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 Stockholm
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Stockholm:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Stockholm
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Stockholm.
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Private Yacht Cruise with Lunch or Dinner in Stockholm Archipelago:
$1,494
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 average price of local transportation around Stockholm is €17 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.
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Stockholm
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Stockholm:
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Arlanda Airport Shared Arrival Transfer:
$17
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Arlanda Airport Shared Departure Transfer:
$17
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Deluxe Private Transfer from Stockholm Hotels to Stockholm Airport:
$45
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Private Airport Transfer: from Stockholm to Stockholm - Bromma Airport (BMA):
$46
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Private Airport Transfer: from Stockholm - Bromma Airport (BMA) to Stockholm:
$46
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Stockholm City to Stockholm Bromma Airport (BMA) - Departure Private Transfer:
$50
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Private Departure Transfer from Stockholm City to Arlanda Airport:
$58
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Stockholm hotel or address to Stockholm Port - Private Car Transfer:
$60
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Private Airport Transfer: from Stockholm to Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN):
$64
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Stockholm Port Transfer:
$70
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Stockholm City to Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) - Departure Private Transfer:
$78
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Stockholm Private Transfer from Stockholm city centre to Bromma Airport:
$83
Is it cheaper to fly into Riga or Stockholm?
Prices for flights to both Stockholm 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.
Stockholm's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €21 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.
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 Stockholm
Here are a few actual costs in Stockholm for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Stockholm Self Guided Audio Tour:
$15
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Fotografiska Admission Ticket, 90 minutes:
$22
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Skip the Line: The Viking Museum - Entrance Ticket:
$23
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Walking Tour of Stockholm Old Town:
$25
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Walking tour New City:
$25
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Skip the Line: Junibacken Admission Ticket:
$25
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Stockholm Old Town Walking Tour:
$28
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Private “Gamla Stan” Tour (Old Town):
$31
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Skip the Line: Fotografiska Entrance Ticket:
$31
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Land and Water Tour by Amphibious Bus:
$33
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Self-Guided Kayak Adventure In Central Stockholm (One-man kayak):
$36
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Welcome to Private Tour with a Local:
$41
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 Stockholm may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €22 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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Riga and Stockholm, we can see that Stockholm 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 Stockholm would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Stockholm than you might in Riga.
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