Which place is cheaper, Vang Vieng or Riga?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Riga or Vang Vieng?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Riga or Vang Vieng? 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.
Where Should I go: Riga or Vang Vieng?
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.
Vang Vieng
Vang Vieng is a town in the Vientiane province of Laos that sits along the banks of the Nam Song River. With its beautifully carved karst topography cliffs towering over the winding river, the area has become very tourist-oriented for those seeking to explore the outdoor wonders. People from all over come to engage in the unique landscape-mountain biking, trekking, kayaking, caving, swimming, and rock climbing, amongst others.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Laos, and The Best Budget Tours to Laos.
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Riga Prices
Latvia PricesVang Vieng Prices
Laos Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRiga €122Vang Vieng €16
The average daily cost (per person) in Riga is €122, while the average daily cost in Vang Vieng is €16. 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 Riga and Vang Vieng in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRiga €52Vang Vieng €3.60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRiga €104Vang Vieng €7.20
Compare Hotels in Riga and Vang Vieng
Looking for a hotel in Riga or Vang Vieng? 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.
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: Riga Hotel Prices and Vang Vieng Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Riga €9.63Vang Vieng €2.63
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:
- From Private Transfer to Tallinn: $563
- From Private Transfer to Tallinn with Sightseeing: $503
- From Private Transfer to Vilnius with Sightseeing: $468
- Private Transfer: Ryga to Klaipeda via Hill of Crosses & Rundale Palace: $260
- 4x4 Off-Road Adventure with Hotel Transfers: $258
- Riga Limo Airport Transfer: $180
- Riga Limo Airport Transfer: $173
- From Cesis and Sigulda Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $164
- Riga Gun Experience: Roundtrip Transfer and 4 Firearms: $163
- One way Riga to Vilnius Sightseeing Transfer: $145
- Private transfer Riga - Hill of Crosses - Riga: $133
- Departure Private Transfer Riga City to Riga Airport RIX by Minibus: $122
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vang Vieng
Also for Vang Vieng, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Vang Vieng Private Transfer: Hotel - Railway Station - Vientiane: $11
Is it cheaper to fly into Riga or Vang Vieng?
Prices for flights to both Vang Vieng 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
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Food Meals for one dayRiga €57Vang Vieng €9.05
Typical Food Prices in Riga
Some typical examples of dining costs in Riga are as follows:
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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.
- Central Market Traditional Food Tour in a Small Group: $41
- Central Market Latvian Food Tour: $53
- Khinkali and Pelmeni Cooking Master Class: $70
- Riga Medieval Dinner: $125
- Riga Medieval Dinner: $126
- Latvian Art Museum, Dinner, and Black Balsam Tasting: $210
- Traditional Latvian Dinner with Private Folk Show: $252
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Riga €14Vang Vieng €4.04
Tours and Activities in Riga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Riga are as follows:
- 2 Hours Walking Tour in Legends and Secret of Riga's Old Town: $103
- 2.5-Hour Riga Cruiser Bike Tour: $88
- 3-Hour Private Paintball Game Experience in Zīles: $92
- 5,5 Hour Small Group Tour to Hill of Crosses from Riga: $87
- ATV Quad guided off road tour: $197
- Aeroplane Flight Experience: $80
- Aeroplane Flight Experience: $79
- Ancient Private Walking Tour in Riga Old Town Hunt: $99
- Art Nouveau Riga Walking Tour Architectural Gems and Highlights: $96
- Audio Tour of Riga Old Town: $12
- Bachelorette Party Adventure's Organization: $46
- Best of Riga Private Walking Tour: $477
Tours and Activities in Vang Vieng
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Vang Vieng.
- Nam Song River Kayak Tour: $18
- Tham Nangfar and Tham Nam Day Tour with Kayaking: $24
- Get Your Laos–China Train Ticket Fast – No Waiting, No Worries: $30
- Blue Lagoon and Countryside Bike Tour with Lunch: $38
- One Day Guided Tour: Kayaking, Zipline & Tubing In The Cave from Vang Vieng: $50
- Vang Vieng Zipline & Kayaking Cave Adventure: $50
- Kayaking&Zipline&Cave Tubing&cave tour: $51
- Vang Vieng Day Tour: Zipline, Water Cave, Kayak & Blue Lagoon 3: $52
- Vang Vieng Tour B - Nam Xay Viewpoint Hike & Blue Lagoon 1 Tour: $55
- Vang Vieng Jungle Day Tour: $58
- Laos: Jungle Zipline and Caving Tour: $58
- Vangvieng Climbing & Ballon Adventure: $60
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRiga €20Vang Vieng €0.94
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: $21
- Pub Crawl with Local Guide: $29
- Riga Pub Crawl Nightlife Experience: $37
- Riga Pub Crawl: $41
- Latvian Brewery Visit & 5 Beer tasting: $47
- Riga Evening Adventure: Pub Crawl & Games Night: $50
- Game Night & Pub Crawl: $52
- Prosecco Bike & Pub Crawl: $65
- Riga Brewery Tour: $74
- Riga's Old Town Beer Bike Tour & Guided Pub Crawl: $94
- Riga Sip and Paint Experience with Latvian Wine Tasting: $99
- Shooting Range and Old Town Pub Crawl: $106
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Riga and Vang Vieng, we can see that Riga is more expensive. And not only is Vang Vieng much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Riga is in Europe and Vang Vieng is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Vang Vieng would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vang Vieng 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 Vang Vieng.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Riga Expensive? and Is Vang Vieng Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Riga or Vang Vieng?
Riga has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Vang Vieng. When comparing the sizes of Riga and Vang Vieng, 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.
When is the best time to visit Riga or Vang Vieng?
Riga has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Vang Vieng experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Riga or Vang Vieng in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Riga as well as Vang Vieng. The summer months attract visitors to Riga because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences. The warm climate attracts visitors to Vang Vieng throughout the year.
In the summer, Riga is cooler than Vang Vieng. Typically, the summer temperatures in Riga in July average around 17°C (63°F), and Vang Vieng averages at about 22°C (72°F).
Riga usually gets more rain in July than Vang Vieng. Riga gets 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Vang Vieng receives 47 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyRiga 17°C (63°F)Vang Vieng 22°C (72°F)
Should I visit Riga or Vang Vieng in the Autumn?
Both Vang Vieng and Riga are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Riga this time of year. Plenty of visitors come to Vang Vieng because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In October, Riga is generally much colder than Vang Vieng. Daily temperatures in Riga average around 7°C (45°F), and Vang Vieng fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
In October, Riga usually receives around the same amount of rain as Vang Vieng. Riga gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Vang Vieng receives 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberRiga 7°C (45°F)Vang Vieng 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Riga or Vang Vieng in the Winter?
Both Vang Vieng and Riga during the winter are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Riga for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Vang Vieng year-round.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Riga. Riga is much colder than Vang Vieng in the winter. The daily temperature in Riga averages around -5°C (23°F) in January, and Vang Vieng fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).
Riga usually gets less rain in January than Vang Vieng. Riga gets 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Vang Vieng receives 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryRiga -5°C (23°F)Vang Vieng 24°C (75°F)
Should I visit Riga or Vang Vieng in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Riga and Vang Vieng. Many visitors come to Riga in the spring for the activities around the city and the natural beauty. Vang Vieng attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the spring, Riga is much colder than Vang Vieng. Typically, the spring temperatures in Riga in April average around 5°C (42°F), and Vang Vieng averages at about 23°C (73°F).
Vang Vieng receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, Riga usually receives less rain than Vang Vieng. Riga gets 39 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Vang Vieng receives 188 mm (7.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilRiga 5°C (42°F)Vang Vieng 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for Vang Vieng and Riga
| Riga | Vang Vieng | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -5°C (23°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) |
| Feb | -4°C (24°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Mar | -0°C (31°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Apr | 5°C (42°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 188 mm (7.4 in) |
| May | 12°C (53°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) |
| Jun | 15°C (60°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 23 mm (0.9 in) |
| Jul | 17°C (63°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) |
| Aug | 16°C (62°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (54°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Oct | 7°C (45°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Nov | 2°C (36°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 113 mm (4.4 in) |
| Dec | -2°C (28°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.