The latest full-year figures show that the average gross salary in Latvia was €1,815 per month in 2025. After taxes, average net earnings were €1,346 per month, according to the Central Statistical Bureau’s final 2025 earnings release.
More recent provisional data shows that Latvia’s average gross monthly wage reached €1,831 in Q1 2026, while average net earnings reached €1,364. The official Q1 2026 release says employees retained 75.0% of gross earnings on average.
There is not yet an official full-year average salary for 2026. Therefore, this article uses Q1 2026 as the latest official estimate of current pay and clearly distinguishes it from the final 2025 annual figures.
Latvia’s nominal wages continued to rise faster than consumer prices in early 2026, although real net wage growth slowed compared with 2025.
Average Salary in Latvia — Key Numbers
| Metric | Amount | Reference period |
|---|---|---|
| Average gross salary | €1,831/month | Q1 2026, provisional |
| Average net salary | €1,364/month | Q1 2026, provisional |
| Median gross salary | €1,457/month | Q1 2026, provisional |
| Median net salary | €1,128/month | Q1 2026, provisional |
| Final annual average gross salary | €1,815/month | 2025 |
| Final annual average net salary | €1,346/month | 2025 |
| Minimum wage | €780/month | From 1 January 2026 |
| Average net-to-gross ratio | 75.0% | Q1 2026 |
The underlying average and median series can be checked in the CSB’s official quarterly earnings table.
Calculate your exact net salary in Latvia with our Net Salary Calculator.
Internal link: /income/net-salary-calculator/
Gross vs Net — Understanding Your Take-Home Pay
One of the biggest mistakes people make when comparing salaries is confusing gross and net income.
Gross salary is the amount agreed in your employment contract before taxes and employee social contributions are deducted. Net salary is what actually arrives in your bank account after mandatory deductions and applicable allowances.
Using the Q1 2026 national averages:
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross salary | €1,831 |
| Average difference between gross and net | −€467 |
| Net salary | €1,364 |
Source: CSB provisional Q1 2026 earnings data; difference calculated from the published gross and net averages.
This produces an average effective deduction rate of approximately 25.5%, calculated as the difference between the published average gross and net figures. It is a statistical comparison, not a payroll calculation for a specific employee.
For 2026, Latvia applies a 25.5% salary tax rate to monthly employment income. On an annual basis, the State Revenue Service lists progressive personal income tax rates of 25.5% below €105,300 and 33% from €105,300, plus an additional 3% on annual income over €200,000.
For an employee insured against all social risks, mandatory social insurance contributions total 34.09%: 10.50% is paid by the employee and 23.59% by the employer, according to the State Social Insurance Agency. The employer’s share is an additional labour cost and is not deducted from the employee’s contractual gross salary.
The exact amount you keep depends on your income, tax booklet, allowances, dependants and other circumstances. The standard non-taxable minimum in 2026 is €550 per month, while the allowance for a dependant is €250 per month.
For salary comparisons between countries, net salary is often more useful than gross salary because it is closer to the amount available for spending and saving.
Salaries by Industry in Latvia
Salary levels vary significantly across sectors. The latest provisional Q1 2026 data places finance and insurance at the top, while accommodation and food services remain the lowest-paid major activity. Detailed values are available in the CSB’s official earnings-by-activity dataset.
| Industry | Average Gross Salary |
|---|---|
| Finance & Insurance | €3,400/month |
| Telecommunications, Programming & Information Services | €3,240/month |
| Electricity, Gas, Steam & Air Conditioning Supply | €2,567/month |
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Activities | €2,356/month |
| Publishing, Broadcasting & Content Production | €2,107/month |
| Public Administration & Defence | €2,052/month |
| Mining & Quarrying | €1,984/month |
| Accommodation & Food Services | €1,175/month |
Reference period: Q1 2026; provisional CSB data in full-time units.
Finance and Insurance
Finance and insurance was Latvia’s highest-paying broad activity in Q1 2026, with average gross earnings of €3,400 per month. Riga’s concentration of banking, fintech and insurance employers contributes to demand for highly skilled workers.
IT and Communications
The most highly paid part of information and communication—telecommunications, computer programming, consulting, computing infrastructure and other information services—averaged €3,240 per month in Q1 2026. This narrower 2026 classification should not be compared directly with the broader 2025 information-and-communication figure without accounting for the change in coverage.
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities
Professional, scientific and technical activities reported average gross earnings of €2,356 per month in Q1 2026. This category includes legal, accounting, engineering, consulting and research activities.
Healthcare and Social Care
The latest Q1 release does not list health and social work among the highest-paying activities. The final 2025 annual average was €1,841 per month, slightly above the 2025 national average.
Accommodation and Food Services
At the opposite end of the scale, accommodation and food services reported average gross monthly earnings of €1,175 in Q1 2026, making it the lowest-paid broad activity in the latest release.
Salaries by Region
Latvia continues to display significant regional wage differences, with the Riga statistical region clearly outperforming the rest of the country.
The latest provisional figures show an average gross monthly salary of €2,011 in the Riga statistical region in Q1 2026, compared with €1,287 in Latgale. The figures and longer regional series are available in the CSB’s official regional wage table.
| Region | Average Gross Salary |
|---|---|
| Riga Statistical Region | €2,011/month |
| National Average | €1,831/month |
| Latgale Region | €1,287/month |
Reference period: Q1 2026; provisional CSB data in full-time units.
The salary gap between Riga and Latgale was €724 per month. The CSB reports that earnings in Latgale were 36.0% lower than in Riga.
Riga benefits from a concentration of financial services, technology companies, government institutions and international employers. As a result, higher-paying occupations are disproportionately located in and around the capital.
By contrast, eastern Latvia, particularly Latgale, has historically recorded lower average wages. Regional statistics are based on the registered office of the enterprise or institution, so they do not necessarily match each employee’s place of residence or work.
For a broader picture of everyday expenses, see our Cost of Living in Latvia guide.
Internal link: /lifestyle/cost-of-living-latvia/
Salary Trends — Is Latvia Keeping Up with Inflation?
Latvia experienced another year of strong wage growth in 2025.
Average gross monthly earnings increased from €1,686 in 2024 to €1,815 in 2025, representing growth of 7.7%. Net earnings rose by 10.2%, and real net earnings increased by 6.3%.
Growth slowed in early 2026. Average gross wages increased by 4.2% year on year in Q1, while average net earnings rose by 4.5%. After accounting for consumer prices, real net wage growth was 1.6%.
Inflation remained relevant after Q1. Latvia’s national CPI is the country’s principal inflation measure, and the CSB publishes its methodology and latest observations in the official consumer-price series. For an EU-comparable measure, Eurostat reported Latvia’s HICP inflation at 3.3% in June 2026, down from 3.5% in May.
The Q1 real-wage figure and the June inflation rate cover different periods and should not be combined into a new real-wage estimate. The latest official evidence nevertheless shows that nominal wages were still growing, while the increase in purchasing power was more modest than in 2025.
Compare salaries and purchasing power across all 27 EU countries on our interactive map.
Internal link: /income/eu-salary-comparison-map/
Average vs Median Salary in Latvia
Average salary figures are useful for tracking economic trends, but they do not always represent what a typical worker earns.
The median identifies the midpoint of the earnings distribution: half of employees earn more and half earn less.
In Q1 2026:
- Average gross salary: €1,831/month
- Median gross salary: €1,457/month
- Average net salary: €1,364/month
- Median net salary: €1,128/month
The difference between average and median earnings shows that higher-paid workers continue to pull the national average upward.
For many employees, the median is a more realistic benchmark when evaluating a job offer. The Q1 2026 gross median was approximately 20.4% below the average gross salary, based on the published CSB figures.
Because Q1 2026 data is provisional, these values may be revised. They are not official full-year 2026 averages.
Minimum Wage in Latvia
Latvia’s statutory minimum wage increased to €780 per month on 1 January 2026, up from €740 in 2025. The Ministry of Welfare confirms the 2026 amount and explains that one national minimum applies to all employers for normal working time.
| Year | Minimum Wage |
|---|---|
| 2020 | €430 |
| 2021 | €500 |
| 2022 | €500 |
| 2023 | €620 |
| 2024 | €700 |
| 2025 | €740 |
| 2026 | €780 |
Since 2020, Latvia’s minimum wage has increased by €350, or approximately 81.4%.
The legal basis is Section 61 of Latvia’s Labour Law, which provides that the minimum wage may not be lower than the minimum level set by the state.
Despite the increases, the minimum wage remains below both the latest average and median salary. Workers in hospitality, retail and other lower-paying service activities are most likely to be directly affected by changes in the statutory floor.
Is Latvia a Good Country for Earnings?
Latvia does not yet match the nominal salary levels seen in much of Northern or Western Europe. However, earnings vary considerably by occupation, sector and region.
Workers in finance, information technology, engineering and professional services can earn well above the national average. At the same time, the difference between Riga and Latgale shows why a national figure alone does not describe every employee’s situation.
The most relevant benchmark is usually the net amount after deductions, considered alongside local housing and other living costs. For 2026, the best current official benchmark is the provisional Q1 average of €1,831 gross and €1,364 net per month—not a full-year 2026 statistic.
For information about taxes and deductions, see our Latvia Tax Guide.
Internal link: /taxes/tax-guide-latvia/
For long-term wealth building, see Investing in Latvia.
Internal link: /investing/investing-in-latvia/
Disclaimer
The salary, tax and net income figures in this article are provided for general informational purposes only. Actual take-home pay may vary depending on personal circumstances, tax allowances, social security status, family situation, place of residence, bonuses, special payments and other individual factors. Some net salary figures and effective deduction rates may be estimates based on publicly available data and simplified calculations. They should not be considered tax, legal, financial or employment advice. Before making financial, employment or relocation decisions, consult an official authority, qualified tax adviser, payroll specialist or other relevant professional.
Average salary in Latvia
Matias Buće has a formal background in administrative law and more than ten years of experience studying global markets, forex trading, and personal finance. His legal training shapes his approach to investing — with a focus on regulation, structure, and risk management. At Finorum, he writes about a broad range of financial topics, from European ETFs to practical personal finance strategies for everyday investors.
Sources & References
EU regulations & taxation
- European Commission / Taxation & Customs — Eurostat reported Latvia’s HICP inflation at 3.3% in June 2026
- Vid.gov.lv — non-taxable minimum in 2026 is €550 per month
- State Revenue Service lists progressive personal income tax rates
Additional educational resources
- Data.stat.gov.lv — official earnings-by-activity dataset
- Likumi.lv — Labour Law
- Lm.gov.lv — Ministry of Welfare confirms the 2026 amount
- Stat.gov.lv — Central Statistical Bureau’s final 2025 earnings release
- official consumer-price series
- official Q1 2026 release
- official quarterly earnings table
- official regional wage table
- Vsaa.gov.lv — State Social Insurance Agency