How Much?!" — A Riga Resident Shocked by the Price of Kārums in Lithuania 0 12

"There is a justification for this – an economic justification. Because, firstly, it’s the value of the brand. For us, for example, there are 'Kārums' curds, 'Lāči' rye bread, and something else; for us, this is valuable. Because in our understanding, for the residents of Latvia, this is a brand with added value. But for Lithuanians and Estonians, it’s just rye bread and curd cheese. And there, they won’t buy it, as we do, with high added emotional value," she explained.

And now the scales have tipped in the opposite direction. A resident of Riga, during a trip to Vilnius, discovered that Kārums curd cheeses in Lithuania cost almost twice as much as in Latvia. In one of the Vilnius stores, the price was 0.70 euros, while in Riga it was 0.39 euros, reports LSM.lv.

According to the woman, she is used to starting her morning with tea and curd cheese, so she decided not to change her habit during the trip – and was surprised by such a difference. A video posted on social media sparked lively discussion.

"We are always told that food is more expensive in Latvia, but here’s an example to the contrary," users note. Commentators cite various reasons. Some remind that the minimum wage in Lithuania will be 1153 euros from 2026, while in Latvia it will be 780 euros, and this reflects on prices. Others point to market logic: export goods are often more expensive in foreign markets.

There are also practical versions: stores often display products at high prices, only to sell them 'on sale' later. Some users noted that without discounts, curd cheeses in Latvia cost up to 0.52 euros, meaning the difference is not that significant.