Producer, former Member of the European Parliament Ansis Pupols published a post on Facebook, refuting the not-so-high opinion of Latvia held by compatriots living abroad.
“On many English Latvian websites, you can read that back home they don’t pay more than 800 euros a month. There’s no point in going home. Everything is bad in Latvia. Out of curiosity, I visited the SSlv portal in the 'Jobs' section.
The job offers for December 2025 are as follows:
Teacher: salary for one position 1666 euros, social guarantees, health insurance, public transport discounts in Riga.
Crusher operator. Salary: from 1336 to 1650 euros (gross).
Chips packaging operator in Ādaži: 1370 euros/gross - 1465 euros/gross + night work bonuses. The company provides free transportation for employees to and from work.
Sausage production operator: salary from 1336 to 1500 euros (gross) per month.
Concrete worker at SIA “Tilts”: from 10 to 14 euros/hour (gross) — depending on experience and knowledge, social guarantees. SIA “Alfor” bartender: 1200-1600 euros per month.
Auto electrician: after the probation period 2200 euros + meals and health insurance.
On December 1, 2025, the Central Statistical Bureau announced that the average salary in Latvia is 1835 euros 'on paper' and has increased by 132 euros per year.
In the third quarter of this year, the average monthly salary for full-time employment, which was above the national average, was in the fields of financial and insurance activities (3022 euros), information and communication services (2866 euros), professional, scientific and technical services (2334 euros), energy (2257 euros), mining and quarrying (2178 euros), public administration (2141 euros), water supply, sewage and waste disposal (1827 euros), as well as healthcare and social welfare (1879 euros).
I’m not saying that our salaries are grand. Of course, they are not. But Latvian companies are gradually forced to align salaries with the levels in England and Ireland to survive,” says A. Pupols.
In the comments, people express different opinions:
Igors: Ansi, I think you’re wrong this time... All the aforementioned job ads (I suspect) refer to Riga and its immediate surroundings. But unfortunately, Latvia does not end at the Riga border... And if so, it would be fair if you compared these ads with salaries in London, Dublin, and their suburbs, because it’s not so straightforward here either.
Dace: Out of curiosity, I looked at the job opportunities in Rēzekne, and it’s really hard to find a vacancy with a salary above 800 euros gross if you’re not some kind of super-specialist.
Harry: Everything you write is nullified. From gross, 51 percent goes to the state. Not to mention all the other taxes. VAT, excise taxes, road fees, etc. etc. In fact, the state in Latvia takes 80% of a working person’s earnings in the form of taxes and fees. It’s a DISASTER.
Kaspars: When taxes are deducted, it turns out that you have to live on second-hand clothes, cheap food, and not get sick because medicines and doctor visits have become very expensive 'extras'...
Jolanta: Knowing what salary my relatives earn abroad, I definitely do not recommend returning to Latvia.
Tom: Our compatriots in England say such 'wisdom' because they haven’t lived in Latvia for a long time and fled from there because they didn’t find anything more profitable for themselves, and it’s clear that they are not the most successful and savvy compatriots. Joining the EU in 2004 opened up opportunities for higher incomes on the British Isles for our low-skilled proletariat. However, there are also Latvians in England who are capable of moving mountains and have advanced far in life, not just packing chickens on a conveyor belt. Those who have brains and hands know how to earn and live, whether in Latvia, England, or elsewhere.
Martins: Basically, if you didn’t have to buy anything, then the monthly salary would be quite good!
Janis: A talented, enterprising, and positively-minded person will find something to do everywhere and can earn well. The truth is, these abilities vary among people.
And as for job ads... It’s one thing to see them on the portal, another thing, first of all, to actually find a good job and, secondly, to please the employer.
