Monthly household consumption expenditure at 619 euro per household member last year

In 2025, mean monthly household consumption expenditure ¹ per household member amounted to 619 euro. Food accounted for around one fourth of expenditure (24 %), while 16 % of the household budget was spent on housing and utility bills. Transport was the third largest expenditure group, making up 12 %. Over six years, total household expenditure increased by 196 euro, or 46 %, but most of this increase reflects higher consumer prices, as expenditure in constant prices grew by only 7 %.

‘The extensive survey conducted by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) in 2025 provides an insight into household consumption expenditure. It shows how consumption patterns are changing, how expenditure differs between urban and rural areas, and how expenditure is distributed across different goods and services. We are grateful to every household that took part in the survey. The information provided supports informed policy decisions and helps assess developments in society,’ says Raimonds Lapiņš, Director General of the CSB. 

Refer to the OSP database: MBI031 and MBI020

In 2025, the highest mean monthly household consumption expenditure was recorded in the capital, at 781 euro per household member, compared with 657 euro in urban areas and 524 euro in rural areas.

At regional level, Riga region ² recorded the highest expenditure, at 750 euro per household member, followed by Kurzeme (546 euro), Vidzeme (519 euro) and Zemgale (511 euro). The lowest expenditure was recorded in Latgale, at 446 euro per household member.

Food and housing made up the largest shares of consumption expenditure

Nearly one fourth (24.4 %) of household consumption expenditure went on food and non-alcoholic beverages in 2025, corresponding to 151 euro per household member monthly. Compared with 2019 ³, the share has increased by 1.1 percentage points and expenditure by 53 euro. 

Housing and utilities (water, electricity, gas and other fuels) made up 16.2 % of consumption expenditure, reaching100 euro per household member monthly, up by 1.6 percentage points and 39 euro compared with 2019. 

Transport was the third largest expenditure group, making up 11.9 % of household consumption expenditure, or 74 euro per household member monthly. It includes expenditure on private transport, such as the cost of fuel, maintenance, roadworthiness tests, as well as on passenger transport services, including public transport, taxis, and air travel. Compared with 2019, the share went down by 2.7 percentage points and expenditure went up by 12 euro. 

Recreation, sport and culture constituted 8.2 % of the consumption expenditure, equivalent to 51 euro per household member, up by 0.1 percentage points and 16 euro compared with 2019.

Refer to OSP database: MBI031 and MBI020

Food and housing make up larger shares of expenditure in rural than urban areas

The data show differences in the structure of household consumption expenditure between urban and rural areas. Rural households allocated larger shares of their expenditure to food and non-alcoholic beverages (27 % or 141 euro per household member monthly), housing (14 % or 73 euro) and transport (15 %, or 79 euro). 

In urban areas, however, larger shares went on recreation, sport and culture (8.6 % or 57 euro) and restaurants and accommodation services (7.2 % or 47 euro).

Households in Latgale region spent almost one third (30 %) of their total consumption expenditure on food and non-alcoholic beverages, equivalent to 133 euro per household member monthly. 

In Riga region, food and non-alcoholic beverages made up just over one fifth of expenditure (21.4 % or 161 euro), while relatively larger shares went on recreation, sport and culture (9.5 % or 71 euro) as well as restaurants and accommodation services (8.3 % or 62 euro). 

In Latgale, restaurants and accommodation services made up only 3.4 % of total consumption expenditure, or 15 euro per household member monthly. The corresponding shares were 3.9 % in Kurzeme (21 euro) and 4.1 % in Vidzeme (21 euro).

More detailed data on household consumption expenditure are available in the official statistics portal section Household expenditure and consumption.

Methodological information

Data were collected in the 2025 Household Budget Survey (HBS), conducted by the CSB among 2 063 households and carried out in Latvia every five years.

The HBS is conducted in all European Union countries in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 and the related delegated and implementing regulations. The common requirements ensure international comparability of data and provide information for national and European social policy, as well as for monitoring changes in household consumption patterns.

The HBS provides information on the amount and structure of household consumption expenditure at national and regional level, in urban and rural areas, as well as across different types of households. The data are also used to calculate consumer price index (inflation), estimate gross domestic product and analyse household food consumption. Structure of consumption expenditure is one of the key indicators characterising population welfare.

HBS data therefore provide an important basis for analysing household consumption patterns, quality of life and economic inequality, both nationally and internationally. The data are also used in developing social policy and social assistance programmes, to support low-income families and design measures to reduce poverty.

More detailed information on the Household Budget Survey methodology is available on the Eurostat website.

¹ Excluding expenditure on mortgage and consumer loans, as well as savings and expenditure on capital formation.

² Please note that the regional comparison refers to Riga region, while the preceding figures for the capital refer to Riga city. The two cover different territories and differ in mean household size, which is also reflected in consumption expenditure. 

³ Changes should be interpreted taking into account methodological improvements and the transition to ECOICOP ver. 2.

⁴ Due to methodological improvements and the transition to ECOICOP ver. 2, the HBS 2025 data are not fully comparable with the results of the HBS 2019 and earlier surveys.

Main structural changes in ECOICOP ver. 2 compared with the previous version:

The highest classification level, i.e. the division level, remained largely unchanged to minimise breaks in time series. Divisions 08 and 09 were substantially reorganised into 08 Information and communication and 09 Recreation, sport and culture.

The content of Division 08 was revised to reflect new equipment used for communication and access to information. Given the rapid technological change in this area, the classification is designed to be as technology-neutral as possible and to remain applicable as technologies evolve.

Former Division 12 was split into two divisions:

- 12 Insurance and financial services;

- 13 Personal care, social protection, miscellaneous goods and services.

Division 07 Transport, which previously covered passenger transport, now also includes transport services of goods.

Media requests:
Public Relations Section
Email: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666

More information on the data:
Kristīne Gruzinska
Social Statistics Department
Email: Kristine.Gruzinska@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366995