As of January 1, 2026, the minimum wage in the country is €780 before taxes. Under standard conditions, an employee receives about €660 in hand. According to the author of the publication, this amount barely covers housing, food, transportation, communication, hygiene products, and medical expenses. In the comments, many agreed that with such income, saving money is practically impossible. One participant in the discussion noted that a person earning €660 has to forgo restaurants and entertainment if they want to save anything at all. Users paid special attention to the cost of housing. According to one commenter, in Riga, rent along with utilities, electricity, and internet can cost about €500 per month. Others reminded that even finding an apartment for €300 is becoming difficult. Some participants in the discussion considered the proposed budget too optimistic. They pointed out that food expenses could turn out to be higher than estimated, and maintaining a car requires additional money for fuel and repairs. At the same time, as commenters emphasized, the minimum wage is a reality for many residents of the country, especially outside the capital. A woman earning about €1300 in hand shared her experience. She lives in her own house and does not pay rent; however, after paying for utilities, communication, car expenses, student loans, medications, groceries, and other mandatory expenses, she has about €80 left per month. The discussion highlighted how difficult it is to apply universal budgeting recommendations to low incomes: when almost the entire salary goes to everyday needs, there is practically nothing left for entertainment and savings.
