How much does it cost to ship a package to Latvia?

As a 2026 guide: a courier parcel up to 30 kg from within the EU is roughly €15–60; from the USA €60–150; from China €25–90 depending on speed. Above ~100 kg it is nearly always cheaper to move the shipment as freight — a pallet from Western Europe runs about €90–180 by road groupage, and air or sea freight beats courier pricing from every long-haul origin. Freight prices exclude Latvian import VAT (21%) and any customs duty on non-EU shipments.

How much is sea freight per kg?

Sea freight is not sold per kg but per container or per cubic metre. Converted for comparison: LCL groupage to Riga at €90–160 per CBM works out to roughly €0.09–0.16 per kg for average-density cargo (1 CBM ≈ 1,000 kg limit), and a full 40'HC container from China at €3,000–4,800 carrying 20+ tonnes comes to €0.15–0.25 per kg. That is 20–40× cheaper than air freight — the trade-off is a 32–45 day transit.

How much does air freight from China to Latvia cost?

Indicatively €4.20–8.50 per chargeable kg airport-to-airport in 2026, depending on service speed and season (Q4 peaks higher), with a minimum charge of roughly €140–200 per shipment. Chargeable weight uses the IATA ratio 1 CBM = 167 kg, so light bulky cargo pays for volume. Add Riga customs clearance (€120–250), duty per HS code and 21% import VAT for the landed cost.

How much does it cost to ship a container to Latvia?

From China, a 20' container is indicatively €2,200–3,500 and a 40'/40'HC is €3,000–4,800 port-to-port to Riga in 2026. From the US East Coast expect roughly €2,000–3,200 for a 40'. On top come terminal handling, customs clearance (€120–250 per declaration), delivery from Riga port (€150–350 within Latvia) and 21% import VAT on the customs value.

Is it cheaper to use a freight forwarder than booking directly?

For most SME volumes, yes. Forwarders buy space at consolidated or contract rates that individual shippers cannot access, combine your cargo into groupage to share container and truck costs, and avoid expensive errors in customs paperwork (a misclassified HS code or missed EORI can cost more than the freight). Carriers themselves quote competitively only at sustained big volumes. The forwarder's margin is usually smaller than the savings on buying rate, consolidation and avoided delays.

What taxes do I pay when importing goods to Latvia?

Non-EU imports pay (1) customs duty per the EU Common Customs Tariff for the HS code (0–12% for most industrial goods) and (2) 21% Latvian import VAT calculated on goods value + freight + insurance + duty. VAT-registered companies can defer or reclaim the VAT. Intra-EU shipments carry no customs duty or import formalities.

How Much Does It Cost to Ship to Latvia? 2026 Price Guide

Indicative air and sea freight prices to Latvia from China, the USA and Europe — parcels, pallets, LCL, FCL containers, and what makes up the total landed cost.

By Unicore Overseas SIA teamLast updated: 27 July 2026

Short answer: a courier parcel to Latvia costs €15–150 depending on origin, a pallet from Europe €90–180, LCL sea freight from China €90–160 per CBM, a full 40' container from China €3,000–4,800, and air freight €1.80–9.50 per kg depending on the lane. For any non-EU shipment, add customs clearance (€120–250), duty per HS code and 21% Latvian import VAT.

All prices in this guide are indicative 2026 market ranges for orientation — rates move with season, fuel surcharges and space availability. For a firm price for your cargo, request a quote — we reply within one working day.

Parcels & pallets to Latvia

Service	Indicative price	Unit	Note
Courier parcel from the EU (up to 30 kg)	€15–60	per parcel	2–5 working days
Courier parcel from the USA (up to 30 kg)	€60–150	per parcel	3–7 working days + customs
Courier parcel from China (up to 30 kg)	€25–90	per parcel	7–20 days depending on speed
Pallet from Western Europe (groupage)	€90–180	per EUR pallet	3–6 days by road

Above roughly 100 kg or one pallet, courier tariffs quickly lose their appeal — from that threshold it is cheaper to move the shipment as freight with a forwarder.

Sea freight to Riga (containers)

Service	Indicative price	Unit	Note
LCL groupage China → Riga	€90–160	per CBM	38–45 days; 1 CBM minimum
FCL 20' China → Riga	€2,200–3,500	per container	32–40 days port-to-port
FCL 40'/40'HC China → Riga	€3,000–4,800	per container	≈ €0.15–0.25 per kg when full
FCL 40' US East Coast → Riga	€2,000–3,200	per container	18–28 days
Customs clearance in Riga	€120–250	per declaration	EORI number required
Delivery from Riga port	€150–350	per container	Within Latvia

Full lane guides with transit times, documents and customs notes: Sea freight from China to Latvia and LCL consolidation China to Riga.

Air freight to Riga (RIX)

Service	Indicative price	Unit	Note
Air freight China → Riga (RIX)	€4.20–8.50	per chargeable kg	3–7 days; €140–200 minimum
Air freight USA → Riga (RIX)	€5.50–9.50	per chargeable kg	2–5 days; €150–220 minimum
Air freight Europe → Riga	€1.80–4.50	per chargeable kg	1–3 days
Express air (uEXPRESS)	+30–50%	over standard	Priority uplift & handling

Chargeable weight follows the IATA ratio 1 CBM = 167 kg — light, bulky cargo pays for volume. Detailed explanation and calculator: Air freight costs. Lane guides: China → Latvia and Riga ⇄ USA.

What makes up the total landed cost

Freight (sea, air or road base rate)
Origin and destination terminal charges (THC, documentation)
Customs clearance in Riga: €120–250 per declaration; an EORI number is required
Customs duty per the EU Common Tariff for the HS code (0–12% for most industrial goods)
21% Latvian import VAT on the customs value (goods + freight + insurance + duty)
Cargo insurance: typically 0.3–0.6% of cargo value
Final-mile delivery within Latvia

For a step-by-step duty and VAT calculation, use our guide How to calculate customs duties and VAT.

Is a forwarder cheaper than booking directly?

For most small and mid-size volumes — yes. A forwarder buys space at consolidated contract rates unavailable to individual shippers, combines several clients' cargo into groupage (sharing container or truck costs), and takes on the customs paperwork — a single misclassified HS code or missed EORI can cost more than the entire freight. Carriers only quote competitive direct rates at sustained large volumes (typically several containers per month).

Unicore Overseas is an IATA CASS and DGR certified forwarder in Riga with 20+ years of experience and an agent network in 110+ countries — air and ocean import, export and cross-trade shipments.

Need an exact price for your shipment?

Request a free quote — tell us origin, weight, dimensions and commodity; we reply within one working day.

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