Prices, buying costs, taxes, ownership rules (including limits for Russian and Belarusian citizens), residence and rental in the three Baltic states, as of October 2026.
Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania are small euro-area markets with electronic land registers and a large Russian-speaking population, yet the rules for buyers differ more than the map suggests. The biggest differences are not prices but who may buy and what a purchase gives you. This comparison draws on our country guides for Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, dated October 2026. Rules in this area change quickly, so confirm every point with a local notary or lawyer. Everything below assumes a lawful, fully documented purchase.
Prices
Latvia: we did not verify current per-m² prices for Riga or Jurmala to an official source, so we give none. Estonia: dwelling prices rose 5.8% year on year in the second quarter of 2026, see our report; one aggregator quoted roughly 2,500 to 4,500 euro per m² in Tallinn and 1,800 to 3,200 in Tartu in May 2026, as a rough indication. Lithuania: apartment prices were up 13.7% in a year as of August 2026, see our report; we give no per-m² figure. National headlines do not predict a particular street, so compare asking prices with real transaction prices.
Buying costs
Latvia: secondary sources report a state duty of 2% of the higher of the price and the cadastral value, notary fees of roughly 0.5% to 1.5% and agent fees of 3% to 5%, usually paid by the seller; total buyer costs are reported at about 3.5% to 4% plus any buyer-paid agent fee.
Estonia: no real estate transfer tax according to the sources we opened; an aggregator reports a notary fee of about 0.4% of the price, a state registration fee of 20 to 200 euro and agent fees of 2% to 4%, often paid by the seller.
Lithuania: no transfer tax on a standard purchase that we found; a notary scale with a cap, a small register fee, an agent often 3% to 5% (usually the seller) and a lawyer about 0.5% to 1%. Total transaction costs are reported at roughly 3% to 6%.
In all three, ask the notary for a written estimate. See total cost of ownership abroad.
Annual and sale taxes
Latvia: annual property tax on residential property is reported at 0.2% to 0.6% of the cadastral value, set by the municipality. Sources disagree on the rate for rent and for gains, so we state none; ask the State Revenue Service.
Estonia: a land tax (maamaks) of 0.1% to 2.5% of the land value, set by the municipality, and no separate tax on buildings according to secondary sources. The personal income tax rate has been changing, so check the current rate and the exemption for a sold home with the tax board.
Lithuania: single-source figures say the real estate tax applies only above a threshold of about 150,000 euro of value, at 0.5% to 3%, and that capital gains are taxed at 15% with exemptions, including after ten years of ownership. Confirm with the municipality and the tax office.
If you live in Poland or another EU country, your country of residence may tax the same rent or gain; see double taxation treaties for foreign property and tax on foreign rental income for Polish residents.
Who may buy: the decisive difference
Citizens of the EU and EEA buy apartments and houses in all three countries on the same terms as locals. The differences concern land and certain nationalities.
Latvia: citizens of other countries can, according to the sources we opened, buy apartments and houses but face restrictions on agricultural and forest land. On 19 June 2025 the Saeima adopted a law banning the acquisition of real estate by Russia and Belarus and their citizens, see the Saeima announcement. It also covers legal entities registered there and companies in which their citizens hold at least 25% of the capital or are beneficial owners. It applies to gifts, exchanges and other transfers, not only sales, the seller must check the buyer, and a transaction in breach is void. Media reports list exceptions (inheritance by relatives, a court decision, a permanent residence permit issued before the law, later EU long-term resident status). We could not confirm the exact list or the date of entry into force from the official text, so a Russian or Belarusian citizen should get a Latvian lawyer's written confirmation before any step.
Estonia: no citizenship restrictions on apartments and houses at present according to the sources we opened; land restrictions apply, for example to agricultural and forest land above 10 hectares, small islands and eastern border municipalities. The government approved a bill that would stop Russian and Belarusian citizens without a long-term residence permit or permanent residence, and companies whose beneficial owners they are, from acquiring real estate from 1 January 2027, not retroactively, with leasing remaining possible; see the ERR report. We could not confirm that the Riigikogu has passed it, so treat it as pending.
Lithuania: apartments and houses carry no special limits for EU buyers. Foreigners may acquire land only if they meet the EU, EEA, NATO or OECD integration criteria, and agricultural, forest and protected land is excluded or restricted. Lithuania currently prohibits Russian citizens and entities they control from acquiring immovable property, with exceptions reported for holders of a Lithuanian temporary or permanent residence permit and for inheritance. A residence card from another EU country is not reported as an exception. We could not confirm how it applies to Belarusian citizens; ask a lawyer.
The practical conclusion: the restriction depends on citizenship and beneficial ownership, not on where you live. Never use a nominee, an intermediary or a shell company to get around a ban: it is unlawful and the deal is void. See buying with Russian citizenship: country restrictions.
Residence
Latvia: the property route to a residence permit is closed to new first-time applicants since the new Immigration Law took effect on 15 September 2026; earlier applications and existing permits are handled under transitional provisions. See our report and the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs. Estonia: we found no residence route based on property, and e-Residency is a digital identity, not a right to live there. Lithuania: no passive route; a business permit exists but needs an active company; see Lithuania: residence and property. Do not buy in any of the three expecting residence in return.
Rental and yield
Letting in Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius is common, with the usual tax registration; short-term letting in Jurmala may need local permits, and in Estonian apartment buildings the association and the municipality can set limits. We do not state yields for any of the three because we could not confirm reliable figures; model gross rent against building costs, local tax, management and vacancy. Vilnius has the deepest rental market of the three capitals in our Lithuanian guide, supported by students and IT and service staff. See rental yield by country.
Mortgage
One aggregator reports a non-resident loan-to-value of about 60% to 70% in Latvia and about 70% in Estonia; we have no Lithuanian figure. See mortgages for non-residents.
Language and lifestyle
Russian is widely used in Riga and Tallinn (and in north-eastern Estonia), and Russian-speaking agents, lawyers and notaries are easy to find; in Vilnius Russian is widely understood, but contracts and registers work in Lithuanian. In all three, confirm with the notary which language the deed is in and whether a sworn translation is needed. Banks and notaries will ask for the source of funds; see bank checks for Russian citizens living in the EU.
Who should choose which
- If you hold a Russian or Belarusian passport, first establish in writing, with a local lawyer, whether you may buy at all: Latvia has a ban in force, Lithuania a restriction, Estonia a pending bill.
- If you want the lowest announced one-off transfer costs, Estonia and Lithuania report no transfer tax, while Latvia charges a 2% state duty.
- If a residence permit is part of your plan, none of the three offers it through property today.
- If you are an EU citizen buying an apartment, all three are open; compare building condition, local tax and the exact street rather than the country.
FAQ
Can Russian citizens buy property in Latvia? A law adopted on 19 June 2025 bans it, with reported exceptions a Latvian lawyer must confirm. In Estonia? A bill planned for 1 January 2027 is not confirmed as passed. In Lithuania? Currently restricted, with reported exceptions for residence-permit holders and inheritance. Do I get residence for buying? Not in any of the three today. Which has the lowest buying costs? Reported totals are about 3% to 6%, so the differences are small; ask for written estimates. Is there a transfer tax? Latvia 2% state duty; Estonia and Lithuania none that we found. Can I buy through a company? Companies connected to the restricted nationalities are covered by the Latvian ban and the Estonian bill; ask a lawyer.
How we help
We are a trilingual platform (English, Russian, Polish) that finds properties and coordinates independent local lawyers and tax advisers. We do not advise on avoiding checks or restrictions; if a ban applies to you, you must follow it. See all countries and the calculators. This text is informational and is not legal, tax or investment advice; rules are changing, so verify the current position with local lawyers and tax advisers.