Living in Lithuania in 2025
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Lithuania is often described as the “Baltic tech tiger”, but daily life is defined by smaller things: walkable cities, a strong café culture, efficient public services, and a calm pace outside central Vilnius. Most expats find the transition easiest if they arrive with realistic expectations about winter darkness, language, and the shape of the job market.
Cost of living: the real drivers
Your budget is usually dominated by rent and heating in the colder months. Groceries and eating out can feel affordable compared to Western Europe, while international products and certain services can be pricier than expected. The best “sanity check” is to compare your plan to the underlying data used on this site.
Use the data page for exact inputs and methodology: Lithuania statistics and cost of living data.
Housing: where expats usually settle
Vilnius is the default choice for international roles and English-friendly workplaces. Kaunas often wins on value, while Klaipėda fits people who want a coastal city and a slower rhythm. Landlords commonly expect deposits, and the quality gap between new builds and older stock can be significant.
Jobs and expat-friendly work
English-first roles cluster in tech, fintech, shared service centers, and international companies. If you are outside those sectors, Lithuanian becomes more important for long-term mobility. Networking and being visible in the local ecosystem often matters more than people expect.
Healthcare and bureaucracy
Most friction comes from “first month” setup: getting your personal code, registering, and understanding what is covered and where. After the initial paperwork, day-to-day admin tends to be predictable. Keeping a tidy document folder saves time.