Cost of housing a prisoner in Latvia exceeds 62 euros per day
Daily costs of maintaining one inmate in Latvia rose to 62.08 euros in 2025, according to the Prison Administration. Since 2021, costs have climbed nearly a quarter.
According to data compiled by Latvia's Prison Administration (Ieslodzījuma vietu pārvalde), the state spent an average of 62.08 euros per day last year to maintain one person in custody. This marks an increase of 4.76 euros, or 8.3%, compared to 2024.
Rising costs over recent years
Compared with 2021, the daily cost of maintaining a single inmate has risen by 11.95 euros, a 23.8% increase. In under five years, the everyday expense of housing one prisoner has grown by nearly a quarter.
Number of inmates
At the end of last year, Latvia's prisons and detention facilities held a total of 3,588 inmates. The Prison Administration did not specify the exact reasons behind the rising costs, though the increase fits a broader pattern of rising expenses seen across recent years.
