🇱🇹 Kaunas vs Šiauliai: which is the better base? 🇱🇹
Deciding between Kaunas and Šiauliai means trading cost against comfort, climate and community. Here is how the two compare on every metric that shapes a working month abroad.
Same country, same rules: Kaunas and Šiauliai are both in Lithuania, which strips the paperwork out of the decision and leaves cost, climate, connectivity and community.
Short answer
You are paying $200 a month extra for Kaunas, and in exchange you get a higher overall nomad score (3.8/5 vs 3.3/5). Whether that trade is worth it depends on how tight your budget is.
| Metric | 🇱🇹 Kaunas | 🇱🇹 Šiauliai |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $1,300 | $1,100 ✓ |
| Nomad score | 3.8/5 ✓ | 3.3/5 |
| Internet | 4.6/5 ✓ | 4.5/5 |
| Safety | 4.5/5 ✓ | 4.4/5 |
| Walkability | 4.4/5 ✓ | 4.3/5 |
| Fun & nightlife | 3.9/5 ✓ | 3.4/5 |
| Weather | 3.4/5 ✓ | 3.3/5 |
| Air quality | 4/5 | 4.2/5 ✓ |
Cost of living: Kaunas vs Šiauliai
The monthly budget gap is the clearest difference between these two: Šiauliai runs at roughly $1,100, Kaunas at $1,300. Across a year that 15% gap compounds into $2,400, which is the difference between a tight twelve months and a comfortable eighteen. Both figures are typical all-in nomad budgets: a one-bedroom rental, groceries and regular restaurant meals, local transport, a mobile data plan and a hot desk at a coworking space. Costs move with season and neighbourhood, so treat these as the midpoint of a realistic range rather than a fixed price.
Time zones and the working day
Kaunas and Šiauliai sit on the same clock (UTC+2), so there is no time difference to manage at all — a rare and underrated convenience if you are moving between the two. Your calendar, your client calls and your standups all carry over unchanged.
Internet and wifi for remote work
On internet, Kaunas is the stronger of the two: 4.6/5 to 4.5/5 for Šiauliai, almost identical. The score covers fixed-line speed, mobile coverage and how reliably you can join a video call from a public space rather than your flat. At that level you can treat Kaunas as fully reliable for client calls, large uploads and remote onboarding without a backup plan.
Safety, walkability and nightlife
Kaunas rates higher for safety (4.5/5 versus 4.4/5) — almost identical in day-to-day terms like walking home late, petty theft and how comfortable solo travellers report feeling. On walkability Kaunas takes it at 4.4/5 against 4.3/5, which in practice decides whether you can live without a car or a daily ride-hail habit. For nightlife, events and the general odds of meeting people, Kaunas scores 3.9/5 to Šiauliai’s 3.4/5.
Weather and air quality
Kaunas has the better climate for year-round remote work, 3.4/5 against 3.3/5 — our weather score rewards mild shoulder seasons and penalises long stretches you would rather not be outside in. Air quality is comparable, at 4/5 and 4.2/5.
Visas and how long you can stay
Because Kaunas and Šiauliai are both in Lithuania, your visa position is identical either way — the choice is purely about the city, not your right to stay.
Kaunas vs Šiauliai: the verdict
- Choose Šiauliai if your priority is stretching your runway — it is the cheaper base at $1,100 a month, saving you $2,400 a year.
- Choose Kaunas if you want the higher all-round score (3.8/5 against 3.3/5) and are willing to pay for it.
- Nightlife, events and a bigger nomad crowd point to Kaunas. Run, cycle or have a respiratory sensitivity? Šiauliai has the cleaner air.
Dig deeper on each city
Useful next: the meeting time-zone planner, the digital nomad visa index, and how to get paid while working abroad.
Ready to go? Set up for Kaunas or Šiauliai
Whichever you choose, here's the remote-work kit worth sorting before you land:
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Kaunas vs Šiauliai: frequently asked questions
Is Kaunas or Šiauliai cheaper for digital nomads?
Šiauliai is cheaper, at roughly $1,100 a month against $1,300 for Kaunas — a difference of $2,400 a year. Both numbers assume the same lifestyle — private one-bedroom, some meals out, local transport and a desk to work from.
What is the time difference between Kaunas and Šiauliai?
There is none — both cities run on UTC+2.
Which has better internet, Kaunas or Šiauliai?
Kaunas rates 4.6/5 for internet and Šiauliai 4.5/5, so Kaunas is the safer bet if you live on video calls.
Which is safer, Kaunas or Šiauliai?
Kaunas scores 4.5/5 for safety and Šiauliai scores 4.4/5, giving Kaunas the edge for solo travellers and late-night walks home.
Kaunas or Šiauliai — which is better overall for remote work?
Overall, Kaunas leads with a 3.8/5 nomad score against 3.3/5 for Šiauliai. That headline number hides real trade-offs though — the table above shows where each city actually wins.
Do I need a different visa for Kaunas or Šiauliai?
No — both cities are in Lithuania, so your entry and stay rules are identical whichever you choose.
Which has better weather, Kaunas or Šiauliai?
Kaunas rates 3.4/5 for climate and Šiauliai 3.3/5, with air quality at 4/5 and 4.2/5 respectively.
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