Men Spend More on Sports, Women on Culture and Creative Hobbies
A Luminor bank survey reveals that Latvian residents' spending on hobbies varies significantly by gender and age, with a third of respondents allocating the largest share to travel.
A survey conducted by Luminor bank shows that Latvian residents spend the most on travel – 30% of respondents named it as their largest hobby expense category. Nearly one in three allocate more than €1,000 per year to their hobbies. However, gender and age significantly influence both hobby choices and budget allocation.
The data indicates that men are more likely to spend money on sports and active recreation – 15% of men listed this as their top hobby expense, compared to only 7% of women. Women, on the other hand, emphasize creative activities such as gardening, handicrafts, music, photography, or drawing – 18% of women and 8% of men dedicate the largest share of their budget to these pursuits. Spending on cultural events, including concerts, theater, and cinema, is a priority for 8% of women and only 4% of men; overall, this category is less frequently mentioned (6% of respondents).
Jekaterina Ziniča, a financial expert at Luminor bank, notes that hobbies are an important part of daily budgets, sometimes requiring more than €1,000 or €2,000 per year. Some expenses are regular and small, while others involve large one-time purchases, such as sports equipment or musical instruments. She advises carefully assessing whether such purchases fit within the overall budget and, if using a loan, to borrow responsibly with a clear purpose and repayment plan.
Age also plays a key role. Travel as a priority hobby expense is more common among people aged 50 to 59, creative hobbies are more typical for those over 40, while sports and active recreation are a priority for younger individuals.
The survey was conducted by Luminor in April 2026 in cooperation with research agency Norstat, polling 1,010 respondents in Latvia aged 18 to 74.
