Have you accepted (or are you considering) a job at the Akmenė Free Economic Zone — perhaps with VMG Wood Solutions, Akmenė Cement, VMG Lignum Construction, or Rietuva? This guide is written for people who have never been to Naujoji Akmenė and are trying to figure out what life will actually look like here.
We're a local family-run apartment rental company — we've helped dozens of incoming workers settle in over the past few years, and this article distills the most common questions we get.
Quick summary
Naujoji Akmenė is a quiet town of ~8 000 people in northern Lithuania, ~4 km from the industrial park (FEZ). Two-room renovated apartments rent for 260-310 €/month. Total monthly living costs for a single professional: ~700-850 €. English is spoken at the FEZ but limited around town. Direct bus to Šiauliai (~1.5 hours), no train station.
Where is Akmenė FEZ, exactly?
The Akmenė Free Economic Zone sits about 4 km southwest of Naujoji Akmenė town centre, in the north-west corner of Lithuania. It's a 98-hectare industrial park that has attracted around 500 million euros of investment and today employs over 500 people — projected to reach 800-1000 within the next few years.
Distances that matter:
- Naujoji Akmenė town centre → FEZ: ~4 km, 8 min by car
- Venta (smaller nearby town) → FEZ: ~19 km, 20 min by car
- Riga airport → Akmenė FEZ: ~140 km, 1h 45min drive
- Šiauliai airport → Akmenė FEZ: ~55 km, 45 min drive
- Klaipėda seaport → Akmenė FEZ: ~150 km, 2 hours
- Vilnius → Akmenė FEZ: ~330 km, 4 hours
Getting here from abroad
Most new arrivals fly into either Riga (RIX) or Vilnius (VNO). Riga is closer and often has cheaper flights from Western Europe.
- From Riga: rent a car at the airport (Enterprise, Sixt, Avis all have desks), drive south on the A9/E272 highway. Straightforward ~1h 45min drive.
- From Vilnius: drive via Panevėžys and Šiauliai, ~4 hours. Alternatively, take a train to Šiauliai (2h 15min), then a bus to Naujoji Akmenė (1h 30min).
- By car from Poland/Germany: Via A1 through Warsaw → Kaunas → Šiauliai → Akmenė. About 8 hours from Warsaw.
Finding an apartment
Housing is straightforward here — supply is stable, demand is predictable, and prices don't fluctuate wildly. Most workers coming to Akmenė FEZ choose one of three paths:
1. Rent through a local landlord (recommended)
The cheapest option and what most FEZ workers end up doing. We (Likinija) manage a portfolio of renovated apartments in Naujoji Akmenė and Venta specifically catered to incoming workers. Long-term rentals (7+ months) start at 220 €/month for a 1-room apartment. No intermediary fees. Contracts in English available.
2. Corporate housing arranged by employer
Some FEZ employers (VMG in particular) have partnerships with local landlords for the first 1-3 months while you settle in. Ask HR before you arrive.
3. Short-term stays while you look
If you arrive first and want to look for an apartment in person, book a short-term stay (from 1 night) for the first week. Two apartments in the town centre are available for this exact use case.
💡 Common pattern
Book a short-term apartment for your first 3-5 nights → view 2-3 long-term options in person → sign a 7-12 month contract → move in. From first contact to key handover typically takes 1-3 business days.
Cost of living
Naujoji Akmenė is one of the cheapest places in Lithuania to live. Ballpark numbers for a single professional in a 1-bedroom apartment:
| Category | Summer (€/mo) | Winter (€/mo) |
|---|---|---|
| Rent (1-bedroom renovated) | 230 | 230 |
| Heating | 10 | 65 |
| Electricity | 18 | 25 |
| Water + sewerage | 12 | 12 |
| Waste + building maintenance | 8 | 8 |
| Internet (500 Mbps) | 24 | 24 |
| Groceries (single person) | 200 | 210 |
| Gym membership | 35 | 35 |
| Fuel (12 000 km/year) | 90 | 110 |
| Total ~ | ~627 | ~719 |
For context: the same lifestyle in Vilnius costs ~1 400-1 600 €/month. In Riga, ~1 300 €. The salary at Akmenė FEZ typically covers this several times over.
Practical setup — first 2 weeks
- Register your address at the municipality (Akmenė rajono savivaldybė) or online via Registrų centras. Required within 7 days of moving.
- Open a Lithuanian bank account — SEB, Swedbank, and Luminor all have branches in nearby Šiauliai. Revolut and Wise also work well for the first weeks.
- Get a personal code (asmens kodas) if you're an EU citizen staying long-term — needed for tax, healthcare, and many contracts.
- Register with a family doctor at the local hospital (Akmenės ligoninė) or a private clinic.
- Transfer or apply for driver's licence if you plan to drive here long-term. EU licences are valid indefinitely.
- Set up mobile service — Telia, Tele2, or Bitė. Prepaid SIM cards available at any Maxima supermarket.
- Sign up for the local waste collection schedule — usually handled by your landlord.
Language
Lithuanian is the local language and it takes effort to learn — it's a Baltic language, distant from any Germanic or Romance root. Practical tips:
- At the FEZ: English works fine. Most managerial staff at VMG, Cement, etc. speak good English.
- In shops and government offices: Many staff under 40 speak basic English. Older staff generally do not — bring a translation app.
- Signs and menus: Almost exclusively Lithuanian.
- Russian: Widely understood by older generation, less common among under-30s.
A few useful phrases:
| English | Lithuanian | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Labas / Sveiki | LA-bas / SVEY-ki |
| Thank you | Ačiū | AH-chew |
| Please | Prašau | PRAH-show |
| Do you speak English? | Ar kalbate angliškai? | Ar KAL-bah-teh ANG-lish-kai |
| How much? | Kiek kainuoja? | KYEK kai-NOO-oya |
| The bill, please | Sąskaitą, prašau | SAHS-kai-tah PRAH-show |
Groceries, shopping, essentials
Naujoji Akmenė has all major supermarket chains:
- Maxima — biggest, best selection, 24 hours in central location
- IKI — mid-range, slightly cheaper
- Norfa — budget-focused
- Rimi — Latvian chain, in nearby Mažeikiai
For larger household items — furniture, electronics — the nearest big-box stores (IKEA, MediaMarkt equivalents like Topocentras) are in Šiauliai, ~55 km away. Or order online: Pigu.lt, Varle.lt, and Lidl.lt all deliver to Akmenė.
Healthcare
Lithuania has universal public healthcare funded through mandatory health insurance (~6.98 % of salary, deducted automatically). Once registered, you get access to:
- Free family doctor visits
- Free emergency care
- Subsidised prescription medications
- Hospital care at nominal or no cost
The Akmenė district hospital covers most needs. For specialist care or emergencies, Šiauliai has a large regional hospital.
Weather
Northern Lithuania has a continental climate — cold winters, mild summers.
- Winter (Dec-Feb): -5 to -10°C average, occasional -20°C. Snow cover from mid-Dec to March. Get a proper winter coat, warm boots, and consider winter tyres if you drive.
- Spring (Mar-May): 0 to 15°C, gradually warmer. Can be muddy.
- Summer (Jun-Aug): 20-25°C typical, occasional 30°C. Long daylight (16+ hours in June).
- Autumn (Sep-Nov): 5-15°C, rainy, beautiful foliage.
What locals do for fun
Naujoji Akmenė is small, but the surrounding area has genuine outdoors appeal:
- Karpėnų karjeras — flooded limestone quarry with clear blue water, popular swimming/diving spot in summer
- Ventos regional park — 100+ km of walking and cycling trails along the Venta river
- Akmenė lake district — several lakes within 10 km for fishing and kayaking
- Papilė hillfort — historic site, ~15 km east
- Šiauliai city — 55 km, has cinema, shopping mall, restaurants, escape rooms
- Riga — 140 km, doable weekend trip, Old Town, restaurants, Baltic sea
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a car?
If you work at Akmenė FEZ and live in the town centre, a car makes life significantly easier — the FEZ is 4 km out and there's no direct public transit. Some employers organise shuttle buses; ask HR. For weekend trips (Šiauliai, Riga, coast), a car is essentially required.
Can I bring my family?
Yes — Naujoji Akmenė is family-friendly. There are several schools, kindergartens, sports facilities, and the cost-of-living gap means a family income that would feel tight in Vilnius or Riga goes much further here. Larger apartments (2-3 bedrooms) are readily available.
Is there an international community?
Small but growing. Most FEZ investors have brought in some international staff (Poland, Ukraine, Germany, sometimes India). No dedicated expat community centre, but the FEZ itself often organises events.
What about internet reliability?
Excellent. Fibre-optic internet is standard in most apartments. 500 Mbps plans available from ~24 €/month. Remote work is straightforward.
How much Lithuanian do I need?
To live and work: almost none if your employer operates in English. To integrate socially: basic conversational Lithuanian helps a lot — most locals are patient with learners.
What's the tax situation?
Lithuania has one of the lowest effective tax rates in the EU. Personal income tax is 20 % on employment income; there's an additional health insurance contribution and social security. For a typical FEZ specialist salary of 2 000-3 000 €/month gross, take-home is around 1 300-1 900 €/month.