What is a cheap European country to live in?

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billrussell42

If your income is in US dollars, then eastern europe, like Poland or Czech or Hungary is best.

But if your income is in local currency, then stay away from Eastern Europe.

Try Netherlands or France. You need to actually compare jobs in the various countries and compare income from that job with local cost of living.

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Orla C

No point. You'll be up against people with university degrees on the job market, so you can forget about getting any sort of decent job. You need to be realistic about this - plus EU nationals are easier to sort out in terms of paperwork; you, on the other hand, would require both a residency and work permit - even if you do marry an EU national, you would still have to do this.

If you decide to go to college in Europe, you will first have to learn the language of the country to the required university standard, and then you will have to pay international rates as fees to the educational establishments because you are not an EU national. Which, by consolation, are nowhere near the astronomical and extortionate fees demanded by the likes of Harvard or Yale.

Just so you know.

Elizabeth

Orla is right, there are a lot of things that have to be considered before just moving over.

Most countries have only 3 common, valid ways for entry: relationship (usually marriage, although in Sweden it can just be a girl/boyfriend), education or job.

Relationship is self explanatory, if you are married to an EU national you can (usually) move to that country.

Very few countries have undergraduate degrees in English. Otherwise you must learn the native language to fluency level. Many countries have no tuition fees even for international students, but you must prove you can pay living costs, which are high. UK and Ireland obviously have undergrad degrees in English, but also have tuition fees. Grad programs in English are widely available, but this won't be an option until you are better educated.

Jobs are widely unavailable unless you have good education, special skills or great command of the local language.

As to whether a place is cheap or not..
Norway is very expensive to other countries, but very affordable on a Norwegian wage. This is true for most countries, the living wage in that country will usually support its residents.

Most of eastern Europe is cheap by others' standards, but wages are lower. Most of it is also no less safe than other countries, as long as you follow common sense.

Gaz

Bulgaria !!!!

Marilyn T

I live part-time with my Hungarian husband in Budapest and for us it is sort of cheap to live there.
We are seniors and don't have big expectations about things.Of course my husband is fluent in the language and we know our way around things there( where to shop and where not to)
Food and housing is cheaper then western countries but like others have stated, almost impossible to find a good job if you don't speak the language and have a degree.
Hungary is in central Europe.
It is much more of a harder place to live in many ways for young people then it is in the west,so much compatition for jobs and housing.Even my husband who is a native wouldn't want to try working over there since things have changed so much since he was a young man.
Best for you to take a long visit to a country and get a general idea of how things work before just setting off on your own.

She Evolves

Eastern Europe. Or rural Spain or France.

harry k

Romania

Rabbit R

Well I can only talk about the Czech Republic, because that's what I have experience of.

Like the fella said, if you're bringing American money over, you'll be fine, but working there will be more difficult than what you're used to.
Things are very expensive in line with the wages, for example you have to work 2 hours to buy a toothbrush... that's in the lowest wage you can get though.

Still you'll be competing with locals for jobs, as well as people from other European countries who are much easier to hire (less paperwork) and will have 2 to 4 languages already, and there aren't many jobs to begin with.

Matt K

well, dont go to eastern europe please that doesnt include czech rep, hungary, slovakia or poland (those are really really the best of the "eastern european countries and are in same financial situations as spain so those are safe but not like romania or bulgaria very poor and ull get sick of it. Poland and the others are listed are very expensive everything costs more in all of those places cars France or austria would be a good place to go or spain.

silver coast surfer

Take it from me nowhere in Europe is cheap since the complete collapse of sterling against the euro.
However if you are working in europe and earning in euros then head for Portugal [ not The Algarve] cost of living there is cheap as chips and really nice people and very safe.
Don't go Eastern Europe as it is really unsafe.
Good luck.

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