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Best Countries in Europe to Live

Europe offers some of the world's highest quality of life, from Scandinavia's healthcare and safety to Southern Europe's affordability and lifestyle. We rank every European country using institutional data from the World Bank, WHO, OECD, and 12 more sources — no travel blog opinions, just numbers.

Schengen free movementUniversal healthcare systemsStrong educationCultural richness

Countries Ranked

$2,401

Avg. Monthly Cost

$1,250

Lowest Monthly Cost

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Top 10 in Europe

Ranked using balanced quality weights across 7 dimensions. Scores reflect 15 institutional data sources.

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Netherlands

Western Europe

InfrastructureEducationHealthcare

Denmark

Northern Europe

HealthcareEducationInfrastructure

Austria

Central Europe

SafetyHealthcareInfrastructure

Ireland

Western Europe

SafetyEducationCareer & Economy

Finland

Northern Europe

EducationHealthcareInfrastructure

Sweden

Northern Europe

EducationHealthcareInfrastructure

Norway

Northern Europe

EducationCost of LivingHealthcare

Germany

Western Europe

HealthcareEducationCareer & Economy

Luxembourg

Western Europe

Cost of LivingHealthcareInfrastructure

United Kingdom

Northern Europe

EducationInfrastructureCareer & Economy

65.12

Score

~$2,950/mo

Plus 27 more countries ranked in Europe

View All 37 Countries

#1 in Europe

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Netherlands

Western Europe

70.26

Overall Score

$2,750

Est. Monthly Cost

Netherlands delivers on your top priority (safety) while also standing out for healthcare.

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Rankings by Lifestyle

Looking for something specific? Our persona-optimized rankings weight dimensions differently based on your priorities.

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Best Countries for Digital Nomads

Infrastructure · Lifestyle · Cost of Living · Safety

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Best Countries to Retire Abroad

Healthcare · Safety · Cost of Living · Lifestyle

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Best Countries for Families

Education · Safety · Healthcare · Cost of Living

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Best Countries for Career Relocation

Career & Economy · Infrastructure · Lifestyle · Safety

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Best Countries for Entrepreneurs

Career & Economy · Infrastructure · Cost of Living · Safety

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Best Low-Tax Countries to Live

Lifestyle · Safety · Healthcare · Infrastructure

Frequently Asked Questions

Which European countries have the lowest cost of living?

Portugal, Romania, Bulgaria, and Poland consistently offer the lowest costs in Europe while maintaining good infrastructure and safety. Our cost index uses World Bank purchasing power parity data to compare real living expenses.

Do I need a visa to live in Europe?

EU/EEA citizens can live anywhere in the Schengen Area. Non-EU citizens need residence permits — many countries offer digital nomad visas (Portugal, Spain, Estonia), golden visas, or skilled worker programs. Set your citizenship in the onboarding quiz for personalized visa calculations.

What data sources do you use for European countries?

We use 15 institutional sources including WHO healthcare coverage, OECD PISA education scores, Global Peace Index, World Bank economic indicators, ITU infrastructure data, EF English Proficiency Index, and Eurostat cost of living data.