Top 5 Cheapest Countries in the EU to Live in
It rarely happens for people to consider that it’s possible to live in an EU country if you’re on a budget.
But the truth is that most of the European Union countries are cheaper to live in than, say, the US, Canada or Australia – to name just a few of the big countries out there. And today, I am here to share with you the top 5 cheapest EU countries to live in.
If you don’t want to go through the entire article and read all my thoughts and comments on the matter, here are the 5 cheapest countries in the European Union where you can live on a budget:
- Bulgaria
- Romania
- Lithuania
- Hungary
- Greece
Despite them being cheap, all of the countries listed above offer a surprisingly high quality of life and, especially if you generate income from outside the country, a bigger bang for your buck.
After all, setting up home base in a cheap country in the European Union is a great idea. I also zoomed in a bit in the past and shared the best cheap cities in Europe to set up home base in.
This way, you get the chance to visit Europe while keeping costs low – there are tons of low cost flights available, while trains or buses are generally cheap and solid options as well.
Or just relocate in one of these countries and enjoy all the benefits of being an EU citizen – on the cheap.
Now, with all these in mind, let’s get a bit more in depth with each of the choices and find out what it’s like living in these cheapest EU countries.
1. Bulgaria
The cheapest country in the European Union is Bulgaria, by far. Neighboring Romania and offering most of the things that its neighbor offers, but at even lower prices, Bulgaria is starting to get a bit touristy thanks to its beautiful beach and mountain resorts, but it’s still a long time until things become unaffordable to Western standards.
Having in mind that the average salary is around 735 Euros per month, you can imagine how cheap living there is.
I would say that with a budget of $1,000 per month, you can make ends meet in Bulgaria, especially is you choose to live in a smaller city – as Sofia can get pretty expensive, like all major cities.
Just make sure that you have a steady income as getting hired in the country is pretty difficult and doesn’t pay well.
As I said, Bulgaria is very similar to Romania (listed below): they offer spectacular raw nature, amazing destinations that are still not flooded with tourists or expats, although these two categories are increasing each year.
Speaking of which, if you want to visit first as a tourist, I already shared a guide regarding which resort to choose: Golden Sands or Sunny Beach.
Tip: You can still live a nice life on the cheap in major cities like Sofia or Varna – the latter also keeping you really close to the beach.
Just like Romania, Bulgaria is not part of the Schengen zone, but part of the European Union. Again, use this to your own advantage is planning to stay for more than 3 months in Europe.
2. Romania
If you want to really keep costs low, Romania is definitely one of the best choices, although inflation hit it pretty hard – as it did the rest of the world. Still, your Euros or Dollars go a longer way here.
Probably one of the least known countries in the European Union, Romania is extremely affordable, yet safe and generally nice, with some stunning, unspoiled natural views as well!
The cost of living is extremely low – you can expect to live a really good live on around $1,700 per month per couple in most cities according to the Romania Experience blog. There are also good connections to the rest of Europe via budget air travel, train or bus.
The climate is not amazing – with pretty cold winters and hot summers, but that’s the case of most countries in Europe and you can easily get used to it.
The people are really nice and welcoming with foreigners and English is widely spoken, especially in the larger cities.
Romania is pretty much unknown, meaning that you don’t get to meet many expats in most places, while living in villages is impossible since many still don’t have running water, working toilets and, in some cases, even electricity… but living in small towns or one of the larger cities gives you everything you would expect from the civilized world.
Plus some of the fastest internet in the world, in case you need that for your business.
So if you love nature and low prices, then Romania is definitely a great choice for you. It also offers both winter activities for snow lovers during the winter, and nice beaches during the summer. A perfect place to be in!
Just have in mind that, at least at the moment of writing this article, Romania is part of the EU, but not the Schengen area.
This is extremely useful for those planning their stay in the Schengen zone: you can simply move in to Romania for three months, reset your Schengen count, then move back again!
3. Lithuania
Yes, I know, Lithuania is probably not one of the first countries when you think about when it comes to living in the EU. Nor is it one perfect for those looking for sunny places to live in, as it’s pretty cold in Lithuania.
But it’s also very cheap living here, especially when it comes to the prices for accommodation and utilities – which would be two of your main expenses.
Lithuania is also beautiful – and I’m not only talking about the beauty of the Lithuanian women here. This is a country rich in history, with plenty to offer, especially in its main cities.
So don’t think that “cheap” means sacrificing quality here! On the contrary, living in Lithuania on a budget opens doors to countless opportunities. For example, I absolutely loved my visit to Trakai village, just one of the amazing attractions here.
From high-quality education and healthcare to a burgeoning tech scene, and plenty of entertainment options, Lithuania is a hive of activity.
Being a part of the EU, Lithuania also provides seamless access to the rest of Europe. Want to hop over to Paris for the weekend or take a quick detour to Berlin? No problem! Budget airlines have you covered, and with Lithuania as your base, Europe is truly at your fingertips.
As it is the case of all the countries on this list, you can make ends meet for $1,000 per person, especially if you’re a couple or sharing expenses with a friend (or more).
4. Hungary
Regular readers of this blog should know already how much I love Budapest, Hungary’s capital city. But unfortunately, it is very expensive compared to the rest of the country, so if you’re looking for a budget place to live in, cut it off your list.
But the good thing is that most of the larger cities in Budapest are still great to live in and almost as beautiful as Budapest. The people are nice, the food is great, but the prices are much lower.
The country also offers great connections to nearby countries – as well as those farther away, which comes with an added bonus. And even though the local language is difficult to learn, you’ll see that most people here – especially in the cities – speak English.
Of course, you have the amazing Hungarian women to look out for if you decide to move here (or the men in Hungary, depending on your gender and / or preferences), plus plenty of unspoiled natural beauty.
In a nutshell, living in Hungary cheaply offers a rich and fulfilling lifestyle that’s economically feasible.
5. Greece
Greece is a beautiful country filled with history and plenty of people will probably be surprised to find it on this list.
But the truth is that living in Greece is also pretty cheap, as long as you don’t go for the main tourist spots, most of the islands or Athens.
You’re still left with plenty of smaller towns and villages and basically every place that is not right by the sea will be surprisingly cheap.
As a bonus, no matter where you choose to live, you have decent weather (at least by European standards) all year long. The more South you go, the better!
Cost of living in Greece is really low – this article shows that a couple can live on around 1,500 Euros per month easily.
You can really cut them down a bit if you go for cheaper accommodation (you can easily find good stuff for 500 Euros per month) and eat more at home. So you might be able to do it even on a tighter budget!
Wrapping up
You can see that it’s possible to live in the European Union on the cheap. I would say that, if you’re used to budgeting a bit and you like to cook your own food at home, you can make it in most EU countries for $1,000 per month, per person – especially if you’re not solo traveling.
But the top 5 cheapest countries listed above certainly make it extremely easy for you to enjoy living in Europe on a budget.
Which one is your favorite? Let us all know by commenting below, and if you have an additional country (or more) when it comes to budget living in the EU, let us all know!
