Affordable Living in Europe

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Lithuania is on the List

Euronews.com recently published an article by Charlotte Elton about the cheapest European countries to live in. With statistics from Numbeo, the world’s largest cost of living database, she describes four possiblities for people wishing to live abroad. But as the cost of living crisis increases, looking for a cheaper way of life is becoming the top reason for a move.

Some Europeans have flown south, she writes, cutting heating bills by fleeing to warmer climates. In many countries, expatriates salaried by overseas companies find themselves with increased spending power. Some are “digital nomads” – people who travel freely while working remotely using technology and the internet. Such people generally have minimal material possessions and work remotely in temporary housing, hotels, cafes, public libraries, co-working spaces, or recreational vehicles, using Wi-Fismartphones or mobile hotspots to access the Internet. The majority of digital nomads describe themselves as programmerscontent creators, designers, or developers. While some nomads travel through multiple countries, others remain in one area, and some may choose to travel while living in a vehicle, in a practice often known as van-dwelling. In 2020, a research study found that 10.9 million American workers described themselves as digital nomads, an increase of 49% from 2019.

Numbeo has collated data for every country and various cities in each, accounting for average rent, cost of groceries, and the price of utilities and entertainment.

The author first lists Montenegro, with its rugged mountains and medieval villages and cities, ice cold glacial lakes, the world’s second deepest canyon – and extremely low prices. Numbeo grants the country a rating of 38.9. For comparison, Switzerland – Europe’s most expensive destination – has an index of 114.2. The indices represent a percentage of the destination’s cost compared to New York city, the search engine’s baseline. So prices in Montenegro are about 38.9 per cent of prices in NYC, whereas prices in Switzerland are 14.2 per cent higher than in the big apple.

Prices in Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica, are for a cheap meal – €6.40 ($9.33 CAD); a pint of beer– €2 ($2.92 CAD), a one-bedroom apartment downtown (monthly rent) €372 or $542.37 CAD.

Portugal, with its sunny beaches and buzzing cities, is Europe’s most popular digital nomad destination. Numbeo gives Portugal a cost of living index score of 45.3. Under the country’s new digital nomad scheme, remote workers are able to live and work in the country for up to 12 months. To qualify, applicants must earn at least €2,800 ($4082.37 CAD) per month – four times Portugal’s minimum wage.

Prices in Portugal’s capital, Lisbon: cheap meal €12 ($17.50 CAD), pint of beer €2.50 ($3.64 CAD) one-bedroom apartment downtown (monthly) €1207 ($1759.79 CAD).

Sunny Croatia is slightly more expensive than Portugal, with an index of 46.7. Beachside cities like Split and Dubrovnik, famed for its “Game of Thrones” filming locations, bring the average costs up. But the Balkan country is nonetheless a low-cost option for expats. Croatia started offering special visas to digital workers from outside the European Union in January 2021, allowing them to stay for up to a year and exempting them from income tax. Prices in Croatia’s capital, Zagreb are €9.80 ($14.29 CAD) for a cheap meal, €2.40 ($3.50 CAD) for a beer, and €560.25 ($816.84 CAD) for a downtown one-bedroom apartment.

Lithuania, currently known for its up and coming cities, is also popular with digital nomads, particularly its youthful capital Vilnius, which boasts an abundance of coworking spaces. Numbeo gives it a rating of 48.8. Would-be expats from the UK, US, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand or Japan can apply for a fast-tracked, simplified visa which can generally be obtained in a couple of months. Prices in Vilnius are €10 ($14.58 CAD) for a cheap meal, €4 ($5.83 CAD) for a beer, and €720 ($1049.75 CAD) for a downtown one-bedroom apartment.

Low prices are great for digital nomads, but can have a negative impact on local communities, who suffer from subsequent price inflation and housing crises.

It’s worth noting that the average monthly salary in Podgorica is €628 euros ($915.62 CAD) or about a fifth of an average monthly salary in London, England. Average salary in Vilnius is €1,218.93 ($1777.19 CAD) per month.

Elton’s advice: before moving abroad, do your research into how locals feel about expats, and how you can ethically support the communities that you join. Begin learning the local language before you arrive in the country. Acquaint yourself with local customs to feel more integrated, and to avoid offending anyone.

An inexpensive meal in Canada costs $20 (CAD), a beer is $8, and rent for a one-bedroom apartment downtown is $1,618.92 (CAD), according to Nombeo.

Tevzib.com advises researching other sources – some online reviews indicate that Numbeo may not be fully reliable.