With a laptop and the right visa, most of the EU is open to you. But the best base for remote work is rarely just the cheapest one. It is where the practical setup, the cost of living and a bit of community all line up, so you can actually get work done and enjoy being there. This guide ranks all 27 EU countries for remote workers.
What makes a good remote base
- A low-friction setup: reliable internet, easy banking and a culture that is used to remote and freelance work.
- Cost that fits your income: foreign income goes much further somewhere affordable.
- Enough English: so you can handle daily life and admin while you learn the language.
- A time zone that works: for your clients or team.
- Other remote workers: an expat and nomad scene makes landing softer.
All 27 EU countries for remote work
Here is where MoveMap’s model rates each EU country for remote-friendliness, alongside English and cost so you can weigh the trade-off (illustrative scores only):
| Country | Remote* | English* | Relative cost* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estonia | 90 | 75 | 54 |
| Portugal | 85 | 70 | 55 |
| Cyprus | 80 | 80 | 58 |
| Finland | 80 | 80 | 72 |
| Malta | 80 | 95 | 62 |
| Spain | 80 | 55 | 60 |
| Sweden | 80 | 92 | 78 |
| Ireland | 78 | 98 | 80 |
| Latvia | 78 | 68 | 50 |
| Croatia | 75 | 60 | 48 |
| Denmark | 75 | 90 | 82 |
| Lithuania | 75 | 70 | 50 |
| Netherlands | 75 | 90 | 80 |
| Romania | 75 | 60 | 42 |
| Greece | 72 | 60 | 52 |
| Slovenia | 72 | 68 | 58 |
| Belgium | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| Bulgaria | 70 | 50 | 40 |
| Czechia | 70 | 60 | 52 |
| Luxembourg | 70 | 85 | 88 |
| Poland | 70 | 60 | 45 |
| Hungary | 68 | 55 | 48 |
| Slovakia | 68 | 58 | 48 |
| France | 65 | 50 | 70 |
| Germany | 65 | 65 | 75 |
| Italy | 65 | 45 | 62 |
| Austria | 60 | 65 | 74 |
Mind the visa and the tax
Around half the EU now offers a dedicated digital nomad visa, but the rules, income thresholds and tax treatment change often and differ a lot between countries. Spending enough days in a country can also make you tax resident there. We keep a dedicated, regularly checked overview of every program in our EU digital nomad visa hub: treat the table above as a lifestyle shortlist, then check the visa side there before you commit.
Match it to how you work
Whether you are employed remotely, freelance or run a company changes which countries suit you best, and so does where your clients are. The MoveMap check weighs remote-friendliness alongside your income, taxes and lifestyle to rank all 27 EU countries for your setup.