“Cheapest” gets the clicks, but value is what you actually feel in your bank account at the end of the month. A country can have low rents and still feel tight if local wages are low, while a pricier country that pays well can leave you with more to spare. This guide ranks all 27 EU countries on how far typical local pay stretches against the cost of living.
Why value beats price
The number that matters is the ratio between what you earn and what you spend, not the raw price level. Two things decide it:
- Local pay: salaries vary far more across the EU than prices do, so a strong job market can outweigh higher costs.
- Cost of living: rent, tax, groceries and transport, which set the floor under your budget.
All 27 EU countries by value
Our value score below is simply local pay measured against the cost of living: higher means your money goes further on a local salary (illustrative scores only).
| Country | Value* | Relative cost* |
|---|---|---|
| Luxembourg | 40 | 88 |
| Finland | 36 | 72 |
| Denmark | 35 | 82 |
| Ireland | 35 | 80 |
| Sweden | 35 | 78 |
| Netherlands | 34 | 80 |
| Belgium | 33 | 70 |
| Germany | 33 | 75 |
| Austria | 31 | 74 |
| France | 31 | 70 |
| Poland | 29 | 45 |
| Estonia | 28 | 54 |
| Czechia | 27 | 52 |
| Spain | 27 | 60 |
| Italy | 26 | 62 |
| Lithuania | 26 | 50 |
| Slovenia | 26 | 58 |
| Slovakia | 25 | 48 |
| Latvia | 24 | 50 |
| Portugal | 24 | 55 |
| Romania | 24 | 42 |
| Bulgaria | 23 | 40 |
| Croatia | 23 | 48 |
| Hungary | 23 | 48 |
| Malta | 23 | 62 |
| Cyprus | 22 | 58 |
| Greece | 19 | 52 |
The remote-income twist
If your income comes from abroad in a stronger currency, this whole table flips. You keep a high salary while paying low local costs, so the most affordable countries quietly become the best value of all. Earning locally? Then the value score above is the one to watch.
Value is personal
Your profession, family size and whether you rent or buy all change the picture, and so does what you want for your money: more savings, a bigger home, or a better lifestyle. The MoveMap check folds your income and spending into a ranking built for your situation, not an average.