Cost of living is the first question for most people weighing a move within the EU, but the headline rent figure you see online rarely tells the whole story. This guide explains what actually drives the cost of living across the 27 EU countries, ranks every one of them from most to least affordable, and shows why the cheapest country on paper is not always the cheapest for you.
What actually drives your cost of living
Rent gets the attention, but your real monthly outgoings depend on a wider mix:
- Housing: rent or mortgage, utilities and deposits, which vary hugely between the capital and smaller cities.
- Taxes and social contributions: two countries with similar gross salaries can leave very different take-home pay.
- Healthcare: public coverage, private insurance and out-of-pocket costs.
- Everyday spending: groceries, eating out, transport and childcare.
- Income, not just expenses: a low-cost country with low local wages can feel tighter than a pricier one that pays more.
All 27 EU countries, cheapest first
Here is where MoveMap’s model places every EU member by relative cost of living, from most affordable to most expensive (illustrative scores only):
| Country | Relative cost* | English* |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgaria | 40 | 50 |
| Romania | 42 | 60 |
| Poland | 45 | 60 |
| Croatia | 48 | 60 |
| Hungary | 48 | 55 |
| Slovakia | 48 | 58 |
| Latvia | 50 | 68 |
| Lithuania | 50 | 70 |
| Czechia | 52 | 60 |
| Greece | 52 | 60 |
| Estonia | 54 | 75 |
| Portugal | 55 | 70 |
| Cyprus | 58 | 80 |
| Slovenia | 58 | 68 |
| Spain | 60 | 55 |
| Italy | 62 | 45 |
| Malta | 62 | 95 |
| Belgium | 70 | 70 |
| France | 70 | 50 |
| Finland | 72 | 80 |
| Austria | 74 | 65 |
| Germany | 75 | 65 |
| Sweden | 78 | 92 |
| Ireland | 80 | 98 |
| Netherlands | 80 | 90 |
| Denmark | 82 | 90 |
| Luxembourg | 88 | 85 |
Cheap on paper is not always cheap for you
If you earn a remote salary in a stronger currency, an affordable country stretches your income much further: you get the low costs without the low local wages. If you will rely on a local job, the salary-to-cost ratio matters more than the raw price level, and a budget country with weak wages can end up feeling expensive. Family size, healthcare needs and how close you want to stay to home change the maths too.
Beyond cost: the rest of the picture
Affordability is just one piece. The country that actually fits you also depends on how easily you can get residence or citizenship, how far English gets you day to day, the climate and lifestyle you want, and how stable and safe it feels. That trade-off is different for everyone, which is exactly what the MoveMap check weighs up for your specific situation.