Moving within the EU is the easiest international move on the planet: no visas, no sponsorship, no lotteries. Which is exactly why the choice is harder than it looks, because with all 27 countries open to you, the decision is entirely about trade-offs: taxes, salaries, housing, language, weather and how much bureaucracy you can stomach.
What you actually have to do
- Before about 3 months: almost nothing, beyond the address registration some countries want soon after you move in (Germany within two weeks). You can arrive, flat-hunt and even start work on day one.
- After about 3 months: register your residence at the local town hall or registry, and get the local ID or tax number. Requirements are light: a job, self-employment, studies or sufficient resources plus health cover.
- Healthcare: your EHIC covers emergencies while you settle; once registered and working, you join the local system. Pension years earned in different member states aggregate when you retire.
- After 5 years: you qualify for permanent residence status in the new country, though as an EU citizen you rarely need it.
The real decision: what are you optimizing?
- Take-home pay: on the same €60,000 salary an employee keeps ~83% in Bulgaria and about 60% in Slovenia and Romania. See the Take-Home Pay Index and the full tax breakdown for employees, freelancers and company owners.
- Salary level: Luxembourg and Denmark pay the highest average salaries in the EU, followed by Ireland, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands, but pair that with the housing and tax reality before deciding.
- Cost of living: Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Poland cut your burn rate in half versus the west, with fast-improving cities.
- Climate and lifestyle: Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus win the sunshine table; the Nordics win work-life balance and institutions.
- Career hubs: Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland for corporate ladders; Estonia, Poland and Portugal for startup and remote scenes.
Three mistakes intra-EU movers make
- Ignoring the tax split year. Move in July and you may owe filings in two countries; keep the paperwork from both.
- Keeping the old setup. A sole tradership or company registered back home usually needs restructuring once your tax residence moves.
- Choosing on holiday memories. The country you loved for two weeks in August behaves differently in November, with a landlord and a tax office. Compare the boring numbers first, ideally side by side.