This guide is for movers from the US and the UK who have not picked a country yet. Instead of one list that is the same for every reader, it shows which five answers reorder the 27 EU countries, with worked examples from the scoring engine our quiz uses, and then says in a line or two who each country suits.
What European country should I move to? Five things decide it
Our starting reader is an American remote employee: single, 35, earning a US salary of EUR 3,500-5,000 ($3,900-5,600) a month after tax, who wants warmth, culture and a big city. The engine puts Malta, Cyprus and Estonia at the top for them. Then we change one of the five things at a time.
| What changes | Top three, fit out of 100* | For example |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point The American remote employee above |
| Spain is joint 13th of 27 |
| Passport Also holds an Irish, so an EU, passport |
| Spain climbs from joint 13th to joint 4th |
| Income source Takes a local job instead of bringing a remote US salary |
| Ireland climbs from joint 13th to joint 7th |
| Budget Nets EUR 1,500-2,500 ($1,700-2,800) a month instead of EUR 3,500-5,000, spends and saves less, and wants cheap rent |
| Portugal drops from joint 5th to joint 12th |
| Family Moves with a working partner and children, and puts family and safety first |
| Greece drops from joint 5th to joint 23rd |
| Deal-breaker Is fine with cold winters instead of insisting on warmth |
| Cyprus drops from 2nd to joint 8th |
*MoveMap estimates from the quiz engine for these sample answers only; countries tied with third place are all listed. Ranks are out of 27. $ at the ECB reference rate of 9 November 2026 (EUR 1 = $1.1193), rounded to the nearest 100.
- Passport. For a non-EU passport, paperwork is a fifth of the score and follows each country鈥檚 bureaucracy, which is why low-bureaucracy countries rise. With an EU passport it scores the same everywhere, because EU citizens can live and work in any EU country (Your Europe). Most of that edge disappears and the order follows lifestyle and money instead: Spain climbs from joint 13th to joint 4th.
- Where your income comes from. A remote salary travels with you, so cheaper countries stretch it further. A local job pays local wages, which lifts high-wage countries: Ireland climbs from joint 13th to joint 7th, and Denmark joins the top three.
- Budget. With less to spend, rent takes a bigger share and the highest-rent sunny coasts lose ground: Portugal drops from joint 5th to joint 12th, Spain drops from joint 13th to joint 20th. Check which EU countries fit your budget before you shortlist.
- Who moves with you. Children make schools count fully and a working partner adds a second income, but for this reader the big shift comes from putting family and safety first, which tilts the score toward healthcare, safety and schools: Greece, weaker on all three in our model, drops from joint 5th to joint 23rd, and Estonia, Finland and Denmark lead.
- Deal-breakers. Climate is the clearest example. If cold winters are fine, Cyprus drops from 2nd to joint 8th and Estonia comes first. The quiz also asks about English, health needs and the values that matter to you, such as LGBTQ+ rights.
Where should I move to in Europe? Three sample movers
Three readers, three different top threes, from the same engine and the same country data.
| Sample mover | Top three, fit out of 100* |
|---|---|
| American remote employee Single, 35, works remotely for a US company, nets EUR 3,500-5,000 ($3,900-5,600) a month. Wants warmth, culture and a big city. |
|
| American family relocated by an employer Couple with children, one job offer with visa sponsorship, nets over EUR 5,000 ($5,600) a month. Wants a big city, good healthcare and to get by in English. |
|
| British freelancer on a tight budget Single, 29, freelances for clients abroad, nets EUR 1,500-2,500 (拢1,300-2,100) a month. Wants low costs, a social life and warmth, and will learn the language. |
|
*MoveMap estimates from the quiz engine for these sample answers only; countries tied with third place are all listed. $ and 拢 at the ECB reference rate of 9 November 2026 (EUR 1 = $1.1193 = 拢0.83430), rounded to the nearest 100.
Your passport, income, budget, family and deal-breakers decide your own order.
Rank all 27 for meEstonia makes the top three for all three readers because it has the least bureaucracy in our data, which counts heavily for a non-EU passport. The family with a sponsored job sees five countries share the top score, and the freelancer鈥檚 small budget pulls in Bulgaria and Latvia. For a single ranked list for an average reader, see the best countries in Europe to live.
How the ranking works
For your answers, the quiz scores each of the 27 countries on eight parts, adds them with fixed weights and then tilts the total a little toward the focus you pick at the end:
- Money, 20%: your income against local rent plus your monthly spending, with tax and savings.
- Paperwork, 20%: how hard residence is for your passport, from each country鈥檚 bureaucracy.
- Lifestyle, 15%: climate, city size, scenery and what you want from daily life.
- Citizenship clock, 15%: years to a passport if that matters a lot to you, otherwise each country鈥檚 bureaucracy.
- Language, 8%: how far English goes and how easy the local language is to learn.
- Move risk, 8%: what could go wrong: bureaucracy, housing, language barrier, safety.
- Housing, 7%: rental pressure and how much of your income rent takes.
- Health and family, 7%: healthcare, safety, transport, community size and schools, which count more with children.
The country inputs are MoveMap鈥檚 own estimates: 0-100 scores plus typical rent, net pay and years to citizenship. The methodology page explains what the estimates rest on and what they cannot tell you.
Where to move in Europe from the USA or the UK
In 2025, EU countries issued 91,615 first residence permits to US citizens. Spain issued the most (15,810), then France (15,388) and Germany (10,188). British citizens received 44,446, led by Spain (11,949) and France (8,235), according to Eurostat. Where most people go is not necessarily where you should go: Spain is joint 13th for our sample American remote worker, because for a non-EU newcomer our model weighs its paperwork, rents and English, and joint 4th once the same reader holds an EU passport. The routes by origin are in moving to Europe from the US and moving to Europe from the UK.
All 27 EU countries: who each one suits
In alphabetical order, one line on who each country suits and who it is harder for. The climate, English and citizenship figures are MoveMap estimates (citizenship counted from arrival on a standard route for a non-EU national); nomad-visa bars are approximate monthly minimums from our digital nomad visas page, checked in November 2026.
- Austria. Suits safety-first movers with a local job: among the safest countries in our model, with strong healthcare and schools. Harder for remote workers: no nomad visa, and the lowest remote-work estimate in our data.Cold climate 路 English 65/100 路 no nomad visa 路 citizenship in about 10 years
- Belgium. Suits local earners: pay after rent is among the best in our model, and the international community is large. Harder for anyone counting on low tax or a nomad visa: among the heaviest tax burdens in our model, and no such visa.Mild climate 路 English 70/100 路 no nomad visa 路 citizenship in about 5 years
- Bulgaria. Suits remote earners on a budget: the lowest living costs and lightest tax burden in our model, plus a nomad visa. Harder for anyone who needs English everywhere or strong healthcare: both are among the lowest estimates in our data.Mild climate 路 English 50/100 路 nomad visa from about EUR 2,600 a month 路 citizenship in about 10 years
- Croatia. Suits people who want sea and sun at moderate cost, and remote workers: its nomad visa exempts foreign remote income from income tax. Harder for families who put schools first, and anyone who needs top healthcare.Warm climate 路 English 60/100 路 nomad visa from about EUR 3,620 a month 路 citizenship in about 8 years
- Cyprus. Suits English speakers who want sun and sea, with one of the lightest tax burdens in our model. Harder for local earners: pay after rent is among the weakest in our data.Warm climate 路 English 80/100 路 nomad visa from about EUR 3,500 a month 路 citizenship in about 8 years
- Czechia. Suits people who want a safe, central, mid-cost base, and freelancers: the zivno trade licence is a broader route than its narrow nomad visa. Harder for sun seekers, and anyone who wants to manage in English only.Cold climate 路 English 60/100 路 nomad visa from about EUR 3,050 a month 路 citizenship in about 10 years
- Denmark. Suits families and local earners: healthcare and schools are among the best in our model, with easy paperwork and excellent English. Harder for anyone on a foreign or fixed income: one of the most expensive countries and the heaviest tax burden in our data.Cold climate 路 English 90/100 路 no nomad visa 路 citizenship in about 9 years
- Estonia. Suits remote workers and founders: the least bureaucracy and the highest remote-work estimate in our model, and the original EU nomad visa. Harder for people who want warmth or an easy language: a cold climate and one of the hardest languages in our data.Cold climate 路 English 75/100 路 nomad visa from about EUR 3,960 a month 路 citizenship in about 8 years
- Finland. Suits families and safety-first movers: the top safety and schools estimates in our data, and the best pay after rent for local earners. Harder for people on a foreign income or who dislike the cold; Finnish is the joint hardest language in our model.Cold climate 路 English 80/100 路 no nomad visa 路 citizenship in about 8 years
- France. Suits people who put healthcare and culture first, and retirees with an income: the long-stay visitor visa, with no local work, is a usual route. Harder for anyone who wants to manage in English or avoid paperwork: among the lowest English and heaviest bureaucracy estimates.Mild climate 路 English 50/100 路 no nomad visa 路 citizenship in about 5 years
- Germany. Suits skilled workers with a job offer and freelancers on the Freiberufler permit, with strong healthcare. Harder for anyone who wants light paperwork: among the heaviest bureaucracy in our model, and no nomad visa.Cold climate 路 English 65/100 路 no nomad visa 路 citizenship in about 5 years
- Greece. Suits sun and sea seekers on a moderate budget, and remote workers, with a nomad visa. Harder for anyone who dreads paperwork: the joint second-heaviest bureaucracy in our model, with Germany.Warm climate 路 English 60/100 路 nomad visa from about EUR 3,500 a month 路 citizenship in about 7 years
- Hungary. Suits budget movers who want a capital-city life at low cost and a light tax burden. Harder for English-only movers, since Hungarian is the joint hardest language in our model, and nomads hoping for permanent residence: White Card years do not count toward it.Cold climate 路 English 55/100 路 nomad visa from about EUR 3,000 a month 路 citizenship in about 8 years
- Ireland. Suits English speakers with a well-paid local job, and EU citizens: the highest English estimate and the third-highest net pay in our data. Harder for remote workers, with no nomad visa, and renters: the most pressured housing market and the second-highest rent in our model.Mild climate 路 English 98/100 路 no nomad visa 路 citizenship in about 5 years
- Italy. Suits people who want food, culture and the sea, and qualified remote workers, with a nomad visa since 2024. Harder for anyone who wants to manage in English or avoid bureaucracy: the lowest English and the heaviest bureaucracy estimates in our data.Warm climate 路 English 45/100 路 nomad visa from about EUR 2,100 a month 路 citizenship in about 10 years
- Latvia. Suits budget-minded remote workers who want light paperwork and little housing pressure. Harder for sun seekers, and anyone who wants a large English-speaking expat community.Cold climate 路 English 68/100 路 nomad visa from about EUR 4,200 a month 路 citizenship in about 10 years
- Lithuania. Suits people with a local job who want low costs and light paperwork. Harder for remote workers, with no nomad visa, and sun seekers.Cold climate 路 English 70/100 路 no nomad visa 路 citizenship in about 10 years
- Luxembourg. Suits high earners with a job offer: strong safety and healthcare, and the largest international community in our model. Harder for anyone on a modest or foreign income: the most expensive country in our data.Mild climate 路 English 85/100 路 no nomad visa 路 citizenship in about 5 years
- Malta. Suits English speakers who want sun and sea, and remote workers: the nomad permit鈥檚 income is tax-free for 12 months, then taxed at 10%. Harder for local earners and renters: pay after rent is among the weakest in our model.Warm climate 路 English 95/100 路 nomad visa from about EUR 3,500 a month 路 citizenship in about 5 years
- Netherlands. Suits skilled workers and US entrepreneurs, who have the DAFT route, with excellent English. Harder for renters on a budget: one of the most pressured housing markets in our model.Mild climate 路 English 90/100 路 no nomad visa 路 citizenship in about 5 years
- Poland. Suits people who want low costs, the third lowest in our model, and a light tax burden. Harder for anyone who needs a nomad visa, which Poland does not have, or strong healthcare.Cold climate 路 English 60/100 路 no nomad visa 路 citizenship in about 8 years
- Portugal. Suits sun seekers and remote workers: the second-highest remote-work estimate in our model, and a nomad visa. Harder for local earners and anyone in a hurry for a passport: the weakest pay after rent in our data, and 10 years to naturalize for most non-EU nationals since May 2026.Warm climate 路 English 70/100 路 nomad visa from about EUR 3,680 a month 路 citizenship in about 10 years
- Romania. Suits remote high earners on a budget: among the lowest costs and tax burdens in our model. Harder for anyone who needs strong healthcare, the joint lowest estimate in our data, or a modest nomad-visa bar: Romania鈥檚 is the EU鈥檚 highest.Cold climate 路 English 60/100 路 nomad visa from about EUR 5,200 a month 路 citizenship in about 8 years
- Slovakia. Suits budget movers who want calm central Europe and little housing pressure. Harder for remote workers: no nomad visa, and trade-licence residence is applied for only at embassies under a yearly quota.Cold climate 路 English 58/100 路 no nomad visa 路 citizenship in about 10 years
- Slovenia. Suits nature lovers and families: mountains, a short coast and strong safety at mid-range cost. Harder for anyone who wants a large expat community or a quick passport.Mild climate 路 English 68/100 路 nomad visa from about EUR 3,400 a month 路 citizenship in about 10 years
- Spain. Suits people who want sun, sea and culture, retirees with an income, and remote workers: its nomad visa asks for twice the minimum wage. Harder for anyone who wants to manage in English or dislikes paperwork, and local earners facing high rents.Warm climate 路 English 55/100 路 nomad visa from about EUR 2,850 a month 路 citizenship in about 10 years
- Sweden. Suits families and local earners: strong schools, English and paperwork, and the second-best pay after rent in our model. Harder for remote workers, with no nomad visa, and anyone living on a foreign income in an expensive country.Cold climate 路 English 92/100 路 no nomad visa 路 citizenship in about 8 years
Before you shortlist
What this page cannot settle is whether you qualify for a particular permit, how a country will tax you, or how one region differs from the national picture: those are questions for the country鈥檚 immigration authority and, on tax, a cross-border tax advisor. If you already hold an EU passport, read relocating within the EU. If you plan to stay for good, compare the easiest permanent residency in Europe and the fastest EU citizenship. The moving to Europe hub covers the routes for every passport.