Discovering inexpensive expat destinations in Europe

Cost of living is often the major criterion for would-be expats’ choice of emigration destination, especially if they’re retirees on a fixed pension.

Europe’s major cities are popular with expats relocating for business as well as personal reasons, offering suitable accommodation, a wide choice of cuisines and comfortable lifestyles, thus providing an overall quality of life. Most are cheaper than London or many of the major capitals in Asia, and all have that familiar ‘European’ ambience which makes settling in a breeze.

Prague is a good example, especially as around 40 per cent of its population are expats. Set in the heart of Europe, average weekly costs are over 50 per cent cheaper than in London, with accommodation in particular at bargain basement levels for apartments. Budapest is another central European city which draws expats to its location on the romantic River Danube, with apartments even cheaper than in Prague and great food at some pf the best prices in the region.

The iconic Spanish city of Seville in the Andalusia region is known for its inexpensive rental real estate as well as its laid-back, ‘go as you please’ lifestyle. Its weather is mainly temperate although high summer can be very hot, and life here is slow, siesta-centred and very affordable. Seville is known as Spain’s heartbeat, and Andalusia is one of the country’s loveliest and most traditional regions. The city itself is ancient, having been founded during the Roman Empire, and its Old Town boasts three UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Estonia’s capital, Tallin, is little-known as an expat destination, but is now ramping up its services to IT professionals as part of its fast-growing business sector. Costs in general are well below those in the Scandinavian countries to its west, and public transport is free to residents. Set along the shores of the Gulf of Finland, Tallin’s medieval heart is its romantic Old Town, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s famous in the region as the Silicon Valley of Europe due to its extraordinarily high number of IT start-ups.

St Petersburg is famous as Tsarist Russia’s capital city, and is far cheaper than Moscow as well as slightly less frantic. Utility costs average around €63 a month, and rentals are some of the cheapest anywhere on the vast mainland of Europe. It’s one of Russia’s ‘modern cities’ as well as being the country’s cultural capital, and is home to the offices of multi-national corporations and banks. The cost of living in Barcelona is 34 per cent less than its London equivalent, especially in transport and housing. It’s a popular expat hub, with enough attractions and sunshine to attract those balancing living costs with a good quality of life.