Portugal
Portugal has become something of a magnet for Americans rethinking where they want to grow old or work remotely. Portugal ranks as the top destination Americans want to move to, with living costs roughly 45 percent lower than in the U.S., a healthcare system that ranks twelfth globally, and a reputation as one of the safest countries in the world. The country offers several entry points depending on income and lifestyle, from a passive income visa requiring modest monthly earnings to a digital nomad route for remote workers.
Visa paths exist at nearly every income level, from the D7 Passive Income Visa requiring roughly €870 a month to the Digital Nomad Visa at €3,480 a month and the Golden Visa at a €250,000 investment. The numbers on the ground back up the appeal. Residency data show a jump from 14,126 U.S. residents in 2023 to roughly 21,000 in 2024, a sevenfold increase since 2017. A generous tax break called NHR closed to new applicants, replaced by a narrower program, but the fundamentals of affordable healthcare and lower rent haven’t changed much for people already settled there.
Spain
Spain draws a different crowd than Portugal, tilted more toward retirees who don’t plan to work locally. On average, the cost of living runs 36 percent lower than in the US, and rent is 66 percent cheaper. That gap between what a Social Security check covers in Madrid versus Minneapolis is a big part of why the Non-Lucrative Visa has become the most requested route for Americans without local employment.
The visa is built around Spain’s IPREM income index, requiring proof of 400 percent of the annual figure for the main applicant, plus additional amounts for each family member. Retired couples tend to land somewhere comfortable on a modest budget. Most retired couples live comfortably on €2,800 to €3,500 per month, depending on the region. One thing has changed recently though: Spain officially terminated its Golden Visa program on April 3, 2025, under Organic Law 1/2025. Real estate investment no longer buys residency here, which has pushed even more people toward the income based route.
Greece
Greece sits at a lower price point than much of Western Europe, which is exactly why it keeps showing up on relocation shortlists. Living in Greece is about 53 percent less expensive than in the U.S. according to cost of living data, and that gap holds even in popular areas near Athens and the coast. More than 20,000 American expats are estimated to live permanently in Greece after moving from the United States.
Remote workers have a clear path in. At least €3,500 in monthly income after taxes is required to qualify for the digital nomad visa. Beyond the entry requirements, Greece sweetens the deal with a tax incentive rarely matched elsewhere in the region: qualifying newcomers who shift their tax residence can access a fifty percent income tax reduction for several years, on top of a public healthcare system that many retirees describe as surprisingly capable for the price.
Italy
Italy’s appeal has always been cultural as much as financial, but the numbers still matter. The country introduced a digital nomad visa aimed squarely at remote professionals who don’t want to work for an Italian employer. Italy’s income threshold sits at €2,700 a month, one of the more accessible figures among the major European programs, alongside comparable minimums in Croatia and Spain.
Life outside the tourist centers of Rome, Florence, and Milan tends to cost considerably less than the postcard version of Italy suggests. Smaller cities in regions like Puglia, Umbria, and Abruzzo offer the same quality of food and healthcare access at a fraction of the rent found in the north. For Americans willing to trade proximity to major airports for a quieter pace, Italy still delivers a version of the good life that’s hard to replicate on a similar budget back home.
Croatia
Croatia has quietly built one of the more attractive digital nomad setups in Europe, largely because of its tax treatment. The program allows remote workers, freelancers, and online business owners from outside the EU or EEA to legally live in Croatia for up to a year, while paying no local income tax on foreign earnings. That exemption alone can be worth thousands of dollars annually compared to countries that tax worldwide income from day one.
The income bar has risen with wages, though it remains reasonable by European standards. The most recent annual update lifted the required income from €3,295 a month to €3,622.50 a month, tracking the rise in Croatia’s average net salary. Coastal cities like Split and Dubrovnik run pricier in summer, but a one bedroom apartment in the city center typically costs around €600 to €800 a month, which still undercuts equivalent rent in most mid sized American cities by a wide margin.
Hungary
Hungary rarely tops the glossy expat magazine lists, which might be exactly why it works so well for people trying to stretch a fixed income. Hungary is 40 to 50 percent cheaper than the USA overall, with everyday expenses like groceries, rent, and transportation costing noticeably less. Budapest, the obvious hub for most American arrivals, still manages to feel like a proper European capital rather than a budget compromise.
The gap becomes even clearer when broken down by category. Compared to Hungary, the US costs 43 percent more without rent factored in, and nearly 53 percent more once monthly rent is included. A single person living in Budapest can expect monthly costs of roughly €645 before rent, with a centrally located one bedroom apartment adding around €615 on top, numbers that would barely cover a studio deposit in many American coastal cities.
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