Living costs in Europe vary enormously. According to Eurostat's price level data, consumer prices in the most expensive EU countries are more than double those in the cheapest, and rents vary even more. The good news for people on a budget, remote workers and retirees is that several European countries offer safe cities, good healthcare and rich culture for a fraction of what life costs in London, Paris, Amsterdam or Zurich. This guide ranks nine of the cheapest countries to live in Europe in 2026, with realistic monthly budgets for a single person including rent.

The budgets below are typical ranges drawn from rental listings and crowdsourced data such as Numbeo. They assume a one-bedroom apartment in the capital unless stated, eating mostly at home, and public transport.

1. Bulgaria

Bulgaria has long been the EU's cheapest country for consumer prices. On January 1, 2026, it adopted the euro, becoming the 21st member of the euro area, according to the European Central Bank. A single person can live in Sofia on roughly €900 to €1,200 a month; a one-bedroom apartment in the centre typically costs €450 to €650. Plovdiv and Varna are cheaper still. Bulgaria's flat 10% income tax is a further draw. The trade-offs are lower salaries, uneven public services and bureaucracy.

2. Romania

Romania combines low costs with one of Europe's fastest-growing tech sectors, centred on Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca and Iași. Budget about €950 to €1,300 a month in Bucharest, less in smaller cities such as Brașov or Timișoara. Internet speeds are among the fastest in Europe. Romania uses the leu and is a full member of the Schengen area since January 2025.

3. Serbia

Serbia is outside the EU but a candidate for membership. Belgrade and Novi Sad offer lively cafés, nightlife and a growing IT sector, with single-person budgets of roughly €800 to €1,100 a month. Citizens of many countries can stay visa-free for up to 90 days in a 180-day period; longer stays need a temporary residence permit, usually based on work, business or property. Serbia uses the dinar.

4. Hungary

Budapest is one of Europe's most beautiful capitals, with thermal baths, a strong food scene and excellent public transport. Expect about €1,000 to €1,350 a month, with central one-bedroom apartments at €500 to €750. Hungary has a flat 15% personal income tax and uses the forint. Debrecen, Szeged and Pécs are cheaper alternatives.

5. Poland

Poland offers modern infrastructure, a booming economy and cities such as Kraków, Wrocław and Gdańsk with high quality of life. Warsaw is the most expensive, at roughly €1,200 to €1,600 a month including rent; smaller cities cost less. Poland uses the złoty. Its large IT sector hires many English speakers, and many foreign contractors work as sole traders.

6. Latvia

Riga combines Art Nouveau architecture, a compact old town and Baltic seaside at Jūrmala with moderate prices. A single person can live on about €1,000 to €1,300 a month. Latvia uses the euro and has a well-developed digital government. Winters are long and dark, which is the main complaint among newcomers.

7. Czechia

Prague is more expensive than the rest of Central Europe, and rents have risen quickly, but Brno, Olomouc and Ostrava remain affordable. Budget roughly €1,300 to €1,700 a month in Prague and €1,000 to €1,300 in Brno. Czechia uses the koruna and offers excellent public transport and some of Europe's lowest crime rates.

8. Greece

Outside Athens and the famous islands, Greece is good value. Thessaloniki, Patras, Ioannina and Heraklion offer Mediterranean living for around €1,000 to €1,400 a month. Greece has a digital nomad visa and a financially independent person visa, and a 50% income tax reduction for seven years for some new tax residents who move their employment there, per Greece's tax authority AADE. Salaries are low, so it suits people with foreign income.

9. Portugal (outside Lisbon)

Lisbon has become expensive, but smaller Portuguese cities such as Braga, Coimbra, Viseu and Évora still offer Western European quality of life at moderate cost: roughly €1,100 to €1,500 a month. Portugal has mild weather, a safe environment and accessible visas for remote workers and people with passive income. See our Portugal cost of living guide for details.

Honourable mentions

Several non-EU countries in the Western Balkans are cheaper still. North Macedonia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina offer capital-city living for well under €1,000 a month, with Albania allowing citizens of some countries, including the US, to stay visa-free for up to a year. Montenegro, which uses the euro, has become popular on its Adriatic coast. Georgia, on Europe's edge, is another low-cost favourite with remote workers.

Cheap but not always easy

Low costs usually come with lower local wages. If you plan to work for a local employer, compare salaries as well as prices: in Bulgaria and Romania, average net salaries are a fraction of those in Germany or France, according to Eurostat earnings data. These countries are most affordable for people earning from abroad — remote workers, retirees with pensions, and people with savings.

Other practical points:

  • Language: English is widely spoken by younger people in capitals, but less so in smaller towns and in public offices.
  • Healthcare: public systems vary in quality; many expats buy private insurance, which is inexpensive in most of these countries.
  • Residence rules: EU citizens can move freely within the EU; non-EU citizens need a visa or residence permit for stays beyond 90 days in the Schengen area. Serbia has its own rules.
  • Currency: Bulgaria, Latvia, Greece and Portugal use the euro; Romania, Hungary, Poland, Czechia and Serbia have their own currencies, which can move against the euro.
  • Heating: winters in Central and Eastern Europe are cold, so ask about heating costs and insulation before signing a lease.

How to choose

If you want the lowest possible costs inside the EU, Bulgaria and Romania are hard to beat. If you want a big, cultured capital at moderate cost, look at Budapest or Warsaw. For a Mediterranean climate, consider Greek cities beyond Athens or Portugal outside Lisbon. Visit in winter as well as summer before committing, and compare several cities within your chosen country — the gap between the capital and the second city is often bigger than the gap between countries.

Our cost of living comparison lets you compare typical monthly costs across the countries in our database side by side.