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    Whether you’re looking for fun and sun, a peaceful retirement, or the chance to earn some extra income, you’ve got a real world of opportunity open to you… In short, we’ve done our best to narrow down your best options, but only you can decide the right country for you.

    • Spain
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    How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

    The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

    Super Cheap

    • Chitré, Panama
    • Santa Marta, Colombia
    • Phuket, Thailand
    • Dumaguete, The Philippines

    Cheap

    • Medellin, Colombia
    • Boquete, Panama
    • Kyrenia, Cyprus
    • Hua Hin, Thailand
    • The Algarve, Portugal

    Affordable

    • Valencia, Spain
    • Cascais, Portugal
    • Las Terrenas, The DR
    • Pisa, Italy
    • La Rochelle, France
    • Mazatlán, Mexico

    Luxury

    • Ambergris Caye, Belize
    • Kotor, Montenegro
    • The Panama City Beaches
    • Paris, France
  • Resources

    Global Living

    • Living & Retiring Overseas
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  • Home
  • Countries

    Top Destinations:

    Whether you’re looking for fun and sun, a peaceful retirement, or the chance to earn some extra income, you’ve got a real world of opportunity open to you… In short, we’ve done our best to narrow down your best options, but only you can decide the right country for you.

    • Spain
    • Portugal
    • Panama
    • Belize
    • Colombia
    • Cyprus
    • Mexico
    • France
    • Montenegro
    • Browse All Countries

    Best For:

    • The Best Places To Retire
    • Health Care Abroad
    • Cost Of Living
    • Investing in Real Estate
    • Establishing Residency
    • Gun Laws In The World
    • English-Speaking Countries
    • Safest Places For Retirement
    • Best Places In Latin America
  • Budgets

    How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

    The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

    Super Cheap

    • Chitré, Panama
    • Santa Marta, Colombia
    • Phuket, Thailand
    • Dumaguete, The Philippines

    Cheap

    • Medellin, Colombia
    • Boquete, Panama
    • Kyrenia, Cyprus
    • Hua Hin, Thailand
    • The Algarve, Portugal

    Affordable

    • Valencia, Spain
    • Cascais, Portugal
    • Las Terrenas, The DR
    • Pisa, Italy
    • La Rochelle, France
    • Mazatlán, Mexico

    Luxury

    • Ambergris Caye, Belize
    • Kotor, Montenegro
    • The Panama City Beaches
    • Paris, France
  • Resources

    Global Living

    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore & Diversification

    Making Money

    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing

    Follow Us:

    • Meet Our Experts
  • Real Estate

    Buying Real Estate For Cashflow

    • Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

    Explore Our Latest Posts

    • Learn how to invest and purchase property abroad…

    Go To The Overseas Property Alert Site

    • How To Become Independently Wealthy And Fund The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams
  • Conferences

    Upcoming Events

    • Explore Our Events Site

    Live and Invest In Spain Conference

    Offshore Wealth Summit

    Greece Workshop

    VALENCIA, SPAIN

    Sep. 17-19, 2025

    PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

    Oct. 15-17, 2025

    VIRTUAL

    Nov. 13, 2025

    Learn More About This Event
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    PRE-REGISTER
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    Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
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    From Outside North America:
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    Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

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    Your passport to a life well-lived abroad

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    overseas living letter offers affordable retirement guidance
    The Simon Letter Wealth Protection Insights
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    Our Customer Service team is here to assist with any questions or concerns CustomerService@LiveandInvestOverseas.com

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Home In Focus: Europe

11 Reasons To Live In Europe

by Kat Kalashian
May 14, 2025
in In Focus: Europe
0 0
The Château de Chaumont castle in Chaumont-sur-Loire, Loir-et-Cher, France, History, Culture, And Architecure just one of the reasons to live in europe

History, Culture, And Architecure just one of the reasons to live in europe AdobeStock/Michael Evans

Why Live In Europe? 

It’s been a while since I considered the question…

Let’s take a step back today and reconsider Europe from a broader perspective.

Why should anyone want to live in Europe? Here are the top 11 reasons  I can think of…

1. Café Culture

Most European cities have some sort of café culture, which lends a unique social feeling to a place. It means that most residents stop by a café at least once a day, even if just for a coffee. They usually have a regular haunt and get to know the staff and neighbors this way.

Plus, even in cold cities, many cafés have outdoor seating year-round, offering patrons heat lamps and blankets. It’s lovely to be able to enjoy the outdoors even when it’s nippy out, and I think it promotes activity during times of year when you’re otherwise mostly indoors and sedentary.

2. Art

I admit that I am unusually fond of art, having studied art history, but nearly everyone in Europe has a serious appreciation for the arts. Museums and galleries are plentiful, as are historical sites and monuments.

When it comes to theater and music, even small European cities—even small towns—give a decent amount of attention to the arts. Even if you’re not a diehard museum- or opera-goer, you’re likely to appreciate this aspect of European culture, perhaps if only for the architecture that is conceived to house it.

3. Architecture

No matter where you base yourself in Europe, the architecture is sure to please. From the steep pitched rooves of the Alps and the wooden beams of the north to the lavish balconies of the Mediterranean… plus the grandiose capital cities… whatever your taste, you’ll find some part of the Continent charming.

If you enjoy architecture, there’s nothing better than getting to know Europe through its buildings.

4. History

The art and architecture that Europe boasts is, of course, due to its long history… from paleolithic to Roman and from monarchies to the 20th century, every corner of this part of the world has some history to share. You’ll be shocked at how much is packed into even the most seemingly out-of-the-way places.

5. Range Of Climates

Whatever kind of climate you find ideal, you’ll be able to find it in Europe. Whether it’s year-round heat, four seasons, or consistently mild temperatures you’re looking for, you can have your new home tailored to your specifications.

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6. Diverse Geography

Beaches, mountains, small towns, countryside, cosmopolitan cities, modern cities, historical cities, islands… there’s really no kind of lifestyle you can’t find somewhere on the Continent.

7. Downsizing

Everything over here is smaller, which means you’ll have to do some serious downsizing to live here comfortably. Personally, I struggle with this, but I also find it more satisfying to be economical with space, purchases, and possessions than to have more space that allows us to get lazy and indulgent on this front.

8. Travel Hub

If regular travel is a goal for you, there’s no better travel base than Europe. Within the Continent, travel is fast, easy, and usually affordable. To get to the rest of the world, connections are plentiful and you’re kind of in the center of things distance-wise.

9. Well-Kept Spaces

This one’s a little particular, but Europe is generally quite regulated and money is spent on maintenance.

In practice this means that, for example, you rarely see litter on the ground; streets and sidewalks are well maintained—you don’t expect cracks or potholes, and when they come up, they are swiftly repaired; buildings and facades in cities and many towns are strictly regulated, meaning they must be regularly cleaned and painted (according to the local style); green spaces are typically abundant, and they usually offer amenities, like playgrounds, picnic tables, grills, and fitness equipment.

10. Joie de Vivre

This is a cliché, but Americans live to work and Europeans work to live. It takes living overseas to really understand how unique the American work ethic is in the world. No other culture prizes work so highly, and once you learn to internalize and appreciate this way of life, it’s liberating… and it feels much healthier.

11. Cost Of Living

OK, this one is variable, but your cost of living in some parts of Europe can be drastically more affordable than you might imagine. If you’re looking for a rural or small-town lifestyle, it would be pretty easy to reduce your cost of living, depending on where you’re coming from.

These are just the top-of-my-head responses that are my top priorities, but there are plenty more reasons to  live in Europe…

Bonne route, 

Kat Kalashian signature Kat Kalashian
Editor, In Focus: Europe

Tags: 'best places to retire overseas''Expats Overseas'americans in europeAt Home AbroadEurope Virtual Conferencelife in europelive in europeMove to Europeretire in europe
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Kat Kalashian

Kat Kalashian

Kat Kalashian has grown up around the world, living in the United States, Ireland, France, and Panama, and has traveled extensively in her few years. Growing up as a young expat she is familiar with the trials and tribulations of an overseas move and the adjustments that must be made in every new destination. After living in Panama for seven years, she and her husband relocated back to Paris, France, in 2018 where they now live full-time with their American-born cat, Panamanian-born dog, and two French-born daughters. She's now been living in Paris for over 10 cumulative years, and enjoys being able to explore France and the rest of Europe at every opportunity. As head of Live And Invest Overseas’ European Division, she is Editorial Director of Europe Uncovered, a monthly subscription service, MCs the Europe based Live And Invest Conferences, and scouts out new locations for coverage on the Continent.

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Top Countries

  • Spain
  • Portugal
  • Panama
  • Belize
  • Colombia
  • Cyprus
  • Mexico
  • France
  • Montenegro

Best For:

  • Health Care Abroad
  • Retirement Living
  • Cost Of Living
  • Investing in Real Estate
  • Establishing Residency
  • Gun Ownership
  • English Speakers
  • Safety
BROWSE ALL COUNTRIES

Budgets

How Much Will It Cost
To Live Overseas?

Super Cheap

  • Chitré, Panama
  • Santa Marta, Colombia
  • Phuket, Thailand
  • Dumaguete, The Philippines

Cheap

  • Medellin, Colombia
  • Boquete, Panama
  • Kyrenia, Cyprus
  • Hua Hin, Thailand
  • The Algarve, Portugal

Affordable

  • Valencia, Spain
  • Cascais, Portugal
  • Las Terrenas, The DR
  • Pisa, Italy
  • La Rochelle, France
  • Mazatlán, Mexico

Luxury

  • Ambergris Caye, Belize
  • Kotor, Montenegro
  • The Panama City Beaches
  • Paris, France

Resources

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