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With the rising cost of living back home, millions of Americans have got their eyes set on Europe––that’s particularly the case if they’re running an online business and are location-independent.
Now that many European countries have loosened entry and stay regulations for digital nomads and have gone as far as launching visas that facilitate their relocation, 2025 might well be the year you finally take that big Transatlantic leap.
Still, there are 44 countries in the Old Continent, and not all of them offer a high quality of life and tax-friendly regimes compared to the U.S.
If you’ve been hoping somebody would narrow it down for you, you can thank folks over at VisaGuideWorld for coming up with the top 5 countries in Europe based on their cost of living, internet speed, and digital nomad scores.
Oh, and if you think the United Kingdom, France, Italy and the like have made the cut, you’re in for a big surprise:
Portugal
A sun-drenched country squeezed between the much-larger Spain and the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal is the fifth highest-ranking digital nomad destination in Europe:
If you apply for their Digital Nomad Visa, which requires a minimum income of €3,548 per month, you’ll receive a six-month tax exemption and be allowed to stay for one year–with the possibility to renew it up to four times, for a maximum stay of five years.
Despite the elevated financial requirements, with the exception of Lisbon, the cost of living in Portugal is far lower: you can live on as little as US$2,087-a-month in the laid-back coastal city of Lagos, or $2,107 in the subtropical Madeira Island.
On top of that, it is one of the safest countries in the Western World right now:
As rife as pickpocketing and petty crime may be in certain urban centers, radicalization levels are low, and extremist attacks do not typically target it.
Romania
Coming in hot at number 4, Romania is not everyone’s first choice of a digital nomad hub, considering the harsh winters, but you’d be surprised at how pleasant it can be once the snow starts melting in the spring, especially during those balmy Eastern Balkan summers.
Bucharest is the largest city and a sprawling concrete jungle sprinkled with communist-era monuments and verdant parks, though it is far from being Romania’s best offer:
Timisoara is a cultural hotspot in the northwestern corner of the country, famous for its elegant Austrian-Hungarian architectureand scenic riverfront, whereas Constanta, on the Black Sea Coast, is an underrated casino hub boasting a vibrant nightlife.
As for our personal favorite, Brasov is a timeless medieval town famous for its postcardy Old Town, where cobbled streets are lined with quirky theme cafes and dominated by an eerily-Gothic, 14th-century Black Church.
It is also the gateway to historically significant regions associated with Vlad Dracul, or as you may know him from the legend, Count Dracula, an actual bloodthirsty king who’s never beaten the vampire allegations and whose Bran Castle is a short half-hour drive away.
Living in Romania, you can expect to pay up to 10% on personal income tax, and you even get a six-month exemption under the Digital Nomad Visa.
The financial threshold is on the higher end, at €3,300, but you can comfortably live in Timisoara for $1,975 per month or in Brasov for $2,657.
Hungary
Ranking at number 3, Hungary is a Central-Eastern European jewel boasting low levels of crime and irregular migration, high rates of social cohesion––it remains largely ethnically-Hungarian––and most importantly, affordable living.
When it comes to destinations, Budapest is truly Hungary’s tour de force:
A stately capital lining the fast-flowing Danube, it hosts a number of Europe’s most iconic architectural landmarks, from the red-dome Hungarian Parliament to the hilltop Buda Castle, and it’s a great home base year-round.
Whether it’s plunging into a naturally-heated pool to escape the winter chill in one of the city’s many ornate 19th-century saunas or strolling a lush-green Margaret Island in the scorching 90-degree summer, Budapest has plenty of tricks up its sleeve to keep you enthralled for months.
When it comes to prices, a meal in a locally-run restaurant away from the overpriced, touristy District V will cost you an average $10.46, while rent in the city center will set you back $669 monthly, as per Numbeo estimates.
In order to quality for the Hungary Digital Nomad Visa in 2025, you need to prove monthly earnings of over €2,000, in line with the overall cost of living in Budapest.
Montenegro
At the runner-up slot, we have a still-offbeat but rapidly rising Montenegro:
A small Balkan nation hugged by the teal-colored Adriatic Sea, it is considered by many an extension of Croatia, thanks to its Dalmatia-style stone-built seaside villages, fortified harbor cities, and slower-paced lifestyle.
The city of Kotor is arguably Montenegro’s most sought-after spot: a popular alternative to Dubrovnik, it has an intact, walled Old Town, and it’s paradise for cat lovers, with thousands of stray kittens populating its narrow, cobbled lanes and piazzas.
Over in Budva, you’ll find a quieter version of Kotor, without the usual early-afternoon cruise crowds, and a fairytale ancient stronghold sitting on a peninsula, and further down the coast, in Bar, a livelier social scene, exciting nightlife scenes, and Montenegro’s longest sandy beach await discovery.
One of Montenegro’s greatest appeals is the fact it is neither a member of the European Union, meaning it can set out its own, more-lax visa policies, nor of the Schengen Zone:
In other words, if you are not a resident of Europe, you do not have to worry about the irksome 90-day rule.
Additionally, the tax rate is between 9-11%, the minimum income requirement for foreign residents has been set at an affordable €1,350––no wonder there’s so many Serbs and Russians living there––and as it is a Mediterranean country, Montenegro enjoys mild temps all year!
Spain
The number one digital nomad haven both in Europe, and the world, ahead of long-time favorites like the UAE and the Bahamas, Spain has the perfect 5/5 score according to VisaGuideWorld, and it excels in all but one category:
Its average internet speed score is 77.70, only lower than that of the UAE (which scores a perfect 100). The adjusted minimum income requirement for foreign residents is €2,140. It has great healthcare, is (largely) inexpensive to live in, and…
You get slapped with 24% taxes, and that’s if you’re in the lower income bracket––but hey, you can’t have everything.
We’d argue forfeiting a significant portion of your income is a fair-enough trade-off for Barcelona’s palm tree-flanked sandy coast and culturally rich Gothic Quarter, Valencia’s near-uninterrupted sunshine, or Mallorca’s turquoise calas and rolling vineyards.
Besides the high taxes, some would argue that the lower levels of safety in densely populated conurbations, especially in exceedingly touristy cities, are Spain’s biggest downside: for instance, U.S. authorities urge Americans to exercise ‘increased caution’ due to crime.
That being said, most residents would consider Spain a safe, and prosperous country to live in, regardless of the ongoing geopolitical crises, and rising criminality, which remains at manageable levels (versus most of the Global South).
Vinicius Costa
Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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