Best European Cities for Expats
English-friendly, well-connected, not bankrupt. The spreadsheet for people who just moved and can't read the electricity bill.
Copenhagen
DenmarkEnglish: Very High, 245 Mbps, $1970/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Porto
PortugalEnglish: Very High, 226 Mbps, $1297/mo rent. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Gothenburg
SwedenEnglish: Very High, 163 Mbps, $1080/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Rotterdam
NetherlandsEnglish: Very High, 141 Mbps, $1805/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Lisbon
PortugalEnglish: Very High, 238 Mbps, $1616/mo rent. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Bucharest
RomaniaEnglish: High, 255 Mbps, $619/mo rent. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Stockholm
SwedenEnglish: Very High, 190 Mbps, $1816/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
The Hague
NetherlandsEnglish: Very High, $1548/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Vienna
AustriaEnglish: Very High, 101 Mbps, $1303/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Berlin
GermanyEnglish: Very High, 128 Mbps, $1550/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Athens
GreeceEnglish: Very High, $737/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Amsterdam
NetherlandsEnglish: Very High, 122 Mbps, $2602/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Malmo
SwedenEnglish: Very High, $1092/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Prague
Czech RepublicEnglish: High, 137 Mbps, $1228/mo rent. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Hamburg
GermanyEnglish: Very High, $1359/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Tallinn
EstoniaEnglish: High, 112 Mbps, $816/mo rent. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Edinburgh
United KingdomEnglish: Very High, $1620/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Manchester
United KingdomEnglish: Very High, 102 Mbps, $1703/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Munich
GermanyEnglish: Very High, $1678/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Marseille
FranceEnglish: Moderate, 169 Mbps, $902/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Krakow
PolandEnglish: High, $976/mo rent. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Warsaw
PolandEnglish: High, 109 Mbps, $1224/mo rent. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Zurich
SwitzerlandEnglish: High, 213 Mbps, $3006/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Lyon
FranceEnglish: Moderate, 146 Mbps, $972/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Dublin
IrelandEnglish: Very High, $2522/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Paris
FranceEnglish: Moderate, 173 Mbps, $1604/mo rent, full democracy. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Budapest
HungaryEnglish: High, $918/mo rent. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Faro
PortugalEnglish: Very High, $1077/mo rent. The bureaucracy might still be hell, but at least it's in English.
Split
CroatiaEnglish: Very High, $1077/mo rent. You'll figure it out. Probably.
Valencia
SpainEnglish: Moderate, $1429/mo rent, full democracy. You'll figure it out. Probably.
Madrid
SpainEnglish: Moderate, $1498/mo rent, full democracy. You'll figure it out. Probably.
Seville
SpainEnglish: Moderate, $980/mo rent, full democracy. You'll figure it out. Probably.
London
United KingdomEnglish: Very High, $3000/mo rent, full democracy. You'll figure it out. Probably.
Belgrade
SerbiaEnglish: High, $904/mo rent. You'll figure it out. Probably.
Malaga
SpainEnglish: Moderate, $1392/mo rent, full democracy. You'll figure it out. Probably.
Tenerife
SpainEnglish: Moderate, $1217/mo rent, full democracy. You'll figure it out. Probably.
Nice
FranceEnglish: Moderate, $1176/mo rent, full democracy. You'll figure it out. Probably.
Rome
ItalyEnglish: Moderate, $1355/mo rent. You'll figure it out. Probably.
Barcelona
SpainEnglish: Moderate, $1712/mo rent, full democracy. You'll figure it out. Probably.
Milan
ItalyEnglish: Moderate, $1737/mo rent. You'll figure it out. Probably.
Florence
ItalyEnglish: Moderate, $1316/mo rent. You'll figure it out. Probably.
Istanbul
TurkeyEnglish: Low, $1070/mo rent. You'll figure it out. Probably.
Saint Petersburg
RussiaEnglish: Low, $908/mo rent. You'll figure it out. Probably.
Moscow
RussiaEnglish: Low, $1499/mo rent. You'll figure it out. Probably.
Data: Numbeo · UNODC · EIU · World Bank · EF EPI · Ookla Speedtest
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best city in Europe for expats in 2026?▾
Copenhagen (Denmark) leads our Expat Rankings with a score of 84/100. That covers English proficiency, internet speed, safety, democracy, and affordability — the five things that determine whether you'll survive your first week.
Top 5 cities for expats in Europe?▾
#1 Copenhagen (84/100), #2 Porto (84/100), #3 Gothenburg (84/100), #4 Rotterdam (82/100), #5 Lisbon (82/100). Weighted toward English and connectivity, because dealing with bureaucracy in a foreign language over dial-up is nobody's idea of a fresh start.
Where in Europe can expats get by in English?▾
Copenhagen (Denmark) — English proficiency: Very High. You'll still embarrass yourself ordering coffee, but at least the doctor will understand "it hurts here."
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