Best Cities For Expats In Central Europe part 2 – Part one is here.
Europe is a prime destination for expatriates who want to experience different cultures and ways of living. But which European cities provide the best quality of life, high salaries, and a safe environment?
While it’s true that most people would rather live in London or Paris, those places are notoriously expensive and stressful. If you want to become part of the European community while still enjoying a comfortable life, you might be better off somewhere else – but where?
To answer that question, we’ll be looking at ten Central European cities. And when it comes to whether or not they’re safe to live in, one only needs to take a look at the Global Peace Index and Europe’s crime rate. According to the GPI, here are the best cities for expats in Central Europe
Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic, which was voted the second safest country in Europe in 2013 by the U.K.’s Telegraph. That makes sense considering that it has one of the lowest murder rates in Europe, with only 10 murders per 100,000 people (compare that to New York City).
The Czech Republic also has plenty of other attractions, including historical buildings and gothic churches. And it’s much cheaper than living in wealthier Western European countries – rent, for example, is extremely affordable.
Czech citizens are also highly educated, with over half the population attending college. This means that if you’re looking for a highly skilled workforce, you might want to check out Prague.
Warsaw is the capital of Poland and is also centrally located in Europe, making it a very easy place for expatriates to travel around on business or vacation. It’s one of the safest cities in Europe – only ten murders per 100,000 people – and rent is extremely affordable.
Although Poland isn’t one of the wealthiest countries in Europe, most people are able to find jobs with ease. Between January and September of 2019, only around 47,000 Poles were unemployed. And if you’re looking for a highly skilled workforce, Warsaw has its fair share of college graduates too.
The Austrian capital, Vienna, is another rather pristine place that’s not too expensive to live in. It has a high employment rate with only around 7 percent of the population out of work. And it’s one of Europe’s safest cities, with only 10 cases of murder per 100,000 people each year.
However, don’t let these statistics fool you – Austria is one of the wealthier countries in Europe. That being said, it still isn’t as expensive to live there since rent is inexpensive compared to other Western European cities.
Hungary’s capital city, Budapest, was ranked by Mercer’s 2017 Cost of Living Survey as one of the “most expensive cities in the world.” However, most Hungary is relatively affordable to Western Europeans looking to settle down.
Though it’s not as safe as other countries on this list (with around 17 murders per 100,000 people), but Budapest still has extremely low unemployment, and most Hungarians are literate and well-educated.
Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, is also one of Europe’s safest cities, with only 16 cases of murder per 100,000 people annually. It was ranked as the European Union’s “most livable city” in 2010 by Monocle magazine due to its high standard of living.
Denmark has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, partly due to its healthy and nutritious diet. It also has a very educated population, with around 85 percent of people attending college. And as far as rent goes, it’s cheaper than living in other Western European cities.
Finnish cities tend to be relatively safe with low crime rates, and Helsinki is no exception. It has a particularly low murder rate at only 12 per 100,000 people. Finland is also ranked as one of the best countries in the world for quality of life, partly due its excellent education system.
Around 73 percent of Finns have attended college, and its literacy rate is about 100 percent. And since Finland has a relatively large land area, there’s plenty of wilderness to explore if you’re bored with city life.
Germany’s capital city, Berlin, has perhaps one of the most interesting histories of all European cities – from being divided during the Cold War to being the center of the notorious Nazi regime. But these days, it’s a very safe place – Berlin has the lowest homicide rate in Germany.
Berlin has also become rather trendy lately thanks to its various cultural events and thriving startup scene. It ranks relatively high on several livability indexes, including Mercer’s 2017 Quality of Living Survey, which ranked it as the ninth-best city in the world to live in. Most importantly, however, it’s a very affordable place to live, with rent much cheaper than other Western European capitals.
Brussels is home to one of the most important political centers in the world, as well as NATO and the European Union. It also has one of the highest employment rates in Europe, with only 7 percent of its population unemployed.
Belgium is perhaps one of the best countries you can live in as far as education goes. The literacy rate there is a whopping 99 percent, and it’s ranked as having the second-best school system on the planet. It also has a pretty healthy diet, though it does have a high rate of obesity. But the main reason this city is so great? It has affordable rent.
Slovenia’s capital city, Ljubljana, was named one of the greenest cities in Europe by Greenpeace because of how environmentally sustainable it is. It also has a low murder rate at only 11 per 100,000 people.
Slovenia’s health care system is ranked as the best in the world – it spends more money on its citizens’ health than any other country. Slovenia even has free access to abortion and emergency contraception for all women over 18 years old. And because it’s such a small country, its cost of living is also relatively low.
Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia, is perhaps the most affordable place to live on this list – it ranks as having one of the most affordable rental markets and property taxes in Europe. Plus, Slovakian food is healthier than the Western European diet.
Slovakia has a much lower homicide rate at only 10 per 100,000 people, and it also has a decent health care system. The literacy rate there is surprisingly high – 99 percent of Slovaks can read and write. And if you’re looking for a country with a rich historical background, Slovakia is an excellent choice – it has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country in the world.
Well, most of it sits on the border between temperate and continental climate zones. This means that temperatures do vary across countries, but they are usually cool enough for you to need a coat most of the time, even in summer. If your fun idea includes having sunshine at least some of the time, this is not really the place for you.
Pretty good! Germany, in particular, is known for its beer and sausages. You can get both pretty much anywhere in the region. As for the rest of it, there are some countries where you might be disappointed. But take heart – even if your national cuisine didn’t make it to the region, you can still probably find it in one of the neighboring countries.
For most people who live outside the region, Central Europe is quite reasonably priced. There are some more expensive places to visit. Still, on average, your travel expenses will be lower than they would be for other European destinations – some of them even rival Asian countries in that respect.
Living in Central Europe can be an enriching experience. The varied history, culture, and gastronomy have all made the countries of Central Europe into fabulous destinations for those wishing to live abroad. However, it’s essential to know the best cities suitable for you to live in. You can refer to this guide for more.
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