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The best country in Europe for most Americans to move to is Portugal, followed by Spain and Cyprus, if you judge them on what it takes to get a residence visa, what life costs once you’re there, and how far English will get you. Portugal’s passive-income visa asks for €920 a month, its prices are below the EU average and it ranks sixth in the world for English. Spain is a strong choice for remote workers, and Hungary is the cheapest place to live on our list by a wide margin.
This is a plan-B ranking for Americans looking at southern Europe: seven countries, compared on official visa thresholds, Eurostat price levels and English proficiency, with the trade-offs that should decide your shortlist.
How we ranked
We scored each country on three things you can check: the income its main visas require, its price level, and English proficiency.
- Visa income: the official threshold for a passive-income route and a remote-work route, from each government or consulate.
- Cost: Eurostat’s 2025 price level for actual individual consumption, where the EU average is 100 (Eurostat).
- English: EF’s 2025 English Proficiency Index (EF), a private index widely used for comparison.
US citizens can visit all seven countries visa-free for short stays (EU visa list), so the ranking is about living there. The order reflects our judgement on these measures for a typical American retiree or remote worker; your own priorities may reorder it.
Compared at a glance
| Country | Passive-income route | Remote-work route | Price level (EU = 100) | English (EF rank) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | D7: €920 a month | €3,680 a month | 85.3 | 6th |
| Spain | Non-lucrative: €28,800 a year | €2,442 a month | 91.1 | 36th |
| Cyprus | Category F: €9,568 a year | €3,500 a month net | 91.6 | 40th |
| Greece | No official figure found | Reported €3,500 a month | 84.0 | 20th |
| Italy | Elective residence: about €31,000 a year | About €24,789 a year | 98.0 | 59th |
| Hungary | Not covered here | €3,000 a month net | 71.6 | 22nd |
| Malta | Programme-based | €42,000 a year | 95.8 | Not ranked by EF |
The ranking
1Portugal
Portugal’s passive-income visa bar is €920 a month in 2026, tied to the minimum wage, the lowest on our list after Cyprus’s Category F (Ministry of Labour). Its price level is 85.3, and EF ranks it sixth in the world for English. The trade-offs are Lisbon rents and a public health service short of family doctors. Retirees should start with the D7 visa.
2Spain
Spain is a strong option for remote workers: its digital nomad visa starts at €2,442 a month and eligible remote employees can opt into the Beckham regime, 24% on work income up to €600,000 (Ley 35/2006, article 93). For retirees it’s harder, since a single non-lucrative applicant needs €28,800 of yearly income (Real Decreto 1155/2024) and must live in Spain most of each year to renew. Prices sit about 9% below the EU average. Remote workers can compare routes in our Spain digital nomad visa guide.
3Cyprus
Cyprus offers a low passive-income route: the Category F permit needs secured income from abroad of €9,568 a year, plus €4,613 for each dependant, and doesn’t allow work in Cyprus (Cyprus Migration Department). Remote workers need €3,500 a month after tax for its digital nomad permit (Cyprus). Prices are close to Spain’s, at 91.6.
4Greece
Greece has the second-lowest prices on our list, at 84.0, and ranks 20th for English. Its digital nomad visa is reported to need €3,500 a month from work for employers or clients abroad; the foreign ministry’s page was unavailable to us, so confirm the figure with a consulate. We found no official income figure for its financially independent person visa, so confirm the current amount with a Greek consulate before planning around it.
5Italy
Italy is the most expensive of the large southern countries, at 98.0, and its elective residence visa asks about €31,000 a year per applicant at consulates that publish a figure (Boston consulate). In return it offers foreign pensioners a 7% flat tax for moving to small southern towns. English is weaker, at 59th.
6Hungary
Hungary is by far the cheapest country on our list, at 71.6 on Eurostat’s index, and ranks 22nd for English. Its White Card for digital nomads needs at least €3,000 a month net, shown for the six months before entry (Hungarian immigration authority). It’s the outlier in climate and language, and we haven’t covered a passive-income route for retirees here. Our guide to safety in Budapest covers the scams visitors meet.
7Malta
Malta is widely English-speaking but asks one of the highest remote-work incomes: its Nomad Residence Permit needs €42,000 a year in gross income for applications since April 2024 (Residency Malta). Prices are near the EU average, at 95.8, and retirees use tax-based programmes whose current terms we haven’t verified. Day-to-day risks, from Paceville bars to strong currents, are covered in our guide to safety in Malta.
Which country is right for you
Match the country to how you’ll fund your life abroad.
- Retiring on Social Security and savings: Portugal first, then Cyprus; Spain if your income clears €28,800 a year.
- Working remotely for a US employer: Spain, for a low bar and the Beckham tax option, then Italy or Portugal if you qualify.
- Living as cheaply as possible: Hungary, then Greece and Portugal.
- English above all: Portugal, which ranks sixth worldwide on EF’s index, or Malta.
Wherever you go, you’ll keep filing US taxes, and Medicare generally won’t cover you abroad, so build healthcare and tax advice into the plan. The US-specific guides for Portugal and Spain cover those questions for the top two.
Frequently asked questions
What Americans ask when choosing a European country.
What is the easiest European country for Americans to move to?
On income requirements, Portugal: its D7 visa asks for €920 a month in 2026. Cyprus’s Category F permit is also low, at €9,568 a year.
Which European country is cheapest for Americans?
Hungary, at 71.6 on Eurostat’s 2025 price index, followed by Greece at 84.0 and Portugal at 85.3.
Can Americans retire in Europe on Social Security?
In Portugal and Cyprus, often yes, as their passive-income thresholds are low. Spain and Italy ask for far more.
Which of these countries is best for English speakers?
Portugal ranks sixth in the world on EF’s English index, the highest of the countries EF ranks here. Malta isn’t ranked by EF but is widely English-speaking.
Do Americans need a visa to live in Europe?
Yes. US citizens can visit visa-free for short stays, but living in any of these countries needs a national visa or residence permit.
Which country is best for American remote workers?
Spain is a strong option, with a digital nomad visa from €2,442 a month and an optional flat-rate tax regime for eligible remote employees.
The best country for an American move depends on how you’ll pay for it: Portugal for low passive-income bars and English, Spain for remote work, Cyprus and Greece for lower costs with sunshine, and Hungary for the cheapest life of all. Shortlist two, check their current visa figures, and get tax and healthcare advice before you commit.
Sources
- Price level indices for household consumption (prc_ppp_ind_1)
- EF English Proficiency Index 2025
- Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (visa list), Annex II
- Immigration permits (Category F)
- Digital nomads and family members
- Working in Greece as a digital nomad
- White Card: digital nomad residence
- Nomad Residence Permit: eligibility
- Elective residency visa (Boston)
- Real Decreto 1155/2024 (Immigration Regulation)
- Telework visa (Washington)
- Ley 35/2006 (Personal Income Tax Act), article 93
- Digital nomad and remote worker visa 2026 (Washington)
- Decreto Regulamentar 84/2007 as republished by Decreto Regulamentar 4/2022
- Guaranteed minimum monthly wage for 2026
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Immigration and tax rules change often and depend on your circumstances. Check the official sources above and speak to a licensed professional before you apply or move. Read how we research and review in our editorial guidelines.