How to Live in Europe for Under $1000 a Month
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Once upon a time (long before the days of remote or hybrid work became the norm), I sat at an office job and wondered what it would be like to live abroad.
I googled “how to make money online” and decided to put up a freelance writing gig on Fiverr. It seemed silly at first, especially as days passed with no interest in my services but one day I woke up to see 5 orders in my queue! As I started working on these projects, more and more orders kept piling up.
My plan was working. So, I went with it. I quit my job and booked a one-way ticket to Europe. Admittedly, I didn’t have the savings or the stability to make this an “easy” move but I did it anyways.
Yes, you can become location-independent without a ton of money. All you need is $1000 a month.
And to prove it to you, I’ve put together this guide that will teach you exactly how you can live luxuriously abroad on a backpacker’s budget.
Step 1: Learn How to Make Money Online
If you plan on traveling long-term, this step is essential.
How you earn a living online depends on your specific skill set. Nowadays, there are a ton of companies hiring remote workers, in a variety of industries. To find them, join industry-specific Facebook groups, search for remote jobs on LinkedIn and check out weworkremotely.com - in my opinion, this is the best website to find remote work.
You could even start your own blog or eCommerce site. I was able to make over $2,500 in my first four months of blogging alone. Check out my in-depth tutorial here and sign up for a free trial of Squarespace.
Step 2: Find the Best Place to Live in Europe
Choose your destination wisely. Stay somewhere that has a relatively low cost of living. This often includes lesser-visited destinations like Slovakia, Slovenia, and Estonia or countries that don’t use the Euro, like Poland, Hungary, and Romania. They’re affordable, home to beautiful scenery, well connected by public transport, and have really fast internet.
Step 3: Find a Monthly Sublet
There are a few places you can check for monthly rentals or sublets.
I usually start with Airbnb because:
The price is all-inclusive. So, you’re never stuck with extra or hidden fees at the end of the month. The price you pay includes service fees, utilities, and bills.
You know exactly what you’re getting. The Airbnb community is an honest place. So, you can feel safe knowing that the reviews you’re reading on that apartment listing are legitimate.
The peace of mind. When you book with Airbnb, you can rest assured that if something goes wrong, the customer service team is there to help you!
Also, keep in mind that in most cases, the host is willing to give you an even cheaper monthly price than what you see online. They might lower the price even further if you plan to stay for longer than one month and/or in the off-season.
You can read my full guide on how to find long-term rentals on Airbnb here.
Alternatively, you can join destination-specific groups on Facebook.
Before I moved to Bratislava, I joined a ton of groups that were aimed at foreigners, expats, and people looking for monthly rentals. Granted, most options required a 6 or 12-month lease, however, I was able to negotiate some 3-month rentals with landlords directly.
It’s worth a shot because local rates are far cheaper than what you’ll find on Airbnb.
Step 4: Be Flexible
This should be a no-brainer. But the more specific you are when it comes to your dates and mode of transportation, the more expensive your trip is going to become. So, try to be as flexible as you can when you start booking tickets and making reservations.
My travel hack for finding the cheapest flights to Europe is to use Skyscanner. If you have a destination in mind but you’re flexible on the travel date, just click on the “cheapest month” option. Or if you have a travel date in mind but you’re flexible on the place, type “everywhere” in the destination to see what’s available!
If you need to book any bus or train tickets to get to your destination, I recommend booking them in advance! A lot of companies provide early bird discounts. I’ve snagged 8-hour bus rides for $1 just by booking early!
For any airport layovers or quick stops, I use booking.com for short-stay hotels or guesthouses. It’s usually cheaper than booking with the hotel direct and comes with free cancellation.
Step 5: Live Like a Local
To live in Europe for under $1000 a month, you need to live as the locals do.
With Airbnb, all of your utilities and apartment-related bills are included so you don’t need to worry about incurring extra costs here. You can focus on food, transportation, and entertainment. Generally speaking, I find these things to be much less expensive in Europe in comparison to North America.
In my post How to Have a $100 Weekend in Prague, I go into more detail about how easy it is to live like a local while experiencing a new city. Here are some general tips for you:
Take public transportation. Rather than buying daily tickets, get a monthly transport pass. In Bratislava, it’s only 30€ for unlimited travel.
Try local food at home. Look up some local recipes online and try new meals at home rather than at a restaurant.
Work in accessible public spaces. Skip out on the co-working space and utilize the local library or coffee shops.
Visit museums on free days. Most European museums are free on a particular day of the month - check the website to find out when it is.
Use this cost of living in Europe calculator to determine how much you need to maintain your current lifestyle abroad! I also use this tool to compare the cheapest cities in Europe and decide where my money will go the furthest.
Step 6: Turn It Into a Lifestyle
Let’s be honest.
After you spend one month living in Europe, you’ll want to keep doing it. And the good news is that the digital nomad lifestyle is totally sustainable!
Before leaving home, make sure you pack enough clothing for all seasons. This is a tough one for me. It’s been years and I still haven’t found the perfect capsule wardrobe! You’ll also want to create a mobile office that you can take with you. Mine consists of a laptop, laptop stand, keyboard, mouse, and headphones.
An important thing to note is that you can only stay in the Schengen area of Europe for a maximum of 3 months out of every 6-month period. Turn this into an opportunity to check out some lesser-known parts of Europe like Romania, Bosnia, Albania, Macedonia like Romania, Macedonia, or even Georgia!
Continue Reading:
How to Rent Long-Term on Airbnb
How to Start a Blog or eCommerce Store
