How Much You Need To Make To Live Comfortably in Europe’s 10 Largest Cities

According to the Association of Americans Resident Overseas, an estimated 5.4 million Americans live abroad. While the numbers are a bit skewed as the U.S. government and other authoritative sources have their own estimates, one thing’s for sure: Many expats have chosen European countries as their home away from home. In particular, the European countries with the most American expats are the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Spain.

If you’re thinking about moving to Europe, one of the first steps is to figure out how much money you need to live comfortably in your destination country. Some places, the U.K., have a price point that’s comparable to what you’re probably used to spending back home. Others tend to be cheaper in terms of things like housing, groceries, transportation, and even healthcare.

GOBankingRates gathered data from various sources on the web, including WorldAtlas and Numbeo, to find out the typical cost of living in Europe’s 10 largest cities by population.

• Population: 16,658,000
• Geographical Size: 970 square miles
• Typical downtown 1-bedroom apartment cost: $960
• Typical home purchase price: $4,731 per m2
• Average monthly net salary: $1,286
• Average monthly cost for one person: $597 (without rent/mortgage)
• Average yearly cost for one person: $7,164 (without rent/mortgage)
• Expat population: N/A

• Population: 11,215,000
• Typical downtown 1-bedroom apartment cost: $1,382
• Typical home purchase price: $10,797 per square meter
• Average monthly net salary: $3,183
• Average monthly cost for one person: $1,140 (without rent/mortgage)
• Expat population: N/A

• Population: 9,626,000
• Typical downtown 1-bedroom apartment cost: $2,187
• Typical home purchase price: £126,000 to £13,858,000
• Average monthly net salary: $4,262
• Average monthly cost for one person: $1,366 (without rent/mortgage)
• Expat population: 325,321 (UK)

• Population: 6,733,000
• Typical downtown 1-bedroom apartment cost: $1,456
• Typical home purchase price: $6,119 per square meter
• Average monthly net salary: $2,315
• Average monthly cost for one person: $834 (without rent/mortgage)
• Expat population: 108,684 (Spain)

• Population: 5,674,000
• Typical downtown 1-bedroom apartment cost: $1,376
• Typical home purchase price: $5,241 per square meter
• Average monthly net salary: $2,071
• Average monthly cost for one person: $870 (without rent/mortgage)
• Expat population: 108,684 (Spain)

• Population: 5,546,000
• Typical downtown 1-bedroom apartment cost: $573
• Typical home purchase price: $272 per sq. ft. (downtown apartment)
• Average monthly net salary: $782
• Average monthly cost for one person: $522 (without rent/mortgage)
• Expat population: N/A

• Population: 4,311,000
• Typical downtown 1-bedroom apartment cost: $1,196
• Typical home purchase price: $3,580 per square meter
• Average monthly net salary: $1,823
• Average monthly cost for one person: $904 (without rent/mortgage)
• Expat population: 364,000

• Population: 3,573,000
• Typical downtown 1-bedroom apartment cost: $1,272
• Typical home purchase price: $7,211 per square meter
• Average monthly net salary: $3,178
• Average monthly cost for one person: $1,056 (without rent/mortgage)
• Expat population: 881,000

• Population: 3,157,000
• Typical downtown 1-bedroom apartment cost: $1,448
• Typical home purchase price: $5,868 per square meter
• Average monthly net salary: $2,071
• Average monthly cost for one person: $1,067 (without rent/mortgage)
• Expat population: 475,171

• Population: 3.155.000
• Typical downtown 1-bedroom apartment cost: $623
• Typical home purchase price: $2,640 per square meter
• Average monthly net salary: $1,083
• Average monthly cost for one person: $861 (without rent/mortgage)
• Expat population: N/A

As you start weighing your options of where to live, make sure you’re also thinking about your personal needs. While these are average costs for each location, you could end up spending a different amount based on your preferences, health situation, insurance needs, taxes, dietary restrictions, and more.

Take the time you need to make an informed decision and get your finances in order. That way, when the time comes to pack your bags and get on the plane, you’ll be confident knowing you’re financially prepared.