11 Best Places to Live in Europe in 2018

Everybody wants to live in Europe, and the latest data says these are 11 best places to live in Europe in 2018!

Oh, dare to disagree? Have an exotic country on your mind? Well, that’s all nice and neat, but such countries are usually quite low on the life standard index lists, and they have poor health and safety ranking. On the other hand, there’s Europe! It’s a matter of pride for people from other continents to say they’ve been here. “I’ve been to Europe,” or “I did some traveling around Europe” are statements everyone will be envious of. If you even decide to live in one, there’s a general opinion you’re living your life to the fullest. Europe is a synonym for organization, order and rich history. Basically, Europe is one big sightseeing continent.

Also, if you’re a European, then you are already aware of all these things, and you’re just looking for best countries in Europe to live and work. Life gets dreary sometimes, even on this continent, and you need a change. Should you be so lucky to be born in the European Union, the whole Union is your oyster. You have the freedom of choice where to send your application and have as good chances of employment as within your own country. Having a family definitely sets some challenges when it comes to fulfilling basic needs. According to the Independent‘s survey among expats, Luxembourg is the best country to raise a child in Europe. It got such high score due to children’s safety (no wonder, since it is very, very small). This teeny tiny country isn’t on our list, but there are several which are listed as best places to live in Europe for families too.

However, young adolescents have different needs which too shall be met if you opt for one of these places. If you’re in your twenties and still have the undying urge to have fun and party as often as possible, carry on reading. The cities given are famous university centers. We all know that cities with colleges can boast about great social life, so no doubt about them being the best European cities to live in your 20s.

As for having qualms about going to a country where the first language isn’t English, the best place to live in Europe if you’re an English speaking native would be one of these: the Netherlands, Malta, Sweden, and Denmark. Scroll down to see which cities exactly you should go to. It should be noted that Americans have a special attitude towards Europe, and we can say that the recommendations from the study about best places to live in Europe as an American usually matched our choice, too.

Finally, it’s time to explain how we obtained our results. The starting point was a list made by Numbeo with the quality of life index. Naturally, the best place to live in Europe would be the one with the highest living standards. However, we wanted to go deeper and see where exactly you should settle in Europe, so we looked for the cities in Expatistan‘s list. The cost of living index is very important. The ideal combination is living in a highly developed country, and being able to easily pay your housing and other expenses. Therefore, the countries were listed according to their cities with the lowest cost of living. One country didn’t have its city on the list, so we searched through Expatistan’s site to find the most reliable information about it. By the way, don’t be confused with the fact that we decided on very urban areas. You can always choose to live in a remote little town, but we believe city life is much more exciting and offers greater options considering education, culture, and career.

To see how 2018 compared to the best places to live in Europe 2017, go to our article about  8 best countries to live in Europe in 2017, or 11 most affordable places to live in Europe in 2017.

Now let’s take you on a tour of 11 best places to live in Europe in 2018! We’ll tell you the population, highlights and fun facts for each of them.

11. Bern

Country: Switzerland

Population: 215,000

Rumor has it Switzerland is the most beautiful land of cheese and chocolate, with mountains echoing with yodeling. Another rumor says the prices of real estate are very high, so be prepared. The property price to income ratio puts it in the not very desirable 22nd place.

10. Copenhagen

Country: Denmark

Population: 1,268,000

What’s the connection between Little Mermaid and Hamlet’s castle? Well, both can be found in the same place – Copenhagen. According to the World Happiness report for 2013, this was the happiest city in the world! No wonder it’s ended up on our list of best places to live in Europe in 2018, right?

9. Oslo

Country: Norway

Population: 505,000

Should you ever win the Nobel Prize, this would be your destination. By the way, Norway is a kingdom (read between the lines: a very stable country with little politics). The unemployment rate is one of the lowest, and the country is one of the richest in Europe.

8. Helsinki

Country: Finland

Population: 588,000

Over half a million people live in Helsinki, the next one on our list of best places to live in Europe in 2018. Moreover, its population rises every year. Maybe you could be their next citizen. If you’re a dog person, definitely head this way. Did you know they have a dog pool? And dog swimming lessons?

7. Gothenburg

Country: Sweden

Population: 500,000

If we count the larger area of Gothenburg, then the exact population figure would be around 900,000. This is the second largest city in Sweden. Its nickname is “Little London” due to the fact that many British businessmen were doing their business here. They loved it so much that they even invested in the city library.

6. Rotterdam

Country: The Netherlands

Population: 593,000

Here’s one of 11 best places to live in Europe in 2018 where you can actually catch a water taxi. There are so many rivers and canals in Rotterdam, so this would be the best way to go sightseeing. Don’t be surprised about their habit to give nicknames to everything. You’ll go shopping in the “gutter,” and feel free to ask about the “The Buttplug Gnome.”

5. Vienna

Country: Austria

Population: 1,540,000

This is one of the most recommendable city for Americans, and the surrounding countries love it, too. Tourists swarm to the sites every year, but as you can see, it’s also a very good city to live and work in. It’s a real melting pot of different nationalities and cultures. As well as that, Vienna has a long history of being the best. Business Insider’s study claimed it to be the best place to live in Europe in 2016.

4. Stuttgart

Country: Germany

Population: 582,000

Only two words: Mercedes- Benz, and Porsche. OK, maybe that’s three. If you enjoy wine and you’d like to have a taste of German’s best, Stuttgart, the number 4 on our list of best places to live in Europe in 2018, is the place to be. Or drink. It has had vineyards since 3 AD. Fear not, there’s also beer! Stuttgart has its own beer festival, similar to Oktoberfest. Except that it is celebrated twice a year! You’ve probably never heard of German ballet dancers either, but it’s one of the best ballet institutions in the whole world.

3. Ljubljana

Country: Slovenia

Population: 278,800

A gorgeous town with excellent sausages and delicious local food. Ljubljana, which ranks 3rd on our list of best places to live in Europe in 2018, is a charming city with a small river running through it and dividing it neatly into sections. People are very hospitable and proud of their country’s lovely nature. If you wish to have the best view of the city, visit the nearby fortress. Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia, which should tell you enough about education, business and culture.

2. Seville

Country: Spain

Population: 700,000

How does 3,000 hours of sun per year sound to you? The home of flamenco and bullfighting can get really hot in summer. The bullfighting season starts in March and lasts until the end of November. Luckily, no one expects you to work during such heat. Seville is the fourth largest city in Spain, and it has a special symbol you’ll be seeing all around the town: NO8DO.

1. Tallinn

Country: Estonia

Population: 413,800

Here’s the funniest one in our 11 best places to live in Europe in 2018. It is said that people in Estonia have no sex and no future. Why? Because their grammar doesn’t recognize genders and there’s no future tense! Despite this joke, the Estonians are known to be reserved at the beginning of your acquaintance, so don’t expect to get buddy-buddy with them immediately. For nature lovers, this is the perfect country. Did you know about “every man’s right” (igamehe õigus)? That means every man has a right to have access to nature (lakes, mountains, etc.).

As for Tallinn, let us tell you it’s the capital of Estonia. It has a beach that is very recommendable in the summer time, a medieval fortress, a signature drink and the highest building in the whole country. Not to mention it was in the second place as best places to live in Europe for expats. We firmly believe all this is enough for you to head north right away!