Moving to Spain - Reboot for 2014!

If Moving to Spain is your idea of Quality of Life welcome! Spain came up 17th on the International Living list of the Best Places to Live back in 2010- only 17th? But who doesn't love Spain or at least the idea of living in Spain? Today Spain is even more attractive particularly for expats. Real Estate is at an all time low as is the cost of living and yet the Spanish people remain some of the most friendliest and hospitable in the world. For 2014 I.L. upgraded Spain to 5th spot for the best place to retire. 

We recently visited Spain and it's now top of our list for places we're seriously thinking of moving. Check out the great checklist below courtesy of SpainExpat for.....

How to move to Spain

If you're seriously considering a Move to Spain then there are quite a few things to take care of before you go like: learning at least a bit of Spanish; obtaining a visa; gaining residency; health insurance; opening a new bank account; and finding Property in Spain. I discovered a convenient checklist of 'Things to do before Moving to Spain' on SpainExpat.com and summarized it below:

Click Here!

SpainExpat suggested Things to do before moving to Spain:

1. Print this check-list for your move to Spain.
2. Take at least a 'Basic Spanish' language course - anyone who has moved to Spain will tell you this!
3. If you aren't retiring to Spain then you will need a job. Unless of course you're in a position to retire. With Spain's ultra low cost of living and Real Estate bargains you may find early retirement in Spain a real possibility. It's a good idea to have employment locked down before you move to Spain.
4. Maybe you're considering opening your own business in Spain. Be sure to find an English speaking lawyer in Spain and get as much done by email and phone before you move.
5. Apply for your Spanish Visa. This needs to be done in your home country before you go. Look up the nearest Spanish Consulate and get the ball rolling - it may take some time.
6. Do you plan on making this a permanent move to Spain? If so you may need to change your residency. This can also have some tax advantages particularly if you are Canadian.
7. Check into health care. What are the costs health costs and how will you pay? Make sure you have this set up before you change your current residency or cancel any insurance coverage you now have in place.
8. If you are not sure whether this will be permanent plan on sharing residency between home and Spain.  Keep some ties and in particular keep a bank account and credit card in your home. Find a bank that offers special accounts and perks for travellers and international residents. Many have low fee plans for example when it comes to taking money out in a foreign country.
9. Make certain your drivers license or passport are up to date. If they are getting old then renew them now before you go.
10. Remember living in Spain means most things will come with Spanish instructions. Computers and cell phones will have different, Spanish language keys etc. You may want to consider buying items like this at home before you move to Spain. Trust me, learning how to use a Spanish keyboard and settings can be very frustrating and time consuming. On another note make certain any electronics you buy at home will work in Spain.
11. If you are buying Property in Spain and need to move household items be sure to make your flights and arrival dates convenient for being there when your furniture arrives.
12. Will you be moving a car too (not recommended) or buying one once you settle in? If so you want to be familiar with the Spain Car Hire Agencies in particularly ones that offer long term car rental rates.  Also check into public transit. In Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia this is a great way to get around.
13. Is Fido moving to Spain too? You may be surprised what it takes to move a pet out of your country and into a new one. Allow time to get all the required paperwork done.
    
14. Go to your local post-office and arrange for your mail to be redirected to your new home for at least 6 months.You may even want to consider keeping a permanent post box at home and have your mail forwarded indefinitely.

Healthiest Country in the World

You may think about moving to this special country for the quality of life - the finest wines - gourmet dining - lasting romance - entertaining culture and conversation - traditions - history more.

But once you are there, you will benefit enormously from the excellent health care system.

Eoin Bassett is the managing editor of International Living, in this guest post he reveals the name of this country, and some very interesting facts and figures that he uncovered during research for the I.L. Quality of Life Index 2011.

The healthiest country in the world is France. That might surprise you about a country that places such an emphasis on delicious food, savory meat dishes, creamy sauces, delicate cakes, sweets and pastries, fine wines and barrel-aged brandy.

But the low cost of health insurance and the superb quality of care means France romps to victory in the health category of International Living's Quality of Life Index 2011.

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Life expectancy in France averages 84 years for women and 77 for men. In the past 10 years the number of people in France living over the age of 100 has doubled. And the World Health Organization shares our view, naming France number one in their world health report...

But what is day-to-day care really like?

Expat Adrian Leeds knows. Enchanted by la bonne vie ("the good life") she moved to Paris 17 years ago and never looked back. "You can call SOS Médecins for a home visit by a doctor who arrives within 30 minutes of your call. All for the cost of a normal office visit (about $30). Or, call SAMU to be rushed to the nearest hospital and no one asks to see your proof of medical insurance prior to treatment. And the doctors actually use their knowledge and experience to treat their patients rather than over-prescribing tests because their malpractice liability isn't so great. Drugs are so inexpensive, it's a joke by comparison to the U.S..."

And once you move to France, you may be able to transfer your health care plan to a French provider, or even to one of the many British companies that specialize in providing coverage for individual expatriates. This may prove cheaper: Costs depend on age and medical history, but if you're in good health, monthly premiums average $125.

It's easy to find out more. Subscribe to International Living magazine with this link and we'll deliver a free French Health Care Report instantly, as part of your subscription (as well as the Quality of Life Index 2011). This super-detailed report researched and compiled by our Euro editor Steenie Harvey tells you everything you need to know.

In fact, Steenie is just back from a scouting trip to Corsica, a part of France virtually unknown to most North Americans. Hidden just off the French Riviera, French and Italian vacationers have long enjoyed the silver beaches and azure-blue seas of this affordable haven.

This dramatic, unspoiled and sensual island casts a spell on all who visit. With Italy the nearest landfall, the climate is similar to the Italian Riviera and the summer lasts longer than anywhere else in mainland France.

Steenie says "it's criminal not to lunch outdoors," feasting on wild boar, cannelloni pasta and chestnut beer. When you subscribe to IL magazine, you'll get the current issue (where Steenie pulls back the curtain on this mystery French island) and we'll send you your free French health care report.

Best Places to Live Monaco

Yes, we're half way through our review of the top ten best places to live in 2011 with Monaco coming in 5th. This of course is based on International Living's Quality of Life Index for 2011. By way of a quick recap - The U.S. took top spot as the Best Place for Quality of Life, followed by New Zealand, Malta, France and now Monaco.

Monaco doesn't make our top ten list for the Cheapest Places to Live but it does have a lot of other wonderful aspects which help it make the top 5 list. If you're interested in living the Riviera lifestyle with fun, sun, and that sexy James-Bond style excitement, than you really want to put Monaco at the top of your list of places to live. Monaco is probably one of, if not THE most prestigious places to live in the world. It's well known as one of may playgrounds for the rich and famous. But, for those who may not be so rich it is still a beautiful place for enjoying the Mediterranean Sea. Monaco also has one of the best man-made beaches in the world.

The name Monaco conjures up many images and is known for many things, foremost are gambling, being a tax haven and car racing - after all the Monaco Grand Prix is one of the most famous races in the world. As a European destination Monaco is one of the most popular spots for those with money to burn and time to enjoy the fabulous weather, casinos, luxury shopping and high-end yachting. Similar to Malta, our 3rd best place for quality of life, Monaco is very small. It actually covers less than 500 acres - Now, that is one small country! But even though it covers such a small area it's still one of the most densely populated places on earth.  Monaco's population is 32,000 - that's more than 60 people per acre. The official language in Monaco is French but you'll find lots of English and German speaking people too.

So, if Monaco is the playground for the rich and famous how could it also meet the criteria for being one of the best places to live?  It's true Monaco ranks pretty low when it comes to cost of living, in fact it's 23 on the list. But were it fails in expense it more than makes up for in Climate, Freedom, Economy, Infrastructure and Safety.

Monaco is Top's for Climate

Here the climate is very mild year round because of its location on the Mediterranean Sea. The skies are almost always sunny with less than 60 day of rain per year.  Summers are warm, usually in the 80's F while winters never drop below 50 F.

Monaco is a Monarchy

The government is a constitutional monarchy with the Prince of Monaco as head of state. There is also an executive branch and cabinet in parliament. The government known to be very stable and fair.

Where is Monaco?

This small country is actually a sliver out of France right on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

Cheap Places to Live Abroad

As I read through the International Living Quality of Life Index for the best places to live in 2011 I can't help but be drawn to that one very important category - Cost of Living. It's such an important topic since the economic melt down. Retirees were sitting pretty and thinking they could settle down just about anywhere they wanted on the planet but then overnight it seemed their nest eggs disappeared or at the very least have been diminished to a great extent. It's really quite sad and when I hear people who should be retiring saying things like, "I don't know if I will ever be able to retire". It breaks my heart.

Now savvy and global thinking retirees aren't about to give up on their dream. In fact they were probably planning alternative scenarios for retirement many years before the collapse. And that's where this index can really come into play. Restricted budgets and income losses don't mean retirement has to be put on the back burner. It does mean finding the cheapest places to live has become a greater concern and a higher priority.

This is the fun, interesting and helpful part of having Quality of Life for each country broken down by nine different ranking categories. Let's revisit our list of the Best Places to Live based on average quality of life and determine the potential Best Places to Retire based and rank ordered by Cost of Living -

Cheap Places to Live Abroad

#1 - Hungary
#2 - The United States
#3 - Argentina
#5 - Portugal
#6 - New Zealand
#7 - Malta
#8 - Uruguay

#9 - Slovenia
#10 - Belgium

Of course we are talking about entire countries here so the data and the index once again can be a bit suspect and perhaps even misleading. The United States is the best place to live and has the second lowest Cost of Living according to the index. Now we know the U.S. does have a very low cost of living in some places. And, it has very cheap housing BUT it also has some of the most expensive real estate on the planet! It's a huge country so the averages can be quite misleading and will skew the results. Sure, you can live very cheaply in some very rough neighbourhoods in the U.S. You can live cheaply in some very cold and snowy places in the U.S. On the other end of the spectrum we have very small countries like Malta with a high quality of life score. But, in Malta the climate and cost of living is pretty consistent throughout the country. This is why quality of life really needs to be considered as a basket of items including such very important things like climate.

Where Should I Live in 2011?

Last year I first asked the question, 'Of all the places in the world, Where Should I live?' This lead to a quest to find the cheapest and best places to live as ranked by authorities who do just that - rank places based on a variety of statistics. A year ago I presented what I thought was a pretty interesting and credible list - the International Living Quality of Life Index. I had so much fun reviewing that piece and such great feedback that I decided to subscribe to, a monthly publication. I've learned a ton about new places to live which are emerging all the time. It's such a great resource - I highly recommend it - you can get more details on he magazine and subscriptions by clicking on that box over to the right or on any of the numerous links I've placed in previous articles.

Well yesterday I announced that the annual Quality of Life issue had arrived and I let you know about the top ten places to live in the world - that is to say the list of those places offer the very best Quality of Life and Living for 2011. You can just look below at that post to learn more.




As I did last year I'm going to spend the next few weeks going over the list in-depth. I'll talk about each country and some of the things which may not appear in the index like, which ones are also the Best Places to Retire and where I can find data I'll explore the cheapest places to live within each country.

The index is just that - an index. So it ranks countries by a number of factors and the overall winner is the one with the highest overall rank. Yesterday I announced, much to my surprise, that the United States Quality of Life was determined to be the best with a final score of 86.43. Now numbers aren't the whole story. Sure the U.S. ranked high on Economy - let's face it, depression, recession whatever you want to call it the U.S. still it has the largest economy on the world. or - at least compared to the other 191 countries in the complete index - well no, not really - it is the biggest in the world! The United States also scores very high when it comes to infrastructure - sure if you live in the States you may be contenting with pot holes and other challenges which would cause you to question that but again overall when looking at all of the countries the U.S. stands in pretty good stead when it comes to infrastructure. And it continues to score relatively high across all of the other nine categories (see previous post).

Now all of that said this is a list which is determined by averages so a huge country like the U.S. can really skew the results. For example, while the U.S. does offer some of the cheapest places to live in the world - check out Waco Texas or some of the mid-mid west States like South Dakota or how about Detroit where, due to a devastated auto industry, the cheapest house on record was sold last year - it also has some of the most expensive lifestyles and cost of living on the planet - check out downtown Manhattan or Malibu Beach. The same goes for weather - 40 below in the North is tempered by balmy warm winters in Southern Florida and Southern California.




In future posts we will move beyond the U.S. borders but may check in with comparisons from time to time. For now, read on as we explore and try to answer that question, 'Where Should I live in 2011?'

Poland - Fourth Best Place to Live

Here's an interesting one that's close to my heart and family. You see my dad was born in Poland. He would have been pleased to read this and to see this.

The Warsaw Business Journal announced today that Poland came in as the fourth Best Place to Live in Europe. It owes this ranking to: a low retirement age, long holidays and being one of the cheapest places to live in Europe with a low cost fo living.

Poland even finished ahead of Germany and England on the list. The list is the Quality of Life Index compiled by uSwitch. The article didn't really give any further details about who or what uSwitch is. But they did say that 16 factors were used to compare European Countries and determine rank order. Those factors included - net income; sales taxes; vacation allowance; working hours; life expectancy; costs of gas, diesel and electricity.

France came in top spot followed by Spain and Denmark in 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Source: Poland 4th best place to live in Europe

International Living

A few weeks ago I mentioned International Living Magazine. It's a great resource and one I refer to often both online and off-line. The thing I like most about I.L. is that the articles are written by people who have 'been there and done that'. They really are Living Internationally not sitting in a New York office collecting data. Here are the most recent topics and headlines to give you a flavour for what they are finding on the International Living scene:

April 2010 - Cerro Azul: Where You Can Still Buy Land in Panama from $16,500

March 2010 - Portugal's Alentejo: Europe as It's Meant to Be

February 2010 - The World's Easiest Places to Retire - Note: Watch for an upcoming blog post with lots more detail ion this topic!

January 2010 - Quality of Life 2010: The World's Best Places to Live - If you've been following this blog you know we've spent the last three month's reviewing this issue. Great stuff!

December 2009 - The 4 Best Real Estate Plays for 2010

That gives you a bit of the flavour and variety of topics you will find in International Living Magazine. Each month I really look forward to getting my hard copy in the mail. It's a full colour magazine and although it does a few full page advertisements they're really not over bearing and are targeted at whatever the current article is about so that can even be helpful.

So, if you're curious about International Living and want to learn from the best source check out my World's Best Places to Live post for more details.

The World's Best Places to Live

I've spent the last couple of months summarizing International Living's Quality of Life Index 2010: The World's Best Places to Live. Now a few of my subscribers and friends have asked me where they could get the complete index - well here it is!  Just click on this image of the magazine cover (below) and it will take you directly to International Living where you can subscribe and get the special report. Oh, and they send you lots of other cool reports too. So, if you are interested in living or moving or even just travelling aboard I'm sure you will find IL as interesting and informative as I do!





 <= Just click Here!






See my 'Update on International Living Magazine' post on April 1st for more info - oh and no it's not an April Fools joke!

The Best & Cheapest Places to live in the Netherlands

In our final list of the Top 25 Countries for Quality of Life the Netherlands, often referred to as 'Holland' came in 11th. That's of course according to International Living's 2010 Quality of Life Index.

The Cheapest Place to Live in Holland (the Netherlands)

First let's compare the Netherlands to some of it's European neighbours. March 2008 cost of living data shows Amsterdam as one of the more expensive cities to live in.

Finding a nice place to live is always difficult. Holland is no exception - getting the right accommodation can be hard, especially in large cities.

If you are planning to move to the Netherlands or are there already, and you need to find a place to live, Pararius is the perfect place to find a cheap place to live. The rental listings from Pararius include unfurnished properties, semi-furnished houses and apartments as well as fully-furnished residences.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam has a relatively mild climate for a place so far north, so even winter visits can be quite comfortable. Amsterdam's three quarters of a million inhabitants represent a staggering 177 different nationalities. Tolerant. Chill. Liberal. Amsterdam could be called all these things. The city has been known for its open-mindedness and flexibility since it was a haven for religious refugees in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Living in Amsterdam

Renting in Amsterdam is expensive, and it's best to get an agent to find something suitable for you. Generally, you can expect to pay a deposit of two months, the first two months up front, and agent's fees of usually one month's rent.Some examples of the

Cost of Living in Amsterdam

Beer (six pack) €3.59  Bread €1.20 Litre of Milk €0.65 Litre of Gas €1.49
Kilo of Potatoes €1.80  Kilo of Fresh fish €18

Other Cities in the Netherlands

Amsterdam is the largest city and most well known however there are numerous other cities in the Netherlands which are certainly worth a look. The next five largest cities are: Rotterdam, sGravenhage, Utrecht, Eindhoven, Tilburg.

If you're from the Netherlands why not leave a comment about what you think are th Cheapest and Best Places to Live in the Netherlands?

Top Cities to Live in Belgium

We've counted down through International Livings Quality of Life Index and named the Top 25 Places to Live in the World now we're counting back up to explore each country and look at the Top Cities to Live in within each country. Today we're at #8 on our list with Belgium.

If you're looking at Belgium and asking 'Where should I live?' or 'what are the top cities to live?' check out these top spots:

If you have an unlimited budget try : Genval, Waterloo, Tervuren, Overijssche. If you are looking for city life Park Cinquantire is quite lovely and not as expensive as the suburbs. Of course Brussels, Belgium is always on the top of anyones list looking at Belgium. Belgium was a strong performer in many categories, ranking 2nd for infrastructure, 10th for health and 12th for leisure and culture.
According to the International Living report, Belgium's capital Brussels is the greenest in Europe. It is also the headquarters of the European Union and NATO.

Major Cities in Belgium are Brussels, Brugge, Antwerp.

Brussels is the biggest city in Belgium. It is also an important city, being the administrative center of the European Union. Because of this, it is called the Capital of Europe. It was also the headquarters for NATO. Historically, it has been home to a mix of Flemish and French culture. Today, it is known for being an international center with a mix of nationalities. Children often know how to speak Flemish, French, English and/or German by the time they are in high school! It is a cosmopolitan city that has a mix of business and commerical buildings, but also castle remanents in the middle of the streets. It is a pretty expensive city. Its metropolitan area has around 1.8 million people. You can eat some of the best French fries and waffles in the world in Brussels. So one would not consider Brussels if looking for the Cheapest Place in Belgium.

Cheapest Place to Live in the United States

Sometimes cheap can also mean best! If you're wondering 'Where should I live?' ... in the U.S. here are some of the Cheapest Places to Live in the United States. and many of these spots would also be consider some of the nicest places to live:

Cheap Places to Live on the Pacific Coast

Spokane, WA
Modesto, CA

Cheap Places to Live in the Western Mountains

Ogden-Clearfield, UT
Fort Collins - Loveland, CO
Greeley, CO

Cheap Places to Live in the Central Northwest

Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
Omaha Council Bluffs, NB/Iowa
St Louis, MO

Cheap Places to Live in the Central Southwest

Fort Worth Arlington, TX
Oklahoma City, OK
Tulsa, OK

Cheap Places to Live in the Central Northeast

Ann Arbor, MI
Warren Troy / Farmington Hills, MI
Clevland, OH

Cheap Places to Live in the Central Southeast

Knoxville, TN
Chattanooga, TN
Louisville, KY

Cheap Places to Live in the Middle Atlantic

Albany Schenectady Troy, NY
Pittsburgh, PA
Harrisburg Carlisle, PA

Cheap Places to Live in the South Atlantic

Durham Chapel Hill, NC
Charlotte, NC
Atlanta, GA

Cheap Places to Live in New England

Manchester, NH
Worcester, MA
Springfield, MA

The Cheapest State to Live in the U.S. is Arkansas.

Youngstown, Ohio has the most affordable housing in the U.S. according to the International Housing Affordability Survey but under the current economic crisis few would disagree that

Detroit is the Cheapest Place in the U.S.

Cheapest Place to Live in Luxembourg

Luxembourg has been a great economic success story in the past 10 years. Recently voted one of the Best Countries in the world to live in by International Living Magazine in their annual Quality of Life Index.

The city of Luxembourg is the capital of the country of Luxembourg. Its spectacular valleys and plateaus led it to be nicknamed "the Gibraltar of the North"

Luxembourg has been enjoying the effects of economic growth and low employment rates. The combinations of these factors bring about a confidence and optimism which bodes well for future investment and market confidence.

Luxembourg hosts a large percentage of European Headquarters for Global clients in Industry, with about 158 licensed banks from 26 different countries; it is the European leader in Private banking and the global leader in Investments funds.

The main activities carried out in the Financial Sector are: Private Banking, Corporate Finance, Covered Bonds, Securities, Pension Funds and Investment Funds.

Cost of Living In Luxembourg

Luxembourg is a small country in Western Europe, landlocked by Belgium, Germany and France. But size is not a big deal when it comes to this place. Though it may be a tiny country, it is such a wonderful place to be in. Lying in between a cross of cultures, you can expect that this country will be a great destination.

There is so much that is offered by Luxembourg. From the great scenery and the wonderful climate, living here would not be such a bad idea for anyone. The economy is very stable, thanks to the successful steel and agriculture industry that they have. Considering the size that Luxembourg has, it remains among the richest country in the world. It is known for having a high-income economy, low inflation and a low unemployment rate. It seems like living here is very beneficial financially.

Luxembourg is using the currency Euro (€) which is the same for its neighboring countries. Luxembourg may have a little higher cost of living compared to the United States. The current conversion of €1 Euro is at $1.45 USD. It may be quite pricier here if you plan to live here but life here is definitely better.

Housing Costs

Luxembourg has a couple of houses and apartments which are available here. Since there are a lot of people who travel and move in here, you can trust that there will be quite a selection of accommodations for you. Like most residents here, they just tend to rent an apartment because it seems more practical and cheaper. True enough, renting an apartment may only cost anywhere from € 600 t o €2500 per month. It depends on the locations as well as the size o the apartment that you are getting. For larger apartments, tenants just share for a cheaper rent.

Cheapest Place to Live in New Zealand

New Zealand picked up spot#5 as the Best Place to Live according to International Livings 2010 Quality of Life Index. Besides beautiful weather, the country’s wide ranging topography — snow capped mountains, rain forests, crystal clear lakes and rivers offering some of the best trout fishing in the world, bays filled with forested islands, vineyards, fruit plantations, and other amazing scenery are attractive to just about anybody!Ask an Avocado!Gardeners know that avocados like it warm and sunny in order to grow. So if that's your idea of a perfect climate than know this - Avocados grow very well in northern New Zealand!

Auckland New Zealand

The majority of immigrants who move to New Zealand end up living and working in and around Auckland. But if you're looking for the Cheapest Place to Live in New Zealand you may want to check in with the local. A New Zealander will tell you that Auckland is actually one of their least favourite places to live. This is due to  high real estate prices, a higher cost of living, higher crime rates and also due to the influx of international migrants moving to Auckland!

The four best places to live in New Zealand

According to New Zealanders it’s clear that the most attractive places for lifestyle reasons are:

1. Christchurch in Canterbury

2. The Bay of Plenty and in particular Tauranga

3. Waikato and,

4. Otago. 

When it comes to New Zealand in general most people like the fact it is small, has a very literate population, friendly people, and the fact that the country is, for the most part, quite clean and uncluttered. Ranked one of the cleanest countries in the world. New Zealanders love the outdoors  and enjoy camping, sailing, barbecuing, swimming, and gardening.

New Zealanders on the Move

New Zealanders have been on the move during the last few years. Most of the movement has been focussed on better weather, better prospects or lower house prices. In other words they've been searching for the Cheapest Places to Live in their own country.

The 3 areas New Zealanders have been keenest to leave are: Auckland, North Island Manawatu-Wanganui and North Island Southland. South Island Auckland's house prices have jumped extraordinarily heigh in recent years. Although falling prices and falling interest rates from he 2008 crash have improved affordability. Most people do find they benefit from leaving Auckland, provided they don't experience too much of a wage cut. Retired people can often release a large capital sum by leaving Auckland and moving to a cheaper location. Many retirees move to the Waikato, a region to the south of Auckland, or Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty. Otaki, Levin - this is near Palmerston.

For those retirees with extra cash looking for one of the best places to retire New Zealand waterfront is very cheap by U.S. standards. Although not necessarily the Cheapest Place to Live in New Zealand.

The Cheapest Place to Live in Germany

This is a continuation of the discussion which started with the Best Places to Live as ranked by International Living in their annual Quality of Life Index. Today we're moving down the list and looking at The Cheapest Place to Live in Germany.

From what my research has discovered it looks like Hamburg Germany is currently one of the Cheapest Places to Live in Germany. So, if Germany is on your list and you're wondering, "Where should I live - in Germany?" Then Hamburg would be a good place to start.

Hamburg is great for good fun. Berlin and Frankfurt will also keep one busy.

The population of Frankfurt is composed of 27% foreigners so if you are immigrating here you may feel a bit more at home and find some people with things in common.

Getting away from the larger English speaking cities seems to be a good way to save money and find a cheaper place to live. I've read that the best places to live in are the capitals of the small 'duchies'. The best towns to live in are Dresden, Leipsic, Stuttgart and Munich - all offer world class education and are cheaper when compared to English cities. But are still a little more expensive than say Brunswick, Cassel, Darmstadt, Weimar and Coburg. In these towns you can enjoy more of an old-fashioned family type atmosphere with beautiful architecture. The houses tend to be larger with big rooms, lovely courtyards and grand stair cases.

Eastern Germany has some good places to live cheap. This appears to be a result of many people moving west with the Fall of the Berlin wall. Eastern Germany offers beautiful landscapes and the typical German standard of living including excellent health care.

Technorati Tags: cheap places to live, best cities, best towns, international living, quality if life

Cheapest Place to Live in France

Regret the delay getting this going! As you know we just finished up our review of the Best Places to Live in the World now let's see if we can find the Cheapest Places to Live in each of those countries.

France topped our list of the Best Place to Live according to International Livings Quality of Life Index. When it comes to France many people immediately think of Paris and also think of all the stories they have heard about how expensive Paris is. But just like the U.S. or any other country for that matter there are uber expensive places to live and if one looks they can find a Cheap Place to Live even in the most expensive countries.

Get out of Town to find a cheap place to live!

In France like most places you've just got to 'get out of town' to find a cheap place to live!

Just a few hours from Paris you will find the city of Metz. The cost of living including housing and food is cheaper in Metz. Versailles is another community which offers inexpensive shopping while food and rent costs are some of the lowest in all of France. Groceries, childcare, rent & housing and transportation too are all quite affordable in Versailles and it could very well be the Cheapest Place to Live in France if you still want to comfort and luxuries which come form city living.

Follow students for a Cheap Place to Live!

University towns like Montpellier are often quite affordable and cheap places to live as the disproportionate student population helps bring the price of many things down including groceries, clothing and rent.

The Cheapest most Expensive Place to Live

Nice on the French Riviera is beautiful and expensive but it is the Cheapest Place to Live on the French Riviera. The small Monarchy of Monaco is also located on the French Riviera and is one of the best places to live in the world - especially if you're rich and famous!

The Cheapest Place to Live

Now that we have concluded our list of the Best Places to Live as published by International Living in their annual 2010 Quality of Life Index, I thought it would be fun to look at each of these countries and explore the Cheapest Place to Live in each spot.

So, if money and cheap living is top on your list as you are asking, Where Should I Live? Than this new study will be of particular interest to you.

So over the next few weeks, oops maybe it's best not to promise anything too quick - this could take me months! Anyhow, in due time and over time I'm going to research the Cheapest Places to Live in each of the Top 25 Best Places to Live list. But instead of starting at the bottom I think I will start at the top of the list.

So, watch for the Cheapest Place to Live in France in my first post of this series. Actually I will probably name more than one so it's more like The Cheapest Places to Live in France!

Followed by -

The Cheapest Place to Live in Australia
and
The Cheapest Place to Live in Switzerland
then
The Cheapest Place to Live in Germany 
and
The Cheapest Place to Live in New Zealand...

I'm sure you get the idea! So, wtcah for it, read it, comment and let's try to answer that question... "Where Should I live?"

The Best Place to Live in the World!

If you have been asking yourself the question, "Where should I live?' the 2010 Quality of Life Index of the Best Places to Live in the World may be a good place to start.

For the past few weeks I've been blogging about the Top 10 Best Places to Live list which is published each year by International Living. (Oh, and hope I didn't offend anyone with that Blond Joke yesterday. It gave me such a laugh so I just had to share it!) Now the Best Place to Live is not necessarily the Cheapest Place to Live however, one of the factors that makes up the Quality of Life index is certainly cost of living.

Forgive me I digress and ramble!

Back to the Best Place to Live and the winner is....France.

France is the Best Place to Live!

Once again France takes top spot as IL's pick for the best place to live. In fact France has held the top spot on the Quality of Life Index for the past five years.

Sure France has a high tax rate and a huge government bureaucracy which can have you running around in frustration for what seems like eternity BUT there are so many other positives that out weigh and create an 'Unsurpassed Quality of Life'.

Let's start with what many consider to be the world's Best Health Care system and finish with a longer lingering dinner with the finest wines in the world. Croissants, Cabernet and Notre Dame are just a few of my favourite things! Don't forget fine French cuisine, poetry and the infamous romance of Paris or the French countryside. The lavender of Provence is so beautiful and fragrant that the enter town smells like a lovely sachet. It is nothing like the best cities to live in in Florida and they are not like France but to each their own right?

So many things to mention you really need to read a book or better still tour France and take it all in.

Best Places to Live in the World - #2 Australia

The 'down-under' garners second place in the 2010 Quality of Life Index as published by International Living Magazine and for good reason, it's safe, wealthy, healthy and offers numerous opportunities for work and play.


Australia is truly a world away from the United States. Due to it's proximity to the rapidly growing and consuming populations of the Asian countries the Australian economy has been largely insulated from the economic downturn in America and Europe.

Australia boasts one of the nicest climates in the world plus a varied and interesting ecology that gives it's inhabitants beautiful beaches, for fun and sun; amazing wilderness for challenge and exploration; the great barrier reef for diving and undersea adventure; and of course a rich a diverse cosmopolitan life in Sydney and Melbourne making them some of the Best Cities in the World to live in.

Although the cost of living in Australia major cities is quite low it would certainly not be considered one of the Cheapest Places to Live.

Australia is an English speaking country with excellent health care and  infrastructure. With China and Asia experiencing major growth spurts Australia offers excellent employment opportunities to service those needs in a culture and society where many North Americans will feel right at home. All of this adds up to making Australia the 2nd Best Place to Live in the World.

Top 3 Best Places to Live in the World

I took a break for a little while and I believe we left off discussing Germany as the 4th Best Place to Live in the World followed closely by New Zealand, Luxembourg and the United States in the International Living Quality of Living Index for 2010.

Now on to the Top 3 Best Places to Live!

In position three is Switzerland. The Swiss are known for many things including perfect clocks and watches and one of my favorite Swiss things - Swiss Cheese!

Switzerland is an award winnning, super efficient, high tech country that still manages to take time out to play. Think hiking, mountain climbing, Alpine skiing and if nothing else just laying back in awe of the beautiful scenery including what many consider to be some of the most beautiful people in the world.

Switzerland much like Canada, except maybe even more so, is known as a muli-cultural, international  - global village. Rather than having just one spoken language in Switzerland you will find five different ones including English, German, French and Italian. The Swiss chose to be multi-lingual so foreigners can feel at home. That also makes it atractive for foreigners to call Switzerland home!

Also known as a peace loving neutral country that is home to Geneva, the United Nations and the Red Cross why wouldn't one be drawn to live in Switzerland!

Best Places to Live continued!

Hey! I've been on the road and so I will be finishing up the big count down of the Best Places to to Live as soon as I get back. In the mean time please keep leaving those comments. I'll continue to review International Living's 2010 Quality of Life Index outlling the best places to live in thwe world soon.

Thanks for follwing the blog - back soon!