What is the best country in the European Union to live in?

[captain_obvious]

I probably won't actually move there but like to keep my options open. My university degree is a nice decoration but is only useful for applying for jobs which require a degree in any subject, not one relevant to my degree.

 

[Witt997]

It really depends. As you probably know, there is no "stereotypical" EU country, as each has its own unique features. Other factors could contribute to that choice, for example the languages you speak. Since you are from the USA, it might be easier to move to Ireland, but for other EU countries, the national language is a must have! I heard Ireland has a high cost of living and wages are not on par with that, at least for entry-level positions.
May I ask why do you want to come to Europe? It's just a curiosity of mine,..

 

[captain_obvious]

It really depends. As you probably know, there is no "stereotypical" EU country, as each has its own unique features. Other factors could contribute to that choice, for example the languages you speak. Since you are from the USA, it might be easier to move to Ireland, but for other EU countries, the national language is a must have! I heard Ireland has a high cost of living and wages are not on par with that, at least for entry-level positions.
May I ask why do you want to come to Europe? It's just a curiosity of mine,..

I'm not actually from the USA but my native language is English. I was thinking the same thing about Ireland. From memory the minimum wage is only €10.50 per hour. I'm making more money where I live now. Learning the local language is a challenge. I'm willing to do it but it puts me in the position where for the first few years I can only choose jobs which don't require you to speak the local language (probably in a kitchen, at a farm or teaching English). I don't like my home country for reasons I won't discuss here but so far I don't think Europe is the right place for me to move to.

If I were to go ahead with this, I'd probably choose Denmark or Sweden.

 

[Ryccardo]

there is no "stereotypical" EU country

as an Italian that's without a doubt Germany, though of course it doesn't exclude that each is is different

Ireland. From memory the minimum wage is only €10.50 per hour.

That's better than Italy, I think - and of course there are taxes on your income (all nice and generally automated if you're employed, but few things are anti-your-own-business like those), taxes on your expenses (high VAT compared to other continents), and sometimes taxes on your taxes (we still have, under different name, a tax on petrol to fund the war against Eritrea, VAT is calculated after these)

 

[Witt997]

I apologise, I saw the US flag and thought you were American. No worries, though! Denmark and Sweden are perfectly fine choices too! I'd add Norway to the mix. I heard these countries are taking a tougher stance towards immigration, especially from non-european countries, so it might be a bit difficult to get the right work permits... I add, even though there are lots of English-speaking jobs there, knowledge of the local language would be a plus, especially as a foreigner to integrate better in these societies. I'd choose Sweden, since the language could be easily learned and is the biggest countries of the trio. Keep in mind the craziness of rents right now, with queues to get in the real waiting list for a house! Something I had never dreamt it were real before someone told me that!!!

 

[Youkai]

Hmm if you don't need a Job I'd say Spain.
If you don't need a job even the Eastern European Countries are very beautiful

for getting free Money Germany is good but thats it Germany is a sinking ship and feels more like a rat hole then anything else.

 

[captain_obvious]

I'd add Norway to the mix

Norway is harder for me because it's not part of the EU.

I heard these countries are taking a tougher stance towards immigration, especially from non-european countries

I have a European passport from a country whose language I can't fucking speak.

if you don't need a Job

If I win the lottery.

 

[Witt997]

as an Italian that's without a doubt Germany, though of course it doesn't exclude that each is is different

I lived in Germany for quite some time and I didn't find any meaningful differences between the two countries. Apart from higher salaries, idiocies are on both sides of the Alps!!

That's better than Italy, I think - and of course there are taxes on your income (all nice and generally automated if you're employed, but few things are anti-your-own-business like those), taxes on your expenses (high VAT compared to other continents), and sometimes taxes on your taxes (we still have, under different name, a tax on petrol to fund the war against Eritrea, VAT is calculated after these)

Actually, Italy has one of the lowest VAT in the EU, it is though higher than Germany, but compared to Poland, Slovakia, Croatia, Hungary.... it is quite on the lowest side!
For the "accise", the petrol taxes, they all have been merged, so there are no more Eritrea specifically taxes, but they all bring funds to the state!

Post automatically merged: Sep 13, 2023

Hmm if you don't need a Job I'd say Spain.

Sad to hear that, since Italy and Spain share a lot of similarities!

If you don't need a job even the Eastern European Countries are very beautiful

for getting free Money Germany is good but thats it Germany is a sinking ship and feels more like a rat hole then anything else.

in this age, I can agree, Germany is in recession and probably will bring the other countries down as well... then with all the turks and arabs on the streets, it seemed to me to be in the Middle East than in Europe...

 

[Xzi]

Though Germany is the only European nation I've been to myself (as a toddler), I'm partial to Sweden, Denmark, and Finland just from what I've read online and Google Earth VR visits.

 

[captain_obvious]

Germany is a sinking ship and feels more like a rat hole then anything else

Why?

 

[Witt997]

Why?

This year, due to the Ukrainian war, and the prices increases, the economy showed signs of recession, and it's the only one (if I recall correctly) in the EU to shrink this year, with the other states showing slowing down signs. I don't think the situation in Europe is that good to ponder going here at least for this year. Things might change suddenly, though...

 

[Ryccardo]

I lived in Germany for quite some time and I didn't find any meaningful differences between the two countries. Apart from higher salaries, idiocies are on both sides of the Alps!!

no no, I said "supposed", trust the clickbait pros (funded by taxes and not paying interns)

 

[Youkai]

Why?

What Witt997 is true also you see lots of signs that its all going downhill.
Many many places desperately search for employer as noone here wants to work at any place where they actually need to "work"
Like any Handiworks, you can't find anyone at all to make that job so the very few companies are so incredibly expensive that its impossible to hire them also you will need to wait for years.
buerocracy is so bad that unlike in the netherlands where they build new homes and such within just a very few years we need like 16 years only for the paperwork to start building projects

​

Also the prior government didn't do anything at all for 16 years and now it all comes back at us, almost the highest taxes in the world and now they invent more and more new ways to take our money as the missmanagement can't be sustained withouth more money.

 

[Witt997]

What Witt997 is true also you see lots of signs that its all going downhill.
Many many places desperately search for employer as noone here wants to work at any place where they actually need to "work"

And the sad thing is that for each junior positions, although there are unreasonable requirements of masters and multi-years of experience, each job posting receives 100+ appliances, whereas companies are desperate searching for experienced people! One cannot gain such experience if he is always left out from the market!
All these sensationalistic announcements, which I even saw in Germany all around me, are just an over simplification for a broader and deeper phenomenon, which cannot be summarised in "we miss 1 million workers": specifically, the need is in badly-paid sectors, like tourism and hospitality, retail, or for senior roles. The same happens here in Italy, where a youngster can only dream of getting a badly-paid internship, whose amount is less than the rent for a house!!!
And then I keep hearing we are lazy, and unmotivated...

 

[Spring_Spring]

In your situation, research the job you want first and then move according to that. National politics won't neccessarily mean much for your everyday life.

 

[FAST6191]

Weather (arctic through pretty much sub tropical is available).
Leisure (which can include going somewhere else. Though much like weather then skiing, swimming, shooting, food)
Your preferred line of work -- certain countries do better for certain things and are going to be a slog for others or very different in nature . There is also the question of whether any qualifications you have might transfer, or your skills/background knowledge (say you are playing designer. Colours is colours, fonts is fonts but if someone expects you to be able to riff on common historical phrases... of the thousands of Americans I have met there have been maybe two that have a true working knowledge of UK historical and modern culture that did not grow up there/move in their teens and now in their 40s and that is without the language barrier -- chances of that for Hungarian... good luck). If you can do remote to the US or something then that is also another aspect in this.
Your language skills (English gets you many places but not everywhere, especially if you are going off the tourist path, and can be hard to learn things)
Your preferred legal system (can be quite different underlying philosophies, in American terms then can vary from California you will do as we say and not do this massive list of things to rural backwater state that you can do what you like in).
Cost of living. Varies dramatically both within countries and between them (mostly eastern Europe is cheap but there are comparatively cheap options in many otherwise expensive countries, including some very cheap ones if you go where all the old people are dying and young people leaving).
Are you going in for a relationship? Can vary considerably in what is expected of you. Raising kids can also be a fun one to ponder if you want to go there vs retire somewhere by yourself.

All these are just the basic considerations before we can even consider best to live in.

 

[captain_obvious]

In your situation, research the job you want first and then move according to that. National politics won't neccessarily mean much for your everyday life.

But taxes, minimum wages, the job market, rent prices and availability and so on all will.

 

[Spring_Spring]

But taxes, minimum wages, the job market, rent prices and availability and so on all will.

That's why you should research instead of asking in a gaming forum.

 

[SylverReZ]

In your situation, research the job you want first and then move according to that. National politics won't neccessarily mean much for your everyday life.

Politics don't mean anything to me at all, as long as you abide by the laws then you'll be fine.

 

[blazskiii]

France