✈Stay connected worldwide with Holafly eSIMs and unlimited data plans - Enjoy 5% off with my code TRAVELINGWITHKRISTIN. Get yours here: holafly.sjv.io/Vxaz7a
Greetings from San Sebastian. Yes, this used to be a calm and lovely place to live in, but nowadays, we locals feel it has become a funfair for tourism, very expensive and uncomfortable too. I miss the time when walking was a pleasant activity, streets are crowded and there are too many visitors thinking they are living the real experiece, which they are not. We feel invaded, truly. This has to be regulated somehow, my taxes weren't meant to pay for social sec and medical care for anyone who drops in. And the prices of the homes in the centre are too high, so many of my friends have to go to villages nearby. This used to be a tourist friendly place, it still is, but not that much. The feelings and perspective are changing. Big wallets hordes choose your hometown, come, buy, and the culture and way of living changes. Not for the better. Globalization is not always that nice.
So happy to see Brno on this list - what a pleasant surprise! I lived there when I was younger and absolutely loved it. I agree with the women who were quoted as feeling safe there - as a young woman it was an amazing experience for me to feel so safe in public. Of course, you do have to be smart because pick-pocketing is definitely a thing, but that's everywhere. And it's true that people tend to be more reserved in public, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. Once you get to know Czechs they can be the warmest and most generous people. Brno is a lovely city. :)
I was in Ljubljana in July and loved it! The city is small and walkable. Most scenic places are along the Ljubljanica River and I stayed just couple blocks from the Prešeren Square and the Triple Bridge. People were shy but friendly and helpful. Their English is decent. Restaurants near the river are catered to tourists so it's a bit pricy, around €25-27 for a meal with a beer but couple streets away from there the price drops. Once you leave the Old Town, the city reminds me of the former Yugoslavia. The area not far from the airport is gorgeous and it reminds of Switzerland. Great video!
You were right to choose Gdańsk among many other good Polish cities, but not only for the reasons you mentioned. There are no heat waves like in southern and inland regions of Poland and Europe, also winters are mild at the seaside, but you won't get a hurricane in the Gdańsk Bay of the Baltic Sea :) Quality of air is not so good in Poland, with the exception of the northern part, so you're all good in Gdańsk.
I appreciate the "thin sliced" presentation at the city level instead of just looking at country averages. I already had been paying attention to Lille and Braga.
Thank you for the video Kristin! 🌿 Some new options here :). Loved Braga Portugal, now want to check it out some day and Ljubliana is interesting. Utrecht has a special place in my heart as I have tango friends there who organizing amazing Argentine tango camps/ retreats. Many years ago I almost went to Utrecht for an internship, however budget wise it was hard to manage with all expenses and flight.
All places are so beautiful.! Again I'm spoilt for choice.! Still I find Slovenia, Austria, Germany, and Spain interesting.! Hi Kristin, so happy to see you.! You're looking absolutely stunning as you always are!
Kristen, you shared some very good places to live. My father's family background is Spain's Basque region. I really like San Sebastian. I spent a year in the Netherlands and I lived in Leiden. I also spent a year in Poland. However I lived in Krakow. I own an apartment in Piran, Slovenia and met my wife in Ljubljana. If you recall, we have been living in Innsbruck the past 2 years. Sadly I have not yet visited Graz.
Thank you so much for sharing @gregalonzo747! It sounds like you've had such a rich journey across Europe. 🌍 It’s lovely that you met your wife in Ljubljana. Graz is still waiting for you-hopefully soon! 😊 Thanks again for connecting and sharing your story!
Hi Kristin. Again a great job. 👏 Always so interesting to hear yet a new perspective for looking at the world. Most of these places are new to me. Would love to check some out, but probably too far north for long term appeal for me as I travel mostly to get away from the cold and dark of winter. Thanks for the info!
Hi @Maestra_D! 😊 Thank you so much-I’m really glad you enjoyed it! It’s always fun to explore new perspectives and places. ❄️ I hope you find some warmer spots that suit your travels, and I’ll keep sharing info that might inspire new ideas. Thanks again for tuning in! 🌞✨
Thank you so much! 😊 I’m glad you like the natural look-and happy you noticed the earrings! 😄 I really appreciate your support and will definitely keep the content coming!
Definitely agree with two of these places: Ljubljana is absolutely a lovely choice, especially being near Bled and the surrounding areas which are gorgeous. I had a music project in Utrecht and was blown away by its comfort, friendliness (big student population), food, cleanliness and ease of getting around. If you enjoy the Netherlands and can't afford Amsterdam, Utrecht would be "it," imo.
Great video as usual! You’re always very succinct and to the point, but thorough. I’d be most tempted by San Sebastián or Brno, out of your list. But there are so many beautiful places to explore in the EU. The key is to get residency in one of them, so you can use your Schengen waiver time to visit them all! (90 on/90 off, of course.)
Hi Will, thanks for the comment. I have a great video about finding rental properties here: th-cam.com/video/gQ87f0ZyzFI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=3bWweKLGEyiuOncu
Wow...all interesting 'second tier' cities of Europe. Each has its own unique allure so can't really pick a favorite....maybe Lille and San Sebastian if I could afford a winter/summer blend. Honestly, I'm not familiar with Baltic countries and am pleasantly surprised by the beauty of their cities. Thanks for another great informative video
Thank you! Though not sure why Graz made it so high. Could you further break down perhaps this would give you lots of content (smaller towns around teh more expensive cities.) For ex. San Sebastian there must be towns cheaper a few miles away...? You could do that for each town, you did it for some cities but not all.
The weather in the Netherlands is not so bad. Ok, it's not California or Italy, but on average better than for instance Hamburg where it's colder, rains more often and the weather can change quickly.
Another great review and insight but none of these places appeal to me personally. Ljubljana would be my pick, charming city akin to a huge outdoor cafe😃
Great Video! No mistake made. Spain is definitely a powerhouse when it comes to livable cities in Europe. This country has so many great options to choose from its amazing.
When you talked about downsides of Lille it sounds like a terrible idea to move there and only good thing about it is close distance to other countries
Before I found your channel I was pretty set on Belize. Now I'm like maybe Malaysia...hmmm what about Portugal? 🤣 I'm still several years away so I have time 🙏
Even though Croatia is not as affordable as it used to be, I would include Zadar in this list. I was there recently and saw that it has an historical and beautiful old town, beaches, pleasant climate, convenient mid-coast location, etc. In other words, everything that the Dalmatian coast has to offer but more quaint and much cleaner than Split for instance. I would consider living there myself as a binational even though I have family in Split. I think Zadar has more quality of life than other Croatian mid-size cities in an already high-quality-of-life country.
Good video; I just wonder if you have been to Denmark (or Scandinavia) more than just a visit? Denmark is ranked one of the best places to live but you don't mention us. Has it anything to do with your job?
Roast-stock city wins in this list. I don't think those others are as close as good. West German cities, Berlin and island of Rügen are close enough by train. Also a very romantic city.
"The people are so quiet, no one really laughs or expresses feeling". Graz definitely don't sound like it would have the second highest quality of life in Europe.
I don't like cities personally. I want to know the best places on earth to live that focus on sustainability, humane treatment of animals, have modern technology (e.g. modern healthcare, stable internet, electricity, and so on), promotes a healthy & active lifestyle with lots of passive socialization (e.g. stopping to talk to someone as you walk to a nearby restaurant), ethical standards such as acceptance of LGTBQ+, and so on. If you haven't already, I hope to see that type of video one day. More of a village or small town vibe rather than a city.
Lille is a wonderful place to visit! 🐾 just make sure to check specific requirements, like pet passports and vaccinations, if you’re traveling internationally. 🐶🌍
The Netherlands will never make affordability lists. Sucks because Dutch is supposed to be the closest language to English, and thus easier to learn than some of the other languages of the towns on this list. 22:38: I think you meant Austrian, not Australian. lol Spain is the best place here, by a long shot.
As a European I can say the selection of cities is very good for tourism because any person choosing to go there would dig very deep in European culture. Aside from tourism I would strongly discourage any non European expat/digital nomad to ever move to one of these places unless you have a specific reason to do so (job or spouse). These small cities are just not made for international crowds, so you will be at risk for severe depression or worse after you have passed the initial euphoria stage and you’ll have the « what the f I am doing here » moment
I’ll have to do a Mediterranean version! It’s interesting that all the top rated cities for quality of life are in colder areas. I’ve noticed this pattern before…
When you started this channel long time ago, You were mentioning "places to live comfortably" for less then X amount of dollars. Usually $1,000.00 then after quite some time you came back to the U.S. which makes me thing that "living abroad" is not all that your portrait to be. Otherwise why would you come back to a country that is so expensive. Now, you live here in the U.S. and your videos are all about how nice is to live abroad. What happened to the "cheap" places to retire?
In Colombia, you might add Santa Marta and san Andrés y Providencia. The last two are partly English speaking, are drier, lower cost and less tourist overrun.
Obviously, to issue rankings and value judgments, she would have to visit all the countries of Europe. So I agree with you, whatever your own preferences are.
Quality of life without considering cost of living, is absolutely not a well researched video. Marry quality of life, things to do with cost of living to get a better list.
Most of the videos on my channel are specifically about the cost of living - this one focuses on quality of life including COL which is referenced throughout the video and always considered.
✈Stay connected worldwide with Holafly eSIMs and unlimited data plans - Enjoy 5% off with my code TRAVELINGWITHKRISTIN. Get yours here: holafly.sjv.io/Vxaz7a
Greetings from San Sebastian. Yes, this used to be a calm and lovely place to live in, but nowadays, we locals feel it has become a funfair for tourism, very expensive and uncomfortable too. I miss the time when walking was a pleasant activity, streets are crowded and there are too many visitors thinking they are living the real experiece, which they are not. We feel invaded, truly. This has to be regulated somehow, my taxes weren't meant to pay for social sec and medical care for anyone who drops in. And the prices of the homes in the centre are too high, so many of my friends have to go to villages nearby. This used to be a tourist friendly place, it still is, but not that much. The feelings and perspective are changing. Big wallets hordes choose your hometown, come, buy, and the culture and way of living changes. Not for the better. Globalization is not always that nice.
So happy to see Brno on this list - what a pleasant surprise! I lived there when I was younger and absolutely loved it. I agree with the women who were quoted as feeling safe there - as a young woman it was an amazing experience for me to feel so safe in public. Of course, you do have to be smart because pick-pocketing is definitely a thing, but that's everywhere. And it's true that people tend to be more reserved in public, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. Once you get to know Czechs they can be the warmest and most generous people. Brno is a lovely city. :)
I was in Ljubljana in July and loved it! The city is small and walkable. Most scenic places are along the Ljubljanica River and I stayed just couple blocks from the Prešeren Square and the Triple Bridge. People were shy but friendly and helpful. Their English is decent. Restaurants near the river are catered to tourists so it's a bit pricy, around €25-27 for a meal with a beer but couple streets away from there the price drops. Once you leave the Old Town, the city reminds me of the former Yugoslavia. The area not far from the airport is gorgeous and it reminds of Switzerland. Great video!
So glad you enjoyed the video! I really want to visit Slovenia soon
Thanks for profiling some of the less "mainstream" destinations. I always learn a lot from your videos!
Happy to hear that @kbbarton1! 😊
Thank you... This is what I have been researching lately. Great info in this video!
You're welcome! I'm glad you found it helpful @Whitenoize73! 😊
You were right to choose Gdańsk among many other good Polish cities, but not only for the reasons you mentioned. There are no heat waves like in southern and inland regions of Poland and Europe, also winters are mild at the seaside, but you won't get a hurricane in the Gdańsk Bay of the Baltic Sea :) Quality of air is not so good in Poland, with the exception of the northern part, so you're all good in Gdańsk.
San Sebastián 🧡🧡💙💙💜💜💚💚💛💛🤍🤍 Love and pation for this city!!
Ohhh happy to see that my hometown, San sebastian, was ranked first.
I appreciate the "thin sliced" presentation at the city level instead of just looking at country averages. I already had been paying attention to Lille and Braga.
Such a good point. Life is lived at the city level.
Thank you for the video Kristin! 🌿 Some new options here :). Loved Braga Portugal, now want to check it out some day and Ljubliana is interesting. Utrecht has a special place in my heart as I have tango friends there who organizing amazing Argentine tango camps/ retreats. Many years ago I almost went to Utrecht for an internship, however budget wise it was hard to manage with all expenses and flight.
Love your videos! Would love a video on best places in Europe for a family with small children!
All places are so beautiful.! Again I'm spoilt for choice.! Still I find Slovenia, Austria, Germany, and Spain interesting.! Hi Kristin, so happy to see you.! You're looking absolutely stunning as you always are!
Glad you’re enjoying the video and finding it helpful! Thanks for the kind words @jaynair2942!
Kristen, you shared some very good places to live. My father's family background is Spain's Basque region. I really like San Sebastian. I spent a year in the Netherlands and I lived in Leiden. I also spent a year in Poland. However I lived in Krakow. I own an apartment in Piran, Slovenia and met my wife in Ljubljana. If you recall, we have been living in Innsbruck the past 2 years. Sadly I have not yet visited Graz.
Thank you so much for sharing @gregalonzo747! It sounds like you've had such a rich journey across Europe. 🌍 It’s lovely that you met your wife in Ljubljana. Graz is still waiting for you-hopefully soon! 😊 Thanks again for connecting and sharing your story!
Your videos are always great! Thank you!
I appreciate you watching! 😊
Hi Kristin. Again a great job. 👏 Always so interesting to hear yet a new perspective for looking at the world. Most of these places are new to me. Would love to check some out, but probably too far north for long term appeal for me as I travel mostly to get away from the cold and dark of winter. Thanks for the info!
Hi @Maestra_D! 😊 Thank you so much-I’m really glad you enjoyed it! It’s always fun to explore new perspectives and places. ❄️ I hope you find some warmer spots that suit your travels, and I’ll keep sharing info that might inspire new ideas. Thanks again for tuning in! 🌞✨
Thank you Kristin. I lke the natural look with the cool earrings. Keep up the great content
Thank you so much! 😊 I’m glad you like the natural look-and happy you noticed the earrings! 😄 I really appreciate your support and will definitely keep the content coming!
Great rundown (as always), ma’am. Thank you! 😊
You are so welcome! 😊
Definitely agree with two of these places: Ljubljana is absolutely a lovely choice, especially being near Bled and the surrounding areas which are gorgeous. I had a music project in Utrecht and was blown away by its comfort, friendliness (big student population), food, cleanliness and ease of getting around. If you enjoy the Netherlands and can't afford Amsterdam, Utrecht would be "it," imo.
San Sebastián - what a wonderful surprise - I would love the possibility of retiring there.
Truly is a gem! 🌊 😊✨
Interesting list. Thanks!
Great video as usual! You’re always very succinct and to the point, but thorough. I’d be most tempted by San Sebastián or Brno, out of your list. But there are so many beautiful places to explore in the EU. The key is to get residency in one of them, so you can use your Schengen waiver time to visit them all! (90 on/90 off, of course.)
If you have residency in one why would the 90 in/90 out apply?
@@gsjackson34 pour éviter que tous les non européens viennent dans le même pays avec un visa Schengen délivré par des pays différents.
Great summary. Kristen, you are amazing.
Thank you so much! 😊
I've been to Braga, and I felt so comfortable there. I liked the funicular that took us up the mountain to the church where a wedding was going on.
Kristin, like your moving to Europe content. Thinking about moving to Nice. I would like more info on how to find long term rentals. Thanks, Willi
Hi Will, thanks for the comment. I have a great video about finding rental properties here: th-cam.com/video/gQ87f0ZyzFI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=3bWweKLGEyiuOncu
Wow...all interesting 'second tier' cities of Europe. Each has its own unique allure so can't really pick a favorite....maybe Lille and San Sebastian if I could afford a winter/summer blend. Honestly, I'm not familiar with Baltic countries and am pleasantly surprised by the beauty of their cities. Thanks for another great informative video
You’re welcome, Carol! I’m happy to highlight some lesser-known destinations!
Thank you! Though not sure why Graz made it so high. Could you further break down perhaps this would give you lots of content (smaller towns around teh more expensive cities.) For ex. San Sebastian there must be towns cheaper a few miles away...? You could do that for each town, you did it for some cities but not all.
Imagine living near Austria, Italy and Croatia..
"Lille's cozy cafes remind me of my travels in Europe. There's nothing like enjoying a croissant with a view!"
I agree!
The weather in the Netherlands is not so bad. Ok, it's not California or Italy, but on average better than for instance Hamburg where it's colder, rains more often and the weather can change quickly.
Interesting choices of cities!
Glad you found them interesting @CafeLu! 😊
Another great review and insight but none of these places appeal to me personally.
Ljubljana would be my pick, charming city akin to a huge outdoor cafe😃
Also a nice choice! 😊
Thanks for the interesting info. Maybe I'll begin my digital nomad journey in my own country then...Utrecht.
Sounds like a good plan :)
Great Video! No mistake made. Spain is definitely a powerhouse when it comes to livable cities in Europe. This country has so many great options to choose from its amazing.
Thanks so much! Spain really does have so many great options for quality of life! 😊
Nice video
Thank you!😊
Have you spent any time in 2 of my favorites? Tbilisi Georgia and Tainan Taiwan?
Kristin, can u pls provide temperatures in Celsius as well
When you talked about downsides of Lille it sounds like a terrible idea to move there and only good thing about it is close distance to other countries
Before I found your channel I was pretty set on Belize. Now I'm like maybe Malaysia...hmmm what about Portugal? 🤣 I'm still several years away so I have time 🙏
Still plenty of time to decide!
San Sebastian Spain looks nice, but I worry about my high school Spanish in the Basque region.
Even though Croatia is not as affordable as it used to be, I would include Zadar in this list. I was there recently and saw that it has an historical and beautiful old town, beaches, pleasant climate, convenient mid-coast location, etc. In other words, everything that the Dalmatian coast has to offer but more quaint and much cleaner than Split for instance. I would consider living there myself as a binational even though I have family in Split. I think Zadar has more quality of life than other Croatian mid-size cities in an already high-quality-of-life country.
Excellent, thanks for sharing @svetcovladich9996!
Safe travels
Thank you!!
Good video; I just wonder if you have been to Denmark (or Scandinavia) more than just a visit? Denmark is ranked one of the best places to live but you don't mention us. Has it anything to do with your job?
In your opinion. What you think is best isn't necessary the bedst in others eyes.
Welcome to Amsterdam 😊
Yes but how is it getting your residency
Hey!! Hope you are doing well. Do you have any information on Estonia or Latvia or Greece
I have some videos about Estonia on my channel th-cam.com/video/2EJWKqFfHzc/w-d-xo.htmlsi=A-pEl7vxZhmtZmPQ
Arnold is from Graz
I forgot about that :)
Roast-stock city wins in this list. I don't think those others are as close as good. West German cities, Berlin and island of Rügen are close enough by train. Also a very romantic city.
Thanks for the rec!
Northern Germany. Cold, brrr.
Spain!
What happened to Gdansk since 2017?
"The people are so quiet, no one really laughs or expresses feeling". Graz definitely don't sound like it would have the second highest quality of life in Europe.
I don't like cities personally. I want to know the best places on earth to live that focus on sustainability, humane treatment of animals, have modern technology (e.g. modern healthcare, stable internet, electricity, and so on), promotes a healthy & active lifestyle with lots of passive socialization (e.g. stopping to talk to someone as you walk to a nearby restaurant), ethical standards such as acceptance of LGTBQ+, and so on. If you haven't already, I hope to see that type of video one day. More of a village or small town vibe rather than a city.
Netherlands might be a good place to start looking! Just what I've noticed personally & has great smaller towns.
Lille is pronounced like “leaf”, the I is high.
I would love to visit Lille. Can I take my dog with me?
Lille is a wonderful place to visit! 🐾 just make sure to check specific requirements, like pet passports and vaccinations, if you’re traveling internationally. 🐶🌍
I would chose Amsterdam also as the best city. Beautiful, good food, canal, museums. And on and on. ❤️❌❌❌
Good choice!
The Netherlands will never make affordability lists. Sucks because Dutch is supposed to be the closest language to English, and thus easier to learn than some of the other languages of the towns on this list.
22:38: I think you meant Austrian, not Australian. lol
Spain is the best place here, by a long shot.
As a European I can say the selection of cities is very good for tourism because any person choosing to go there would dig very deep in European culture.
Aside from tourism I would strongly discourage any non European expat/digital nomad to ever move to one of these places unless you have a specific reason to do so (job or spouse).
These small cities are just not made for international crowds, so you will be at risk for severe depression or worse after you have passed the initial euphoria stage and you’ll have the « what the f I am doing here » moment
Do many citizens of Lille speak English? My brain won’t do French. Thanks.
Do'nt worry, they won't.
Close to no one speaks English in Lille
Lille, Rostock, Gdansk... go further south...🥶 😂
I’ll have to do a Mediterranean version! It’s interesting that all the top rated cities for quality of life are in colder areas. I’ve noticed this pattern before…
Lille, France isn’t cold at all.
@HomeWorkouts_LS I was there one winter for the Christmas markets and it was pretty cold.
Yeah, 194ish countries would add up to a lot of time spent living abroad.
When you started this channel long time ago, You were mentioning "places to live comfortably" for less then X amount of dollars. Usually $1,000.00 then after quite some time you came back to the U.S. which makes me thing that "living abroad" is not all that your portrait to be. Otherwise why would you come back to a country that is so expensive. Now, you live here in the U.S. and your videos are all about how nice is to live abroad. What happened to the "cheap" places to retire?
She has a video about her reasons for returning home, which are personal reasons. As for the COL, it’s gone up all over the world thanks to war.
In Colombia, you might add Santa Marta and san Andrés y Providencia. The last two are partly English speaking, are drier, lower cost and less tourist overrun.
People gush over france. Its a hard pass for me.
Sorry Kristin, none of those places appeal to me.
Obviously, to issue rankings and value judgments, she would have to visit all the countries of Europe. So I agree with you, whatever your own preferences are.
I wish the outfit was less formal.
Quality of life without considering cost of living, is absolutely not a well researched video. Marry quality of life, things to do with cost of living to get a better list.
Most of the videos on my channel are specifically about the cost of living - this one focuses on quality of life including COL which is referenced throughout the video and always considered.
BRAGA is the Brasilians Portugal haven
It's full of Brasilians