10 Best Inexpensive Cities in Europe to live in 2024 | Affordable Slow Travel

Join us as we countdown our top 10 best inexpensive cities to live in Europe. If you are looking for affordable slow travel in Europe despite inflation, you are in the right place! We will detail what we loved or did not love about each location and why you should consider adding these cities to your full-time travel plans.
Explore the top 10 cheapest cities we experienced in Europe through our slow travel expat lifestyle! We'll share our insights from living in these economical European destinations for over a month. From charming small towns to vibrant capitals, discover which cities offer the best value for long-term stays.
Whether you're an expat, digital nomad, early retirement traveler, retirement traveler, budget traveler, or simply keen on traveling Europe on a shoestring, this list is perfect for you. We provide detailed information on the costs we incurred as an expat couple traveling with two dogs by car, including accommodations and monthly expenses. Watch now and start planning your budget-friendly European adventure!
For non-EU citizens, we've specified whether each country is part of the Schengen Area or not. This will help you plan your Schengen shuffle, allowing you to live in Europe for 3 months out of every 180 days and identify which countries you can move to when you need to leave the Schengen zone. Stay tuned until the end for a bonus location!
If you wish to live in Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary or Italy, check out our residency videos from the playlist below.
🔔Subscribe to unlock the secrets to affordable full time travel expat living in Europe! Join for tips on retiring early, navigating limits, and more. Perfect for nomads, retirees, and anyone dreaming of financial freedom: / @warrenjulietravel
👉Residency Playlist
• Residency Programs
✅Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
02:30 Serbia
04:30 Poland
07:00 Bulgaria
09:00 Montenegro
12:30 Poland
15:30 Albania
19:30 Romania
21:30 Hungary
24:00 Serbia
26:00 Portugal
29:30 Bonus: Türkiye/Turkey
32:30 Conclusion
🔗 Stay Connected with Us.
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👉Facebook (WJT Schengen House Swap): / wjtschengenhouseswap
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👉Website: www.warrenjulietravel.com/
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#livingineurope #expatlife #slowtravel #livingabroad #schengen #top10countries #retirementtravelers #liveabroad #europetravel #travelcouple #expats #digitalnomad #europetravel #retireearly #americanexpat

[@hbalazs202]

As a native of Hungary living in the States for 27 years now, I really enjoy your newfound videos. This summer will visit Albania while vacationing in Hungary. Appreciate your informative and visually pleasing videos. Thank you for sharing your experiences! Traveling = happiness 🙂

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We hope you enjoy your visit to Hungary and Albania. They are both great countries in very different ways. We appreciate you watching;) You are correct, traveling=happiness!

[@joelfaulk]

Thank you for the No Bull Schengen analysis. Thank you also for your pioneering the slow travel concept. I have an idea would be a great benefit for those who want to go slow travel. Using the videos you have do a climate chasing/budget friendly itenerary for a full year. Example start June 1 in Gdansk and work from there for a full year where you avoid the crowds and expense and still tolerate the climate. This would help educate the viewers on how great you can plan a lifestyle of comfort and budget. Anyway, just a thought. Again, thanks for all you guys do.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Funny you say this. I keep notes in my phone and this is one on the list:) We have several video topics in the works. It is just trying to balance the channel and maintaining a happy retirement life. Thanks for watching. We have a lot more content to come!

[@jodiehebert8285]

Have you considered one country to stay permanently (eventually)? I am not sure my husband and I could change beds that often!! (Meaning to continually slow travel). However, we are considering southern France which I understand is way less expensive the further west you are. Also, are your expenses also including the gas and insurance for the car?

[@nellasnaidero5238]

Loved this.. and have taken notes ..thank you for sharing all these wonderful places❤

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

You are so welcome! Thank you for watching.

[@monicarowe7915]

Thank you for your informative video with budgets. Much appreciated!

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

You are very welcome 🤗 Thanks for watching

[@mitchmclain4809]

Great information!! Thank you for the video.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

You are very welcome! Thanks for watching:)

[@tamaragrottker7677]

great information! Thank you for sharing your experiences.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

You are very welcome and we appreciate you watching 😊

[@warrenr.johnson7990]

Very good overview. Thanks! - TOW

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Thanks much appreciated 😁

[@claireruf7556]

Thank you so much for this information! I will be starting my solo world travel soon and although I’ve watched you before, I got so much value from this particular video! I will watch it again and take many notes!

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Thanks for the kind comment, we appreciate knowing you found the video of value. ❤️

[@Freelencerjhui098]

Amazing overview...

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Thanks we appreciate your comment 😁

[@CafeLu]

Great info!

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Thank you and thanks for watching:)

[@jandynes8048]

Excellent and helpful!

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Thanks and thank you for watching 😀

[@montgomeryclark7531]

So glad you liked Sarande! It and Tirana are so high on my list. 👍

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Eventually, we will see Tirana. Thanks for watching:)

[@jugoslavnamljidjiu9021]

You are growing fast and i am very glad to see that, the amount of free information you give free and not only that objective and sincere, sorry if my english is bad and hello from Portugal next we go France in the summer of coarse Greece and after that a reset back home in Belgrade

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Thank you for the kind words. We hope you are enjoying Portugal. France is a beautiful country, we heavily considered Brittany for this summer, but ultimately decided on Germany and Scandinavia. Thanks for watching:)

[@Kayla11113]

Love that you take your dogs everywhere!

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Thanks 😊 Thank you for watching:)

[@Sheila06854]

Thank you for mentioning my home country, Hungary! Great educational video! I`m glad I found your channel.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Welcome! Thanks for watching:) We will be doing another short visit to Hungary in July. Lovely place.

[@universalsourcecode]

Interesting choices never would have thought of a few.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Thanks for watching:)

[@willmurphey593]

great one

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Thanks:)

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Will we be seeing you on this side of the world this year?

[@user-cj9zx1me7b]

Hi! I just found your channel...or it found me :). I'm saving this video and look forward to checking out others that you've done. You have a calm, informative and reasonable way in explaining things...very comfortable to watch. Question, please: Why not Italy? Thank you and safe travels!

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

That means a lot to us. We try very hard to communicate effectively. We love Italy, but it is not as inexpensive as the other countries we mentioned. We just did a long stay in Sicily. Thanks for watching us:)

[@dougb.2627]

This was a beautiful and informative video. I really enjoy the combination of information and footage of the places you are describing. I will need to add some of these to my list, especially Krakow and Anatalia. Thanks! Would love to see something similar for cities that might be a slightly higher budget in Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Austria, etc but relatively affordable for those countries.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Glad you enjoyed it! This summer we will be in more expensive countries. We are planning to highlight expenses in each location. Thanks for watching.

[@tioriccopuravidatrader121]

Okay, I'm checking out the video. Once again, nice meeting both of you genuine Americans today.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

It was wonderful meeting you too:)

[@Adis.P.B.]

That's crazy expensive, I guess its not bad for expats style, thank you for information,

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We could certainly live less expensively with long term rentals. Thanks for watching:)

[@barbarahallowell2613]

Hi, new subscriber here, really loved this video 😊 Question, any suggestions for the summer months where it doesn't get hot and humid? In the 70s and affordable and interesting? Thank you 😊

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Gdańsk / Gdynia Poland is a favorite Summer destination.

[@lingg284]

Thank you for sharing! The place that is really inviting for us is Montenegro.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Montenegro is lovely. This little country is very special and just stunning. Thanks for watching:)

[@2Rugrats9597]

I went to the same ruin bar in Budapest as you guys did and that place Was so awesome, from the vibe, decor, different types of beers, the people. It definitely was one of a kind that I really enjoyed it. My Airbnb was like 2 blocks away..

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Thanks for sharing! It was a very interesting place. Thanks for watching:)

[@scottdiussa5659]

I just came across your channel so please excuse me if you have another video on this. We are looking at doing slow travel in the next few years. Love this video and your details about the monthly budgets. Since you travel with two small dogs do you have any videos for the most dog friendly cities as well? And any advice on bringing dogs to these different countries? We have two small dogs as well. Thx!

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We have not done videos on dog friendly cities, because unfortunately no one watches our pet videos. I have written a blog post for viewers to help them find these cities for their pets. Pet parents have to stick together:) Here is the link to that post. www.warrenjulietravel.com/post/pet-friendly-countries-of-europe

[@scottdiussa5659]

@@WarrenJulieTravel thank you!

[@ShakTuala]

I have been to many of these countries. I chose not to stay because the salaries were not much better if at all than South Africa. I settled in Belgium. Fantastic place to live.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We are not living on the salaries in these countries so that is not relevant to us, but I am sure Belgium does pay more than many of these countries we highlighted. Thanks for watching.

[@razkrat8803]

Good morning🎉

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Good morning 🌞

[@cravetheplanet]

Thanks for putting out such useful info. You know I’m partial to Kotor bay. Enjoying the hikes and swimming right now in may. But my dogs will not be cool with the cats here 😢

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Thank you very much for the kind words and for watching! The cats here don't really seem to be aggressive. Our pups just walk by them:)

[@cravetheplanet]

@@WarrenJulieTravel lucky! I wish mine were chill with cats

[@davisscott09]

Just found your channel and appreciate the video… I’m sorry if I missed this but are you including travel medical insurance in your monthly costs?…and was hoping for some mention about the language barrier and how much of a challenge that was for you during your time in some of these countries…

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Yes, if you get a chance, watch our full four year video about our life traveling. The medical insurance is part of our cost, last year it was $215 for the both of us combined per month, this year it raised to $240 per month. We have $1 million of coverage and a $2500 deductible. If you want more information on insurance, I am, a licensed insurance agent you do not have to be an American. You can go to our website and look at quotes or email me directly. The website is www.warrenjulietravel.com if you enroll through my link I will receive a commission. Email [e-mail] We typically do not have too many issues with the language barrier, Google translate does a fantastic job quite often, you can use the camera and it will translate what you were looking at to read. You can also use this to communicate with people and other countries. In many locations, there are English speakers, as English is the most spoken language in the world by people that speak more than one language. If you need to travel and only know one language, English is the best one to know. You may want to watch our playlist on how to be a nomad.

[@steven_dekok]

We love Brasov! My wife is from there and we still have a family flat about a 10 minute walk from The Black Church. We love sitting in the city center with a cappuccino or a beer and people watching.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

It’s a dynamic city. We are considering spending a few months there in January and February in 2025.

[@steven_dekok]

@@WarrenJulieTravel Awesome! Bring warm clothes. We're headed back in September of this year. In Jan/Feb of next year I think we are headed to Belize.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Very true. We visited in March and it was quite cold. I assume January will be colder.

[@darrenmcpherson8093]

Great video! How many months do you all travel a year? And how many back at your home base or in the States?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We travel 12 months a year We are now planning to utilize our home base a bit more. In the past four years we have used it for about 12 months in total.

[@tlmiam1]

Love this video. I’m so tired of overpaying in the US. So so so tired. I’m excited about trying some other countries, as the Portugal move is proving too complicated for me right now with all the visa stuff.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Thank you! We hope it works out for you to move abroad. Thanks for watching:)

[@photopro100]

What did you find complicated with the Portugal move? I was there recently and seems it would not be as easy as talked about frequently by the media.

[@gregalonzo747]

Due to my profession I have been living in Europe the past 15 years. Presently I am headquartered in Austria and have a residence permit. I have been to every country in Europe several times. I also speak 7 languages and working on 2 more so getting around is a piece of cake. So much for the myth that Americans aren't multilingual. Anyway, of the places you mentioned my favorites would be Budapest and Krakow. For that matter all of Poland is awesome. We have very good friends in Gadynia. My wife has a particular fondness for Antalya and The Algarve in Portugal. My wife is also a polyglot.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

SEVEN languages? I am beyond impressed. Both Budapest and Krakow are wonderful cities. I will miss seeing Gdynia this summer. We are heading to Scandinavia, Germany and Slovenia. Thanks for watching:)

[@gregalonzo747]

@@WarrenJulieTravel Slovenia is beautiful and tranquil.

[@msmargiek48]

These are great and I saved this video to refer back to. Have you been to Kosovo and Macedonia? We are in Greece right now and heading there in a week just to check it out.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We have been to both. We have not spent much time in Kosovo but our friends stayed for a month and enjoyed it. The people are very kind. We really like Ohrid Macedonia We did a video on it this year.

[@ShihanTomCallahan]

I am happy about the Shengen…I am a dual citizen with an EU passport….thanks for the vid.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

If we had an EU passport, the Schengen would not be an issue. Thanks for watching:)

[@norrsken1828]

thanks so much for your vlogs. Really great info. Been following you guys for a long time now. I am Austrian, but when I retire (in 6 years) my pension is so low, I cannot afford to stay in Austria. Still looking for a great, affordable place :-)

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Thank you for watching us. Please let us know if we can answer anything for you. Austria is beautiful, but expensive. I hope you can find that happy place:)

[@debdeb1203]

Hi Guys, love your videos. Keen to chat re potentially renting your place in Montenegro in off season. How do we progress?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

You can email us at [e-mail]

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Also we have our Facebook House Swap group “WJT Schengen House Swap” not to be confused with our larger main group “Warren Julie Travel”

[@livingworkingoutsidebox]

Surprisingly great list. 👍 I know having pets can limit spots. Do you al plan on heading back to South America or South East Asia for the end of 2024 or in 2025? 🤔

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We have decided that Europe is enough for us at this point. We love this continent. South America was wonderful for us for almost ten months. Eventually, we will return there for more travel, but it won't be soon. SE Asia is way too hot for me. Traveling to Asia with our dogs is a huge undertaking. We considered heading to Japan for a year but have ultimately decided we are happy in Europe and not planning to leave any time soon. Thanks for watching:)

[@pathkris2984]

Great video. Would be helpful to add these 3 items in the future - English widely spoken/not spoken that much/difficult to manage without English. Another one would be pedestrian friendly, can manage without a car and last availability of vegetarian/vegan food. Assuming most of these locations are pedestrian friendly as long as we stay in the city..Thanks.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Great suggestions! We will try to incorporate these things into this type of video in the future. It is always a difficult balance as we have to ensure the content is engaging enough to keep someone's interest and not too detailed or too long. Thanks for watching.

[@atomicvagrant7686]

When I headed to Albania at the beginning of covid, Turkey was not on my radar either. I ended up going to Turkey for 2 months and didn't want to leave.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

It's a wonderful place:) We miss it when we are not there. Thanks for watching.

[@bw5911]

Turkey is my favorite country!

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

It’s a fantastic country. We love it! Thanks for watching:)

[@sandyinflorida99]

Interesting about your car travel...did you drive all the way to Antalya?! No, you must have flown with your dogs and left your car in Montenegro. Anyway, amazing overview video!

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Thanks, yes we drove to Antalya also. 😁

[@spotvideo4413]

Well done, very informative! Q1: Have you ever looked into Housesitting to save on accommodation in your travels? Q2: Have you ever been asked to present your health insurance cover anywhere (assume you are registered in Montenegro)? Q3: Is there a need to be health insured apart from the obvious personal peace of mind. Asking as a number of people living in non Schengen countries (like Albania) say it is cheaper to pay as you need, than pay expat health insurance (esp if you are over 70, the fees are astronomical). Good suggestion from other poster: indicate whether (a) English widely spoken/not spoken that much/difficult to manage without English (b) Pedestrian friendly, can manage without a car. Feedback: video quality is not the best which spoils your presentation somewhat (videoing with a phone or camera?). Looking into your other videos with great interest.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Glad you found the information in this video useful. We try not to be redundantly covering the same information in every video, we will turn a 32 minute video into an hour and lose our regular viewers. Many of your questions on insurance, and house swaps are covered in our play list here on how to be a nomad. How to be a Nomad in Europe kzbin.info/aero/PLkOobSSGsmh7Z4FydpgH7lEAqFB4brPMB However after 300 videos I don’t expect my video skills to improve much, and since I was quite happy with this video quality and since you weren’t you may not care for the rest of our content. We are not Hollywood and don’t depend on making our income from our channel. If you can bear with me being a permanent amateur, then welcome.

[@paulvega9909]

Kotor is one of my fave places.though it gets way too cold for me. If you get up to herzeg novi and want to go on a pet friendly 40' sailboat, let me know. My friend kapeton Ronkin. About €50 an hour. Since you have a KZbin channel. You can likely work out a deal.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Appreciate the comment, we like Herceg Novi quite a bit as well.

[@user-jb2ks2cc4z]

Can you you swim. In Gdańsk in August/ I’m an open water swimmer. Wet suit?😊

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Yes, it’s cool water similar to Central California Summer Water Temperature feels like. Wet suit is not a bad idea in your case but not needed for a casual swimmer.

[@worldtrav72]

Which countries are kicking their smoking habit? It’s always amazed me that Europe has healthy food, healthy lifestyles, but smoking all over the place!

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Oh how I wish these countries would reduce the smoking. I am getting more accustomed to it.

[@andraskleistenes8586]

Smoking is prohibited everywhere in Hungary. Smoking can only be problem in the Balkan countries, and Greece

[@fuk_l_gordon]

Smoking everywhere in Europe. Can't breathe fresh air. Kids, as young as 10, smoke. Just horrible!

[@Rosemari753]

Totally agree, I'm currently in Germany and that's one of my biggest gripes.

[@mikeglobal15]

Just wondering what you use to find accommodations, I heard you say airbnb on the video, is that the only platform you use? Reason I ask, my wife and I have grown to dislike airbnb as we have been so disappointed with too many of the accommodations. Do you view the unit you want to rent before committing? Thank you.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Airbnb has been our go to since the beginning. Unfortunately, in the last few years, we have seen a 40 percent increase in several markets. We can generally find something in almost any country, but occasionally we have had to reroute and find an alternative especially in the summer. This is the beauty of slow travel. Facebook groups has helped us a bit too. As we meet additional people around the world, we are also finding ways to find rentals. We started a FB group, WJT Schengen Shuffle House Swap in hopes of growing a large database where people can use their homes in other countries as commodities to swap for other locations. We are slowly growing. We started 3 weeks ago and have 129 members. It's a not-for-profit group. We just hope to help others to find long term house swaps. We tried VRBO and that was the worst for us. Booking is a decent platform, but very seldom does it work for 30 day or more stays. We do not view properties before committing. Overall, we have only had two bad experiences. We did an Airbnb video earlier this year. It didn't get very many views, but we explain in this video why we use them. I hope this helps. Thanks for watching:)

[@neilhupping9106]

Was just in Lisbon. Beautiful city. Prices are getting higher. Kotor is a place I’ve been looking at. Should be joining the EU next year. Would that automatically make you an EU resident ?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

2028 is the target, probably 50/50 chance of making it that year. Probably 5 to 10 years later for Schengen. We are not residents of Montenegro, but if we were we would assume we would be EU Residents if they go EU.

[@ParisianThinker]

Please mention health care for those over 65.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Here is our recent healthcare video How to Choose International Health Insurance (Expats, Digital Nomads and Travelers) kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqSXeKt6aKiFaa8

[@theabrahams5769]

I'm sorry if I missed this information, but is that a budget for 2 people? TIA

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Yes it is

[@HGills]

Could you share a link to your Airbnb in Sarande please

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Here it is: www.airbnb.com/rooms/50015194?guests=1&adults=1&viralityEntryPoint=1&s=76

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Here is another same building, our friends stayed in it, we liked it better than ours and was only slightly more. www.airbnb.com/rooms/50015474?source_impression_id=p3_1716106184_b6vE138QcjEebmwG&check_in=2025-04-01&guests=1&adults=1&check_out=2025-04-30

[@HGills]

@@WarrenJulieTravelthank you, would you believe I already have it saved to my favorites xx

[@Alex-ew1nv]

Serbia rules 🎉

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

It is a lovely country:)

[@user-zw4rt3ec8n]

I understand your cater too pensioners. If one has the means check out Luxembourg 🇱🇺

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We love Luxembourg, however residency there for an American, Canadian, Australian, Kiwi, etc is fairly difficult. I know Luxembourg has many foreigners living there, it has one of the highest percentage of foreigners in the population in the EU, but they are typically from other EU countries that have a fairly easy time to obtain residency to live in Luxembourg.

[@user-zw4rt3ec8n]

@@WarrenJulieTravel My husband is an American. We had no issues. He worked for Arcellor Mittal so it was easy to retire to this wonderful country .I never want to return to Serbia .

[@marlam3891]

Thank you for the video. My question is in which one of these countries can buy a property for under 100K?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Depending on your needs, many if not all of these countries would have property under $100k. The closer to the larger cities, the more it will cost you. Rural properties are very reasonable in many places.

[@marlam3891]

@@WarrenJulieTravel Thank you,

[@kenhilliard5845]

I heard that Russians have flooded into Antalya, driving up the apartment prices. Some are saying it's not cheap anymore. I was surprised you said it was cheaper than Albania.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Apartment prices have been driven up, but the cost of necessities is less than Albania from what we saw. There are still deals to be found in Antalya and many other wonderful cities to consider too. Thanks for watching:)

[@DugrayHoldbarth]

I like Montenegro but not enough to want to settle there. Since you reside there have you learned the language?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We have not learned the language. We reside here very part time. For now, we travel out quite a bit. The language here is quite difficult. Thanks for watching:)

[@DugrayHoldbarth]

@@WarrenJulieTravel I understand. My advice would be wherever you settle learn the language. Makes getting around much easier and surprisingly the prices go down.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

I definitely don’t doubt that. We have watched our prices go down visiting the same vendors routinely.

[@ChadGates-oc6qs]

These developing countries are nice for a visit. I just prefer the stability of the Western European countries. Do you travel to any of the islands? Madeira is my favorite.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

I use to be like you, if you watch our latest video on “Why We Left the US” I explain “I didn’t know what I didn’t know” and bought into the Hollywood and US Media framing of life in various countries. Part of our calling is to educate on the areas of Europe people aren’t thinking of. If you have Residency in a Schengen Country or EU citizenship the Schengen may not impact you. Portugal is Schengen and must share the same 90 days as the other 29 countries. So prioritizing where we want to spend a full month or more is tough, especially when we’d like to slip in a revisit. Currently, we are expecting to travel to the Azores in early 2025, so it’s still a ways off. We typically plan our travel six months to one year out.

[@ChadGates-oc6qs]

@@WarrenJulieTravel with all due respect, I actually don't think we are anything alike. You see the natural beauty of a country and I agree. However you do not stay long term. Except for the countries where you own property you don't see the true picture of a country. You don't speak the language so the locals don't discuss politics with you. You brought up ideology. Russia has invaded Ukraine over ideology. Russia also wants back all of the land that was once controlled by the USSR. Orban in Hungary is a fascist who is in Putin's camg. Oderan in Turkey is very right wing. Sorry but that is the reality. I love the beaches in Albania and I can afford to buy an apartment but I don't want to gamble by investing in their economy. Great that you like the life you lead. However, I am sticking with Western Europe. BTW, since one of your motivations is how far the dollar will go, save your money Sweden is not for you. Beautiful country yet on the pricier side.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

I’m sorry you missed my point. It’s okay, we actually slow travel spending a month in locations or longer. I understand that you probably don’t watch our channel so you haven’t seen our content. I wasn’t trying to be rude to you, we have spent quality time in these countries and made great friends on them. We have a series of videos of Ukraine from our six weeks in Lviv before the war. I know a bit more about the politics and events in these countries than you give me credit for. The fact is I have been on the ground in these countries and can speak from real experience not hyped up news propaganda. Anyway if I offended you, it’s unintentional. I just wanted you to give the people in these countries another look, you don’t need to invest there.

[@ChadGates-oc6qs]

@@WarrenJulieTravel, I don't know what your answer was intended to be because it never really addressed my points, just spin. Let's just leave it at we are two very different people who see the world in different ways. I'm gone.

[@kims1912]

Can an American stay indefinitely in Albania? I thought the stay was 360 days per year? What season is best to go for a short visit?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

An American gets 360 days per year then they must leave for 90 full days and are then allowed to return back for another 360 days. For an indefinite period, residency is an option. I would personally recommend mid September or October, but I’m not a fan of hot weather. We enjoyed March a lot too. We did several videos on Saranda.

[@FLANNELSHIRT]

@@WarrenJulieTravelI had to chuckle at this - I know Julie answered, not Warren, because she does not prefer the hot weather. Warren’s answer might be different! 😄

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

@@FLANNELSHIRT lol you are correct. Warren would want to be around for the summer action 😂

[@louis20122]

It is hard to move away after one has lived in the U.S. for over 30 years.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

It was not hard for us. We planned this for over 11 years. We knew we would retire overseas since 2008. It was just a matter of deciding where to live. Our differences in life, such as weather and activities we like, made us give up on finding one country to retire to, so we chose them all, which has been the slogan on our YT channel since the beginning in 2019. This was determined after scouting Central America, Asia and Europe starting in 2008. Thanks for watching:)

[@glennpaul9173]

Romania joining Shengen has ruined my travel plans. I'm an American and I would spend 5 or 6 months in Europe with my Romanian girlfriend. Using Bucharest as my home base and split time between there and Shengen countries. Now I either have to spend time in non Shengen countries that I had no interest in visiting or cut my travel and time with my girlfriend to 3 months total.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We were terribly sad Romania joined. There are some additional nice non-Schengen countries. Thanks for watching:)

[@adm58]

I'm in the UK. The issue I have with other European countries is the tax. All the countries I have considered have much higher taxes than here. Where do you two pay taxe (I know the US, but if you spend more than 6 months anywhere else, also there)?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We pay US taxes only. We do not stay in any country for more than 6 months. Thanks for watching:)

[@mnob1122]

What about Spain? I was considering Málaga. I am a retiree looking to permanently leave the United States. I have heard it is equivalent to Portugal regarding cost of living. Please comment. Thanks!

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Spain is definitely less than the US, its fairly close to Portugal on costs, however we can’t speak to Malaga from our own experience.

[@mnob1122]

@@WarrenJulieTravel thank you for your reply

[@mnob1122]

@@WarrenJulieTravel Where in Spain have you gone that you would recommend moving to…for a single female retiree?

[@TravelswithLlama]

I was just in Málaga. Outside the city center costs were about the same as Portugal. We are considering going there, at least part time. If you head down the Costa Del Sol, it gets a bit cheaper and there are large expat communities.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

I think this would really depend on your budget. We have spent time in Barcelona, it’s a beautiful city, Almeria was a decent city that we visited for about a month and we vacationed in Lloret De Mar and Blanes, but that was years ago. We have not spent a lot of time in Valencia, but we have friends who own there and love it. We need to explore more of Spain.

[@LeighFourie-it9hy]

Why the sad face next to Schengen on the bit about Krakow?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

The sad face is on all Schengen Locations. You may have missed where we explain this. As Americans, Australians, Canadians, British and non Schengen or EU citizens, we are allowed 90 days in the entire 29 country block every 180 days. We have to view them all as one country limiting our time to slow travel there. Non Schengen provides us with 90 day or more in each country every 180 days.

[@LeighFourie-it9hy]

@@WarrenJulieTravel just found that episode so now I know why :-) should have done that first LOL oops

[@julioc4978]

Great video, I wonder how would Bosnia compare against those locations and whether it is more affordable. PS It'd be nice if you guys cna make a video on Taxes for Americans while living abroad... Cheers

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We like Bosnia and we actually plan to spend some more time there this year. Expert Advice on Expat Taxes & Nomad Taxes kzbin.info/www/bejne/fn24pGhqi5V9b6M

[@FrLo616]

How do you manage your bank and investment accounts abroad? I am planning to move abroad and want to know how I can transfer funds fro the US monthly or quarterly. Please advise. Thank you.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We did a video on this. I think it will answer everything for you. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3mXnolvpt2pma8 If you are looking to move large sums of money for car purchase or to fund a bank account or buy a home, we suggest smart currency exchange. If you use them, please tell them Warren and Julie Travel referred you. The links to all of these companies in this video are on our website. There is a 75k points reward for using our link for the Chase card. This card has been a true gift to us and saved us a lot on foreign transaction fees since 2009. We have used it all over the world. I highly recommend the Charles Schwab card for ATM transactions. I hope this helps. Thanks for watching:)

[@hrw3mom103]

My daughter lives abroad and has an account with Revolut. She can transfer in any currency.

[@worldtrav72]

What kind of car do you have to travel with the dogs?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We have a Citroen Berlingo Diesel we call Abby, short for the Abyss due to her storage capacity.

[@worldtrav72]

@@WarrenJulieTraveljust looked it up. She’s aptly named!

[@QGDeclined]

So am I understanding this correctly: without residence, even though you own a home in Montenegro, you're not allowed to stay there as much as you want? You guys have to bounce between different countries to reset the clock before you can return to your property?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

This is correct. We can get residency here through home ownership or through a corporation. We have chosen not to opt for either at this point. We are just not ready to settle down. We enjoy our slow travel lifestyle a lot. Thanks for watching:)

[@QGDeclined]

@@WarrenJulieTravelThanks for the reply and info, great video very informative. Hoping to do something similar in the coming years, cheers!

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Best of luck!

[@Stopit77]

Did you include your car, dog expenses and health insurance in your monthly budget totals in this video?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We included car expenses such as fuel and tolls. Our car insurance is paid yearly as well as our registration, and we include it in our annual costs, and we also included it in our four-year video we did. We definitely include the health insurance. Warren is a health and life agent from the US, and he helps people find the right global health insurance. He represents five companies currently. We do include our dog expenses, such as their food, but not vet care as that is not a typical slow traveler's expense. Thanks for watching:)

[@user-rm1zw7so2c]

I AM A U.S. CITIZEN. DO I NEED A VISA IF I WANT TO GO TO SPAIN AND ITALY?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

No, you do not

[@melisherwood5300]

Did you notice if there is availability of organic produce and gluten-free items?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Organic produce is definitely available in MANY of these places, especially if it is a city with a Lidl. The same goes for Gluten Free. Here in Montenegro our markets have Gluten Free items available. Saranda Albania had some, but they were in the specialty shops. I buy GF from time to time, so I look for it too. Thanks for watching:)

[@popovdes5576]

Please let us know how long you stay at each city and how to carry so much cash with you ?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We stay about a month in most cities, but sometimes up to 88 days. We really don’t carry a lot of cash with us. We use the ATM. We carry two great credit cards. They are available on our website. I highly recommend the Chase card and with our link you get 75k points. www.warrenjulietravel.com/essentialtravelresources The Schwab card reimbursed for ATM fees and the Chase card saves us on foreign transaction fees, and we get points on purchases that we can use to redeem for cash to pay each statement.

[@popovdes5576]

@WarrenJulieTravel Thanks. Can I open a bank account in local bank ao that I can get the cash by ATM?

[@abidnessman]

How come reviews rarely discuss the oppresive humidity of some places?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We often speak about weather in our videos One of us likes hot weather and the other doesn’t.

[@stayhungry1503]

i want to start my own online company, pay as little as possible tax, and as little as possible for living expenses. where should i move to? ( i am eu-citizen )

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

You might wish to check out Georgia. It’s extremely tax friendly.

[@Ricardo_dornas]

Can you explain to me, why non-schegen countries there is a heart? I think the contrary.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

For us, Schengen is a huge hurdle and frustration. A non-Schengen country gives us three months there then allowing us to enter the Schengen zone for three months. The happy and sad faces and hearts are because of that. This is not a slight to any of those countries. We love them all. Thanks for watching:)

[@wesgraham2262]

Why do you consider non-Schengen countries better for travel?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

I’m not sure what country you’re from, if you’re from a Schengen country or vacation traveler you probably think it’s great because it’s borderless travel. However, if you are. American, Canadian, Australian, and most of the world you have to consider all 29 of the countries in this zone as one country sharing the same days that are allowed for travel. As an American, we are allowed 90 days every 180 days inside of this zone. It is not just crossing a border and getting another 90 days in another country. If you want to travel full-time in Europe, this is a hurdle and limitation of immense proportion. You must prioritize what European countries you want to slow travel and live in, in the Schengen zone. Countries outside the zone allow 90 days of their own, and Albania allows Americans a full year.

[@wesgraham2262]

@@WarrenJulieTravel - Thank you. I had no idea Schengen countries were all lumped together and treated as one big country with the same 90-day visa for ALL countries within that zone. That’s a huge disadvantage like you said for me as an American. Thanks again for spelling that out for me.

[@montgomeryclark7531]

Is Serbia anti-Albania, anti-Ukraine and anti-American? Serbian staffers in Kotor seemed definitely anti-Montenegran. Politics can make travel a wee bit complicated.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Here is an interesting read about Serbia and Ukraine, but no they are not against Ukraine, they condemn the invasion: www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/opinion/serbia-is-not-as-neutral-on-ukraine-as-it-claims/ There have been issues between Serbia and Albania for decades, the break away of Kosovo due to its majority Albanian population is the crux of the problem. As far as Montenegro who separated peacefully by elections in 2006, there was a Serbian expectation that they couldn’t make it alone and would come back, however 18 years later Montenegro is doing fine. There are some in Serbia who are disappointed and perhaps in denial of it. Many Serbs live in Montenegro as it was all one Yugoslavia. I just look at the Montenegrin, Serbian and Albanian populations in Montenegro as political parties in a way. Don’t base your belief by the impression you get from one or two people Serbian staffer etc. many people of Serbia descent are happy to be Montenegrin citizens, and many Serbians come to Montenegro for vacations. Serbians by large majority love Americans from our interactions, unless you have a last name of Clinton. They have deep disdain for them, meanwhile there is a statue of Hillary in Albania.

[@montgomeryclark7531]

That sincerely, is a wonderful reply. Thorough and balanced. Makes me wonder which one of you should be in the Diplomatic Corps. And it makes me more open to the thought of Serbia. I am looking for a location that will offer me the highest quality of life at the best value pricing. I remember how much Julie loved Lviv, among others. Could I find one place that would be my annual summer base during May, June and July??? Any chance you two might construct a "Marigold Hotel" for we aging and frugal Expats??? Again, thanks for the reply.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

@@montgomeryclark7531 thanks, this was Warren replying. Now I did have to Google the Marigold hotel, I think Zlatibor would make a much better location than India. 😁

[@montgomeryclark7531]

@WarrenJulieTravel Very good... Zlatibor... I'll check it out. And since you two make the perfect hosts for creating a retired expat haven, toss the idea around. You both could hold court with all your minions and a never-ending stream of slowmads. And on a slow night watch these movies. I adore Dame Judy as well as Maggie Smith. Goodnight from Greece!

[@jodiehebert8285]

Are there no concerns about the war in Ukraine as Poland is near there?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We have had no concerns about this as we travel. Thanks for watching:)

[@JasonGiaputo]

I am Italian- American and my family is from Trieste, Italy. We spent most of our vacations in Italy and I speak Italian fluently. I Trieste is close to Slovenia and Croatia are nearby and I often sail to these countries and I 've learned to speak those languages. Makes it easy to meet people. I don't get most of the expats because they tend to sit around and drink beer. Oh well, to each his own.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Trieste is a beautiful city. I think it’s wonderful that you speak fluent Italian. Speaking, the language is definitely an advantage. Someday, if we settle down in one country, we will aim to become fluent in the respective language. Thanks for watching :)

[@mkishon]

Plovdiv > Sofia and cheaper as well. Izmir > Antalya: more cosmopolitan, and cheaper.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We have been to Plovdiv and enjoyed the city. We have not yet visited Izmir, we have only driven on the outskirts of this city and stayed well outside the city for the night on our way to Bulgaria. Thanks for watching.

[@photopro100]

Seems like each place is 2,200 to 2,300 dollars or Euro. Also $25 for a meal? I was eating well in Portugal for less than 10 Euro per meal for 1 person. Obviously not top rated large restaurants.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

$25 is for 2 people. We plan to see more of Portugal. Thanks for watching:)

[@Reza16888]

The best of them is Türkiye, you know it. Admit it.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Turkiye is quite wonderful:)

[@chicagomike]

Thank you. Interesting, but I see in my city of Chicago thousands of people that come from these places. I am of Serbian origin I would never reside there. Turkey needs to apologize for murdering Christians. No thanks. Poland is too cold, like Minnesota. Slovenia and Macedonia are possible, love Portugal but it’s being ruined. Spain has rough people. Lol. I am staying here lol.

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

Unfortunately, there is really just not the perfect place. Slovenia is gorgeous and a fantastic country.

[@Reno-4570]

I’m not a fan of Shengen policy. I hope Albania never joins that

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We concur. Thanks for watching 😀

[@sammyreyes63]

I'm new here. What is this policy?

[@bw5911]

I don’t think it will anytime soon.

[@tinportugal4655]

Are you only interested in cheap? My god, how low can you go?

[@WarrenJulieTravel]

We are going to Scandinavia this summer so no we are not only interested in cheap. We actually love the Balkans and have for a long time. The prices are the prices we apologize if we’re not spending enough for you.