Many people dream of moving to another country to explore the world, experience a new culture, or change their life in some way—but the move can be daunting, thanks to international bureaucracy and expenses. The good news is that relocating abroad may not be as expensive as you think, particularly if you select a destination that offers financial incentives.
That’s right: Some places will pay you to move there. Cities, towns, and countries may look for new permanent residents for various reasons, such as declining populations or a shortage of skilled workers in specific fields. Their lack of citizens could be your gain.
The incentives vary and may include living expenses, education funds, and grants for starting new businesses. Each place has different rules for how immigrants receive the funds, and all require some type of residency commitment.
Financial incentives are appealing, of course, but they shouldn’t be the only reason to move to a new country. Be sure to research all aspects of a place carefully, including visa requirements, healthcare, language, and digital nomad offerings. But if you are considering a relocation, this collection of places that will pay you to move there is a great launchpad.
Chile
This narrow South American country sandwiched between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean is looking to become a tech hub, and it’s after creative thinkers with startup ideas to move to the capital, Santiago. Start-Up Chile, which has been operating since 2010, is an accelerator program offering equity-free monetary grants for three stages of startup development: The smallest is a four-month program that provides 15 million Chilean pesos (about $15,000) to budding entrepreneurs, and the largest offers 75 million Chilean pesos (about $100,000) and a one-year work visa to those with advanced-level startups. Companies with women leaders on the team will receive a higher percentage of the fund.
Italy
Most people have seen the articles and social media posts advertising houses for €1 in rural Italian towns. While many of those opportunities still exist, several places in Italy will outright pay to have you live there. Earlier this year, the region of Tuscany announced a new program offering between €10,000 (about $1,100) and €30,000 (about $32,000) in renovation funds for people to move to one of 76 mountain towns and purchase a permanent home. Non-EU citizens, including U.S. citizens, first must acquire a long-term residence permit. The island of Sardinia, which has been suffering from depopulation, offers €15,000 (about $16,286) to those who move to a rural area with fewer than 3,000 residents and renovate a home. The charming region of Calabria also has an incentive program through which applicants can receive up to €30,000 (about $32,500) to move to one of nine villages in Calabria that have populations of fewer than 2,000 people. Applicants need to be under 40 years old and either start a new business or get a job in an industry needing more workers. (For those looking for a move with less commitment—albeit without the cash incentive—Italy recently launched a new digital nomad visa.)
Greece
Perhaps it’s not surprising that the population of the island of Antikythera in the Aegean Sea is so small; only 24 people live on these eight square miles year-round, and 40 during the summer. In September 2023, the Greek Orthodox Church launched an initiative to bring five young families to the island, with some very specific requirements. Applicants must be families with at least four children to receive about $20,000, which is paid as a monthly stipend of €500 (around $550) for the family’s first three years on the island. Each of the five families will be provided with a house, which is not yet built. Families with a skilled worker will be given priority.
Ireland
In 2023, Ireland launched the Our Living Islands policy to bring people to 30 coastal islands around the country that suffer from low populations: The total population of all the islands is 3,000, and one island, Inis Bó Finne, has only two permanent residents.
It’s crucial for anyone considering this move to understand that the islands in the program include those cut off from the mainland once a day by a daily tide, and no bridges or causeways connect the islands to the mainland. The only transport options between these islands and the Irish mainland are by sea or air.
For those who are game, up to €84,000 (about $90,893) is offered for moving there and taking over a derelict property built before 1993. You still have to maneuver your way through Ireland’s immigration process. But the country’s fiscal encouragement might soften the blow.
