Rising rents and stagnant wages have pushed more people than ever to ask the same question: where in the world can I actually afford a good life? The answer depends heavily on what you’re optimizing for. The absolute cheapest countries on Earth aren’t always the safest or most livable — and the safest countries tend to come with a much bigger price tag. This guide breaks down both lists, so you can decide what actually matters for your move: raw affordability, or affordability with safety and quality of life baked in.
The Absolute Cheapest Countries to Live In
If your only filter is “lowest monthly cost,” a handful of countries stand far below the rest of the world. Based on crowd-sourced cost-of-living data covering rent, groceries, transportation, and everyday expenses, the ten most affordable countries all fall under roughly $450 per month for a single person living moderately.
| Rank | Country | Est. Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pakistan | ~$330 |
| 2 | Egypt | ~$350 |
| 3 | Nepal | ~$375 |
| 4 | Bhutan | ~$410 |
| 5 | Burundi | ~$430 |
| 6 | Libya | ~$430 |
| 7 | Tunisia | ~$430 |
| 8 | Algeria | ~$440 |
| 9 | India | ~$440 |
| 10 | Afghanistan | ~$440 |
Why “cheapest” doesn’t always mean “best”: Several of these countries score poorly on independent quality-of-life indices, largely due to limited healthcare access, political instability, or safety concerns. That doesn’t rule them out entirely — Bhutan, for instance, is famous for prioritizing “Gross National Happiness” as a policy goal, and it consistently ranks as one of the safer countries on this list. But Bhutan also restricts foreign nationals from owning property outright, which is a serious practical barrier for anyone hoping to relocate long-term.
Tunisia stands out as having the strongest overall quality-of-life score among the ten, though language remains a barrier since English isn’t widely spoken there, and the country continues to face rising unemployment and resource constraints.
The takeaway: if you’re chasing rock-bottom costs alone, these countries deliver — but you’re trading off healthcare infrastructure, safety, and in some cases legal ease of residency.
The Safest Countries That Are Still Affordable
For most people relocating internationally — especially remote workers, retirees, and families — safety and rule of law matter as much as price. According to the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index, which ranks countries on judicial independence, corruption levels, and order and security, the very safest countries in the world are Denmark, Norway, and Finland. Unfortunately, they’re also expensive: even the least costly of the three runs well over $1,500 a month.
So we cross-referenced the top-ranked safe countries with actual cost-of-living data to find where safety and affordability actually overlap. The clear winners: Latvia, Chile, and Costa Rica, each landing around $1,000–1,100 per month for a comfortable, moderate lifestyle.
Latvia combines a strong rule-of-law reputation with genuinely low costs relative to Western Europe — it runs noticeably cheaper than Italy or France while still offering solid education and healthcare systems.
Chile scores especially well on constraints on government power, meaning officials are meaningfully bound by law. It’s pricier than neighboring Peru or Bolivia, but it buys considerably more safety and stability — Chile ranks far ahead of its regional neighbors on independent safety indices.
Costa Rica is well known for protecting fundamental rights and freedom of expression, and it backs that reputation with immigrant-friendly policy: dedicated visa categories exist for retirees, freelancers, and remote workers, and permanent residency is achievable after just a few years of continuous residence.
Other strong contenders in the $1,000–1,300/month range include Slovakia, Lithuania, South Korea, Japan, and Portugal — all offer a meaningfully lower cost of living than Western Europe while maintaining strong safety and governance scores.
Portugal deserves a special mention. It runs about 10% cheaper than neighboring Spain while ranking well on safety, and it’s become one of the most popular relocation destinations in Europe thanks to accessible residency programs for digital nomads, entrepreneurs, and financially independent applicants.
The Most Affordable Countries in Europe
Within Europe specifically, Eastern European countries dramatically undercut the cost of living found in Western capitals:
- Turkey — roughly $500/month
- North Macedonia — roughly $630/month
- Moldova — roughly $640/month
- Bosnia and Herzegovina — roughly $655/month
- Romania — roughly $785/month
Of these, Romania stands out on two fronts: it has the strongest quality-of-life trajectory of the group, and as an EU member state, its citizens (and long-term residents) gain access to EU-wide healthcare and mobility rights. Romania is also currently the only country on this list offering a dedicated digital nomad visa, though applicants typically need to show a monthly income in the thousands of euros to qualify.
Turkey and North Macedonia, meanwhile, both offer citizenship-by-investment routes — North Macedonia through a real estate or donation-based program, and Turkey through a real estate investment threshold that grants a passport in as little as eight months, with visa-free or simplified access to well over 100 countries.
So, Which Country Should You Actually Move To?
There’s no single “best” answer — it depends entirely on what trade-off you’re willing to make:
- Chasing the lowest possible cost? Look at Pakistan, Egypt, or Tunisia — but go in aware of the safety and infrastructure trade-offs.
- Want safety and affordability? Latvia, Costa Rica, and Chile currently offer the best balance globally.
- Want to stay in Europe without paying Western European prices? Romania and Portugal offer the strongest mix of affordability, safety, and accessible visa pathways.
- Want a fast path to a second passport? Turkey’s investment program is currently one of the quickest routes available.
Cost-of-living figures and safety rankings shift year to year as currencies move and new survey data comes in, so before making any relocation decision, it’s worth checking current, country-specific sources — official visa program pages, recent expat cost-of-living reports, and the latest Rule of Law Index — rather than relying on any single snapshot, including this one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest country to live in right now?
Based on current cost-of-living data, Pakistan, Egypt, and Nepal rank as the least expensive countries for everyday living, each running under $400/month for a single person.
What’s the cheapest safe country to live in?
Latvia currently offers the strongest combination of low cost of living and a high safety/rule-of-law ranking, followed closely by Chile and Costa Rica.
Which European country is cheapest to live in?
Turkey has the lowest overall cost of living in Europe, followed by North Macedonia, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Romania.
Which countries offer citizenship by investment?
Turkey and North Macedonia both currently offer citizenship-by-investment programs, typically through real estate purchases or donation-based contributions.
Does Romania offer a digital nomad visa?
Yes — Romania currently offers a dedicated digital nomad visa for remote workers and freelancers, generally requiring proof of a set minimum monthly income.