This 'Inspiring' European City Has A Low Cost Of Living (& Rick Steves Is A Fan)

The Association of American Residents Overseas says roughly 5.5 million United States citizens live abroad, including some in Europe. With this being said, there are several places, including England, that have been singled out as European countries retirees regret moving to. Ten years ago, Bratislava, Slovakia, may have been on that list, with travel experts like Rick Steves telling expats and visitors alike to steer clear. Today, that reality has changed, with the Slovakian capital becoming a rapidly growing, affordable city with a low cost of living.

Slovakia is rising in the ranks as a Steves-approved European destination for travelers, as a welcome contrast to Scandinavia, which is the most expensive European region to visit, according to Rick Steves. This is in part due to Numbeo stating that the country has some of the lowest living costs in the European Union. The low cost of living in Bratislava, in particular, is impressive, with a furnished studio in the city center costing around $1,000 a month, according to an Expatistan report. 

Relative affordability, combined with the reinvestment in a vibrant city center, has contributed to the city's remarkable revitalization that Steves called "inspiring" in a blog post. Given Bratislava's lower rent cost and walkability, it may soon join the list of the cheapest places to live that are also lively cosmopolitan cities. 

Before the 1990s, Slovakia was not an independent republic. As part of Czechoslovakia, it was an Eastern Bloc nation under Soviet rule until 1989. Control of the country shifted hands until the late 1990s, when a public revolution brought about a threefold plan for the country's economic development. This plan, as outlined in an analysis by economist Brigita Schmögnerová, highly relied on Slovakia becoming part of the European Union in order to leverage a market economy. As a member of the European Union for over twenty years, Slovakia has multiple strong trade partners, and its residents enjoy the financial power of the Euro. This is particularly relevant when one looks at the price of food in the country, with a dozen eggs costing $4.80, given the conversion.

Bratislava, as a city, has experienced commercial growth over the past twenty years, notably punctuated by a twin city partnership with Vienna, Austria. With just one hour of train travel between the two cities, the economic partnership has been mutually beneficial, with investors like Elon Musk even proposing a hyperloop to connect them. While this hyperloop never came to pass, an investment in building parks and improving infrastructure to entice residents helped revive Bratislava. This, paired with low utility and wifi costs, which on average come in at $122 and $15 per month, respectively, has breathed new life into the affordable, charming, and resilient capital city.