13 Countries That Will Pay You To Move There (Expat’s Picks)

Have you heard that there are some countries that will pay you to move there?

I’ve been moving from one country to another for the past 10 years, and every time, I’m shocked at how quickly moving costs add up! The amount I’ve had to fork out on visas and foreign healthcare over the years is not even funny.

So I started thinking, “What cities will pay me to move there?” and after a few weeks of researching this topic, I’ve got the complete list of places that will help offset relocation costs!

Spoiler alert – the #1 option is New Zealand. Their high-demand jobs offer a whopping $5,000 NZD ($3,100 USD) relocation allowance.

On another note, I noticed most sites talk about how “rustic” and “quaint” all these places are – while glazing over the fact that some of them are so remote that they only have a population of 2 (yes, literally).

I’m all for the relocation perks, but I’ll also give a realistic review of these programs so you can decide if they are worth considering.

13 Places That Will Pay You To Live There

Country	What’s Offered?
Canada	Tax rebates to offset student loan
Croatia	Home renovation allowance ($3,600 USD)
Chile	Startup up funding and support
England	International relocation payment for teachers ($13,000 USD)
Greece	Monthly allowance ($550 USD)
Ireland	Home renovation allowance ($91,500 USD) or startup funding and support
Italy	Home renovation or relocation allowance ($16,400 – $30,500 USD)
Mauritius	Startup funding ($550 USD) and 1 year’s pay for Mauritian employee
New Zealand	Relocation allowance ($3,100 USD)
South Korea	Various allowances (around $2,000 USD) and accommodation
Spain	Relocation allowance ($3,300 USD) or monthly allowance ($110 – 170 USD)
Switzerland	Relocation allowance  ($29,000 USD)
USA	Relocation allowance, co-working benefits, family passes, local produce, and more

North & South American Countries That Will Pay You To Move There

1. USA

There’s a big move to attract remote workers to small towns, and it’s been a big hit with the digital nomad community.

I totally see why! The cost of living is way cheaper than in bigger cities, it’s often closer to beautiful natural landscapes, and you’re getting paid to move! 

Some states that will pay you to relocate include Alabama, Alaska, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, and West Virginia. 

West Virginia offers one of the highest-paying incentives, offering 12,000 USD. The other most lucrative option is Tulsa Remote in Oklahoma, which has an incentive of $10,000 USD. Other states provide a cash bonus of around $4,500 – $5,000 USD.

If you’re a nurse, police officer, or teacher, you can also get a signing bonus between $7,500 – $75,000 USD, depending on the state.

In addition to the financial incentive, most remote working programs include co-working benefits, networking opportunities, and extra cash bonuses for local art shows and sporting events. Some states offer new residents cool local goods like free farm-fresh eggs every month! 

Eligibility

• Eligible to work in the US.
• Able to move quickly, usually within 3 – 12 months.
• Some states specifically need remote workers.
• Some states require you to be between 25 and 40 years old.
• Some states have a minimum stay period.

2. Canada

You can’t get paid to move anywhere in Canada, but if you’re interested in a slower life and graduated within the last 7 years, consider the Saskatchewan Graduate Retention Program. 

Saskatchewan is an agricultural province, and while it’s definitely not the big city life many young professionals are looking for, living costs are lower, and it’s an excellent way to expedite paying off your student loans. 

Saskatchewan is offering up to $20,000 CAD ($15,000 USD) in tax rebates (spread across 7 years) for people willing to move there. 

Eligibility

• Completed at least 6 months of full-time study at an approved education institution.
• Must live in Saskatchewan (or plan to move here).
• Must file a Saskatchewan income tax return.

3. Chile

Start-Up Chile opens up yearly applications for startup founders, offering up to $100,000 USD in funding.

The program is based in Santiago, and I love their strong support for female founders! The program reserves a percentage of the funding for women-led startups and offers training and networking support to grow their business.

If you get approved for the program, you and your whole startup team will get a 1-year working visa, $12,500 USD to $100,000 USD in equity-free funding (depending on the startup category), a free coworking space, and discounts on services like AWS, HubSpot, and Microsoft.

Eligibility 

• Must be a tech-based, scalable business.
• The startup must be a full-time job.
• The startup can’t be older than 1 year (Build category) or 3 years (Ignite category).

European Countries That Will Pay You To Move There

4. Switzerland

Switzerland is looking to revive the dwindling 200-something population count of Albine, a small hilltop town in the Alps. It’s such a beautiful place that it almost feels unreal!

Albinen, a forgotten village high up in the Swiss Alps 🇨🇭 Switzerland 4K

But here comes Nina’s reality check – the town is so remote that it doesn’t have a bank, post office, or school. Also, the only public transport is a bus that runs every hour.  

Still, Switzerland wants to build the population back up here, so they are offering $25,000 CHF ($29,000 USD) per adult and an extra $10,000 CHF ($11,600 USD) per accompanying child.

There isn’t a ton of information online, so contact the Albinen municipal office for more details.

Eligibility

• Must be a Swiss resident. If you’re from the US, you must have lived in Switzerland for at least 5 years.
• Must be under 45 years old.
• Must live in a home valued at 200,000 CHF ($226,000 USD) or more.
• Must stay for at least 10 years.

Contact the Albinen municipal office for more information.

5. Italy

If you’re wondering if Italy will pay you to move there, the answer is yes – as long as you’re willing to live in some of the most remote parts of the country.

These programs with dwindling populations include Sardinia, Calabria, Candela, and Sicily.

Sardinia is one of the most popular locations, granting up to €15,000 ($16,400 USD) for new residents, while Calabria’s financial incentive is one of the highest at up to €28,000 ($30,500 USD) spread over 3 years.

These incentive programs have blown up because people plan on coming to Italy and buying €1 houses. But you have to understand just how much work they need. The incentive you’re getting won’t be enough to cover your renovation costs.

In my opinion, Italy’s program is only worth considering if you intend to become an Italian resident, don’t mind inaccessible locations, and have decent financial reserves.

Eligibility

• Must live full-time in a municipality with fewer than 3,000 residents.
• Must be less than 40 years old.
• Some grants can only be used to buy or renovate a home.
• Some places require you to move within 3 months.
• Some places have a minimum stay period.

6. Spain

If you’re looking for European countries that will pay you to live there, Spain is another one to consider.

The small towns of Rubiá and Ponga in Northern Spain are looking to repopulate and are especially keen to reward couples looking to grow their families here. But they are very remote. For context, Rubiá has a population of 1,385. Ponga has less than half of that. 

Ponga offers €3,000 ($3,300 USD) per adult and an extra €3,000 ($3,300 USD) for every baby born in the town.

Rubiá, on the other hand, offers €100 – €150 ($110 – $170 USD) in monthly support. 

Eligibility

• Must stay for at least 5 years.
• You’ll need to apply for a long-term visa. I hear it’s easier to get approval if you plan to stay in these remote towns.

7. Ireland

Ireland is one of the best countries to move to from the US! Everyone speaks English, and there are plenty of opportunities to spend time in nature.

If you’re into renovating old homes in remote towns, check out the Our Living Islands policy. However, keep in mind these islands are so isolated that the tide cuts them off from land daily. Some have less than 10 permanent residents.

Our Living Islands policy offers up to €84,000 ($91,500 USD) to buy and renovate old homes.

Alternatively, if you’re planning to start or grow your company in Ireland, Enterprise Ireland is the best program to join. 

Enterprise Ireland offers funds ranging from anywhere between €1,000 to €1,000,000 ($1,100 to $1,100,000 USD) depending on the grant you apply for.

Eligibility

• Our Living Islands policy doesn’t offer immigration assistance. You’ll need to apply for a visa accordingly.
• The Enterprise Ireland program requires that you register your company in Ireland.

8. England 

If you’re a qualified teacher, England is one of the best countries to move to and has some pretty enticing incentives.

I lived in Oxford for a while in 2019, and I love the diversity of England. It’s also so easy to travel around Europe from the UK. That said, I did struggle with the high cost of living.

For teachers, Great Britain is offering an International relocation payment of $10,000 GBP ($13,000 USD), along with additional teaching payments for qualifying teachers!

Eligibility

• Must be employed in an English state secondary school for at least 1 year.
• Must be working as a physics teacher or language teacher (except English).
• Must not have moved to England more than 3 months before starting the job.

9. Greece

Teaming up with the Greek Orthodox Church, the tiny Greek island of Antikythera is one of the places in Europe that will pay you to move there.

You’ll need to be okay with extreme isolation. There are only about 20 people who live here, and the only connection to the mainland is a daily boat to/from Kythira and Crete. This boat also brings the only source of supplies for the island’s residents.

But, the remoteness can be quite peaceful and enjoyable with such breathtaking scenery.

Antikythera Island: An isolated Greek Paradise

Antikythera is offering €500 ($550 USD) monthly allowance for 3 years, and they are specifically looking for young families! For more information, contact the Union of Apantachou Antikythera. 

10. Croatia

Like the €1 houses in Italy, the small town of Legrad in central Croatia offers 1 Kuna houses (about $0.15 USD)! It’s pretty cool that you can get a house for basically free. 

But, even though these houses are practically free, just remember they are major fixer-uppers! 

The city offers new applicants 25,000 HRK ($3,600 USD) assistance to refurbish your home, which many not be quite enough, but it’s a nice start and in the end, you’ll have a beautiful home in Croatia for less than that price of a car. 

Legrad lies by the beautiful Drava River and offers plenty of natural beauty and adventure around. It is also a very quiet town, home to just about 862 people.

Eligibility

• Must be under 40 years old.
• Must be financially stable.
• Must stay at least 15 years.

African Countries That Will Pay You To Move There

11. Mauritius

If you’re looking for tropical islands that pay you to live there, check out Mauritius.

I took a look at the Global Innovation Index to get some idea of the startup scene here, and I’m impressed! Mauritius ranks #1 in the region and #45 globally. That’s a huge jump from the #82 spot in 2019.

A growing economy is a good sign, and I certainly don’t mind the idea of working on one of their stunning sandy beaches!

Mauritius is offering people $20,000 MUR ($450 USD) funding, and an entire year’s wage is funded for a year if you hire a Mauritian graduate to work for your business. 

For more information, Contact the Economic Development Board of Mauritius. 

Eligibility

• Must present a unique and profitable business idea.

Asian/Oceanic Countries That Will Pay You To Move There

12. New Zealand

I have a soft spot for New Zealand, and I’m so happy to know it’s one of the countries that will pay me to move there!

New Zealand attracts skilled talents to relocate to the country through their Green List Roles. Tier 1 roles grant you immediate residency, and Tier 2 roles grant you residency after 2 years.

You can also apply for the $5k to Work allowance, which grants you $5,000 NZD ($3,100 USD) to help with your moving costs.

Eligibility

• Must have a confirmed job offer in New Zealand with a permanent or fixed-term contract.
• Job starts within 28 days of applying for $5k to Work.

13. South Korea

If you want to teach English in South Korea, check out their EPIK program for teaching English. 

You’ll get a place to stay, and they have recently added a lot of perks to help adjust for the price of relocating. 

For example, you get $400,000 KRW ($300 USD) per month to put toward housing, $300,000 KRW ($230 USD) in settlement allowance in the first month, $1,300,000 KRW ($980 USD) entrance allowance to help pay for your flight, and a $1,300,000 KRW ($980 USD) bonus at the end of each contract. 

If you are excited about living in South Korea, it’s a really good gig. A couple of my friend lived in South Korea for over 2 years, and they said they were able to save a lot of money to put towards their loans! 

When you join EPIK, you could be placed in bigger cities like Seoul, Busan, and Daegu, but it’s more likely that you’ll start in more rural areas like Gyeonggi and Chungbuk. You’ll only find out once you arrive in Korea for your orientation.

Eligibility

• Citizen of a country where English is a primary language – US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa.
• Hold a Bachelor’s Degree.
• Hold a TEFL, TESOL, or CELTA certificate (if your degree is not related to teaching or language studies).

Why Do Countries Pay You To Move There?

Places that will pay you to live there usually do so because they are struggling with depopulation, too many abandoned properties, a lack of skilled workers, or a dwindling economy.

By attracting new residents and businesses, these locations can increase the population, stimulate the economy, and improve local properties.

Remote workers and young families are especially in demand for these programs.

Conclusion: Countries That Will Pay You To Move There

Okay, so if you are really looking to relocate to a new country, you can see that there are quite a few options that will incentivize you to choose them! 

Here’s a quick synopsis of where I would move, depending on my situation!

• Best places for startup founders – Chile, Ireland, and Mauritius.
• Best places for families – USA and New Zealand.
• Best places for teachers – England and South Korea.

To be honest, I’m not as confident with programs where you refurbish old, abandoned homes like in Italy, Spain, and Croatia, but if you’re good at this kind of thing, go for it!

None of these seem to be the right option for you? You can always move somewhere else, regardless of whether they help offset costs. Check out my complete guide on digital nomad visas to see where you can legally move and work remotely!

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