The Best Cities in Europe for Families Looking to Move Abroad

Making the big decision to move your family abroad can be extremely daunting. While living overseas provides kids invaluable opportunities to learn new languages and experience different cultures, uprooting your children’s lives requires very careful consideration. When kids are involved, extra factors like childcare costs, safety, healthcare, education standards, and availability of parks and recreation come into play.

It’s critical to pick the right destination since some cities will be far more family-friendly than others, and a new  recent report by Reassured aimed to do just that. The comprehensive analysis evaluated factors like living costs, crime rates, pollution levels, outdoor spaces, and amenities.

Affordable, Safe Vienna Tops the List for Families

Pexels | Vish Pix | The Austrian capital of Vienna emerged as Europe’s most family-friendly city.

The Austrian capital of Vienna emerged as the number one most family-friendly city in Europe. At just £223 per month on average, childcare costs in Vienna are highly affordable compared to other cities. Healthcare is excellent.

Crime and pollution levels are low, adding to Vienna’s appeal. Total monthly costs for a family to live there average a reasonable £2,794. The largest portion goes to housing, with the average rent for a 3+ bedroom apartment about £1,356.

Prague and Rome Offer Abundant Kid-Friendly Amenities

While affordable and safe, Vienna falls short on access to parks and green space, with only 44 total. Prague has over double the number of parks at 106. Rome outranks all other cities with a whopping 148 parks – great for families seeking outdoor recreation. Rome also offers the most family-oriented activities, with 687 museums, zoos, playgrounds, and other attractions.

Though they offer abundant amenities, Prague and Rome have higher total family living costs than Vienna, averaging £2,682 and £2,677, respectively. Their childcare costs are also steeper, with Prague averaging £787 per month and Rome £407. Pollution levels in Prague soar far above Vienna’s, while Rome’s crime rates raise safety concerns.

Austria and Italy Dominate as Leading Family-Friendly Countries

Austria performs very well, with three cities ranked in the top 10. Salzburg and Innsbruck follow Vienna as attractive family destinations. Italy also shows strongly, with Rome and the northern city of Trieste placing in the top 10.

Germany Reigns Supreme for Family-Friendly Cities

Pexels | anastasia shuraeva | For families seeking an affordable relocation abroad, Germany cannot be beat.

But Germany tops them all, boasting a remarkable four cities in the top 20. In addition to beautiful, historic cities like Munich and Hamburg, Nuremberg and Hannover offer exceptional family amenities like parks, activities, safety, and healthcare. For families seeking an affordable relocation abroad, Germany cannot be beat.

Major Capitals Don’t Always Offer the Best Family Life Quality

Some major European capitals ranked surprisingly lower than smaller, lesser-known cities on the list. Helsinki was the only capital city to break the top 10, placing 4th. Paris ranked 11th, with family costs just slightly higher than Vienna. However, housing, childcare, and crime in Paris all significantly exceed Vienna’s levels.

London placed an abysmal 69th out of all cities rated for family-friendliness. Prohibitive costs like £1,600 per month for childcare and £3,712 in total family costs make London unrealistic for many families. Healthcare, education, and recreation also lag behind lesser-known relocation options.

Pexels | Abdelmoneim Mahmoud | Samuel Wölfl | London placed an abysmal 69th out of all cities rated for family-friendliness.

The Top 10 Family-Friendly Cities in Europe Revealed

Based on affordability, safety, amenities, healthcare, and recreation, the report names these top 10 cities across Europe for families to consider:

• Vienna, Austria
• Prague, Czech Republic
• Rome, Italy
• Helsinki, Finland
• Salzburg, Austria
• Nuremberg, Germany
• Innsbruck, Austria
• Bergen, Norway
• Galway, Ireland
• Trieste, Italy

The data reveals Vienna as the top overall choice for family-friendly living. Rome offers endless attractions and recreation. Germany dominates with a remarkable four cities ranked. The analysis makes a strong case that lesser-known cities often beat capitals as family-friendly destinations abroad.