The past couple of years has given us plenty of opportunities to think about how we live and where we live and suddenly it feels as though everyone is thinking about relocating. Relocating when you have a family is of course a much more complex matter than deciding to up sticks as a singleton. You’ll have to think about schools and how your children will adjust to a new culture, you won’t just be able to pack a rucksack and move on if it doesn’t work out, so doing your research beforehand is especially important.
The Norwegian company Sumo Finans has looked at 50 European cities in terms of their suitability for family life. Each city was assessed against a range of criteria: the global peace index score, the cost of childcare, attractions for children, the ‘program for international student assessment’ score, the cost of living for a family of four, the cost of renting a three-bedroom house and the number of parks and city attractions.
The highest-scoring European city was the Portuguese coastal city of Porto, famous for its beautiful bridges and port wine production. Porto is a World Heritage City, and its medieval waterfront is a delightful warren of cobbled streets and enticing cafes. The average cost of rent, per month, in July 2021 was 941 euros, according to the Imovirtual property website.
In second place was Barcelona, Spain’s Mediterranean Catalan capital. Famous for its outlandish architecture by Gaudi, Barcelona is one of Europe’s trendiest cities, buzzing with popular culture, cutting-edge fashion, and eclectic cuisine. As a bonus, Barcelona even has its own beach. A three-bedroom apartment in the city center is on average 1,518 euros per month and the estimated living costs per month, for a family of four, excluding rent is 2,480 euros, according to Numbeo.
The third best city for families, according to the survey, is Portugal’s hilly coastal capital, Lisbon. In recent years, Lisbon has become a European property hotspot, with locals joking that the area has become a European ‘California’ because so many stars have moved in. Lisbon is a capital full of outstanding architecture, world-class shopping, and superb local cuisine. Set on seven hills, like Rome, Lisbon is a city of unexpected vistas and cooling sea breezes, and it exerts a special charm, all it’s own. The average rental price, in the city, is 1,261 euros a month.
It’s perhaps not surprising that the top three family cities are all situated on the coast, access to a local beach is clearly a big plus when you have a family to entertain. All three cities also have their own international airport, making trips back or visits from friends and relatives that much easier. One final plus, that all three shares, is sunshine, Lisbon enjoys around 300 days of sunshine per year. Abundant sunshine means that you and your family can live an outdoor life and that you won’t be spending a big chunk of your income on heating.
