10 most popular European countries Americans want to move to

According to the media it seems that more and more Americans are choosing to start over in the old continent. In an article about the subject published in Bloomberg, the author writes,  “more Americans are relocating to Europe, driven across the Atlantic by the rising cost of living, inflated house prices, a surging dollar and political rancor at home.”

There is no question that society in the United States has gotten a little crazy over the last few years, which is probably why so many Americans are thinking about making the move to Europe. 

For many Americans, the European continent is the perfect escape from the troubles they face at home. Europe has art, culture, history, and safety.

But not all countries on the European continent are created equal in the eyes of potential American émigrés.

Some European countries are more favorable than others and the authors of the popular 'My Dolce Casa' blog have sifted through Google’s search data to discover the top ten European destinations for Americans moving abroad. 

Denmark would be a treat for most Americans with its world-class healthcare and free education. Who doesn’t dream of riding their bicycle to work during Copenhagen’s busy morning rush hour?

In 2022, 5900 Americans searched Google monthly for advice on moving to Denmark which was up by one hundred people per month for a year-over-year change of 2%. 

Ah Greece, the cradle of the Western world and home to some of the most iconic ancient ruins the world has ever seen. You definitely won’t find thousand-year-old buildings in the United States, which is a big plus for most Americans. 

Searches for ways to move to Greece topped out at 5500 a month in 2022 and were up by 500 searches per month from the 2021 statistic, which made Greece 8% more interesting to potential American émigrés. 

A lot of Americans don’t know the difference between Holland and The Netherlands. But that hasn’t stopped them from fantasizing about making the move to the land of windmills and bicycles. 

8300 Americans a month asked Google about moving to The Netherlands in 2022, which was up from a 2021 monthly high of 6900. What could have happened to make Americans 17% more interested in moving to hang with the Dutch?

Now Sweden was a surprising pick. But maybe it’s all those mid-westerners who are used to the cold that think they could brave it out during Sweden's chilly winters. 

Searches for moving to Sweden reached 8900 monthly, which was down about 300 from the previous year, though that’s not surprising. As we said before, Sweden has chilly winters and it might not be the best location for Americans looking to relocate. 

Perfect baguettes, delicious fine wines, and the best cheese you can find anywhere in the world. Do Americans need any better reasons to make the move to France?

Monthly searches regarding a move to France topped out at 12,500 in 2022 and were up a whopping 13% from the previous year, a statistic that makes a lot of sense when you consider how most American bakers butcher their bread…

Italy is an ideal place in the minds of most Americans when they think about moving to Europe. The food is amazing, the weather is perfect, and life is far more relaxed than the hustle culture that pushes most North Americans into an early grave. 

Italy had monthly searches that reached 12,600 in 2022, and like its French neighbor, was more popular than the previous year. Fortunately or unfortunately, Italy only saw a 5% increase in interest from Americans thinking about moving to Europe. 

Ireland making the list was a bit surprising, to be honest. What’s even more surprising is that the tiny island nation cracked the top five. But it does make sense. 

Ireland is now the only English-speaking member of the European Union and over the last decade it has become a tech industry powerhouse. 

Every month 13,200 Americans searched for information about moving to Ireland in 2022, which was 11%  higher than the 11,700 that searched in 2021. 

Germany is a top pick for most American expats because of the country’s amazing healthcare and stellar quality of life, plus obtaining a work visa isn’t as difficult as in other European nations. 

Germany had a 19% increase in monthly “how do I move to Germany” searches on google in 2022 with 12,400 monthly searches in 2021 versus 15,300 from last year. 

The cheaper cost of living and beautiful weather is what probably attract most Americans to Spain as a potential new home. The country is filled with beautiful cities and provides most émigrés with very easy access to the country. 

Monthly Google searches for moving to Spain were more than doubled Germany's at 38,900 in 2022, and that was before it jumped 9% year-over-year from 35,400 searches on google in 2021. 

Portugal has exploded in popularity with Americans over the last year and it's mostly because of a series of new tax breaks that make moving one's life to the country extremely profitable. 

"Living in Portugal provides a wide array of advantages," according to Global Citizen Solutions. "The fantastic climate, great quality of life, and affordable cost of living are just some of the reasons many Americans choose to live in Portugal. Portugal has, in many ways, become the European country to move to."

In 2021, 28,700 Americans searched Google monthly about moving to Portugal, and in 2022 that monthly search total had reached 41,200—up a whopping 30% percent!