๐ฐ Best-of list
Best cities in Europe outside Schengen with widely spoken English and strong women's safety and rights
5 of the 18 cities we cover in Europe outside Schengen make this list, ranked by overall fit for someone moving from the US. ๐ท๐ธ Novi Sad ranks first. Cheapest: Skopje at $1,087/mo all-in. Most pleasant year-round: Novi Sad, 7 months.
How this list is chosen
- English is an official language, or the country scores "high" or "very high" on the EF English Proficiency Index 2025.
- Strong on women's safety and rights: a high score (0.78+) on the Women, Peace and Security Index 2023/24 (Georgetown GIWPS), which covers safety, legal rights and inclusion.
- In Europe outside Schengen.
Ranked with the City Finder's default weights for cost, climate, safety, internet and visa-free stay. Change the weights in the City Finder โ
| Compare | # | City | $/mo | โ๏ธ Pleasant months | ๐ก๏ธ Safety | ๐ Visa | โญ Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,316 | 74 | |||||
| 2 | $1,630 | 74 | |||||
| 3 | $1,087 | 65 | |||||
| 4 | $4,504 | 54 | |||||
| 5 | $3,713 | 53 |