6 Countries That Will Pay You to Move There in 2026: You Can Get Up to €70,000

In 2026, several countries around the world have programs in place under which new residents can receive financial support for moving to sparsely populated cities, villages, or remote regions. The amounts and conditions vary significantly: in some places, several thousand euros are offered toward the purchase of a home, while in others, grants reach tens of thousands. For example, on certain islands in Ireland, the maximum subsidy for renovating a dilapidated house is up to €84,000, while in Sardinia, you can receive up to €15,000 to purchase or renovate a home in small municipalities. At the same time, such payments almost always come with conditions regarding the applicant’s place of residence, age, property, or status.

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Albinén, Switzerland: up to 25,000 francs per adult

The Swiss mountain village of Albinén in the canton of Valais has become one of the best-known examples of how small communities are trying to attract new permanent residents. The local program provides financial support of 25,000 Swiss francs per adult and 10,000 francs per child. Thus, a family with two children could potentially receive 70,000 francs.

However, simply moving to a picturesque village in the Alps and receiving the money won’t work. The program is tied to the purchase, construction, or renovation of a primary residence, and the minimum investment must be 200,000 francs. Second homes and vacation homes are not eligible for the program.

Key requirements include:

- The applicant must be no older than 45 at the time of application

- The property must be used as the applicant’s primary residence

- A minimum investment of 200,000 CHF is required

- The applicant must live in Albinen for at least 10 years

- If the owner sells the property or leaves earlier, the assistance received must be repaid

- Foreign nationals must hold a Swiss permanent residence permit (Category C)

Albinen should be viewed not as a simple “money-for-relocation” program, but as a subsidy for people who already have the opportunity to settle legally and permanently in Switzerland and are willing to invest a significant amount in local real estate. For a foreigner without the appropriate residency status, the payment itself does not grant the right to move to Switzerland.

We previously wrote about cities and programs that are willing to pay for relocation in 2026.

Antikythera, Greece: €500 per month for three years

The tiny Greek island of Antikythera, located between Crete and the Peloponnese, has been attracting attention for several years thanks to a program designed to attract new residents.

Individual families were offered €500 per month for three years—up to €18,000 in total—as well as assistance with housing. The initiative is supported by local authorities and the Greek Orthodox Church.

However, there is an important caveat: this is not a publicly available government program open to any foreigner. The number of spots is limited, and priority is given to families who are willing to live on the island permanently and integrate into the small local community. Antikythira has a very small number of permanent residents, so the main goal of the initiative is to halt depopulation and support the functioning of the local infrastructure.

Potential participants should keep a few points in mind:

- Payments can amount to €500 per month for up to three years

- The program is designed for only a limited number of new families

- Relocation requires actual permanent residence on the island

- Financial support alone does not grant a foreigner the right to reside in Greece

- The program’s availability and the recruitment of new participants must be verified immediately before submitting an application

Antikythira may seem like the ideal option for those who dream of living on a quiet Greek island. However, only selected families receive support, and eligibility depends on the current recruitment cycle and local conditions.

Learn more about the Emprego Interior MAIS program in Portugal for relocating to sparsely populated regions by following the link.

Sardinia, Italy: up to €15,000 for purchasing or renovating a home

Sardinia has a program to support those who purchase or renovate their first home in the island’s smaller municipalities. In 2026, the program was expanded: participation is now available in communities with a population of up to 5,000 people, whereas the previous threshold was 3,000. The program’s goal is to stem the depopulation of small towns and villages and attract new permanent residents.

The amount of non-repayable assistance can reach €15,000, but specific conditions are determined by each municipality individually. The funds can be used to purchase or renovate a primary residence, and local authorities have the right to establish additional criteria and priorities for applicants. These may include young couples, families with children, the purchase of uninhabitable properties, or the restoration of buildings in historic centers.

There are several key conditions to keep in mind:

- The property must serve as a primary residence, not a vacation home

- The program applies to specific small municipalities in Sardinia

- The grant amount and selection criteria depend on the specific municipality

- Applications must be submitted in accordance with the rules of the local municipal competition

- The grant itself does not replace a visa or residence permit for third-country nationals

This is primarily a housing subsidy that makes moving to a small community more affordable. For someone who is already planning to buy a home on the island and live there permanently, the program can significantly reduce costs. However, before moving, you must check the current competition specifically in your chosen municipality.

In our previous article, we explained in detail that Italy offers up to €15,000 for moving to Sardinia.

The Irish Islands: up to €84,000 for home renovation

On Ireland’s remote islands, you can receive one of the largest payments in this selection. Under the government’s “Our Living Islands” policy, the maximum grant for renovating a vacant home is €60,000, and for derelict properties, the amount can reach €84,000. This is 20% more than the corresponding limits on the mainland.

However, this is not a direct “relocation” payment. The funds are provided through the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and must be used specifically for the renovation of a property that meets the program’s eligibility criteria. The property must have been built before 2008 and must have been vacant for at least two years prior to the application. The applicant must also confirm ownership or an active process of acquiring the property.

Higher limits apply to the islands:

- Up to €60,000 for the restoration of a vacant home

- Up to €84,000 for a home officially designated as derelict

- The property may be converted into a permanent residence or, under the program’s rules, used as long-term rental housing

- Increased support is available on designated coastal islands of Ireland

The Our Living Islands program is designed to do more than just tackle the issue of vacant homes. Its broader goal is to make remote islands more suitable for permanent residence, particularly through the development of broadband internet, transportation, and public infrastructure. The 2023–2026 Action Plan includes 80 specific measures to support island communities.

For foreigners, the main restriction remains the same: the home grant is not an immigration program. You must have the right to live legally in Ireland separately. Therefore, while the amount of up to €84,000 seems very attractive, it is actually compensation for part of the costs of renovating an old property—not money paid simply for moving there.

We previously reported that in the U.S., up to $15,000 is paid for moving to Detroit: who is eligible and what are the conditions in 2026.

Japan: up to ¥1 million for moving from Tokyo to the regions

Japan has a government support system for people who leave the Tokyo metropolitan area and move to less populated prefectures and municipalities. The program’s goal is to reduce the excessive concentration of the population in Tokyo and support regions that have long faced an aging population and an outflow of young people. Under these schemes, a family can receive up to ¥1 million, with the specific amount of assistance depending on the household composition and the municipality.

There are separate, higher payments for families with children, as well as programs for those planning to find a job, work remotely, or start a business in the region.

For entrepreneurs, the government program provides support for the costs of launching a socially oriented business—up to ¥2 million—with the subsidy covering up to half of the relevant expenses. In fiscal year 2026, this program will be implemented in 43 prefectures across Japan.

The main requirements vary by prefecture, but generally include:

- Relocate from Tokyo or a designated part of the metropolitan area to a municipality participating in the program

- Register a new place of residence and actually live in the region

- Meet the requirements for employment, remote work, or entrepreneurial activity

- Comply with the minimum residency period set by the local program

- Apply directly through the relevant municipality

It is also important to note that the Japanese program is primarily focused on internal migration, rather than attracting people from abroad. In other words, a foreigner cannot simply apply for the payment and, on that basis, obtain the right to move to Japan. First, you need legal residency status and must meet the requirements of the specific local program.

We previously reported that Italy pays volunteers to live in the Alps.

La Rioja, Spain: up to €40,000 for housing in small towns

The Spanish region of La Rioja operates the Plan REVIVE program, designed to attract young residents to small municipalities. It provides financial assistance for the purchase, construction, or renovation of housing in towns with populations of up to 5,000 people. The maximum grant is €40,000.

The amount of assistance depends on the population of the specific municipality:

- Up to €40,000, or 40% of the housing cost, in towns with up to 500 residents

- Up to €30,000, or 30%, in towns and villages with a population of 501 to 2,000 people

- Up to €20,000, or 20%, in municipalities with a population of 2,001 to 5,000 people

The program is intended for applicants under the age of 45. The cost of purchasing, building, or renovating a home must not exceed €180,000 before taxes, and the property purchased must become the applicant’s primary and permanent residence. There are also restrictions regarding income and ownership of other real estate. Applications under the current terms may be submitted until June 1, 2027.

The program has already generated significant interest. According to the government of La Rioja, 611 applications were registered during one of the application rounds. Of these, 589 were for the purchase of a home, 17 for renovation, and another 5 for self-construction. The majority of applications came from people under the age of 40.

However, Plan REVIVE is not an immigration program to Spain. Foreign nationals still need a legal basis to reside in the country. Therefore, the grant should be viewed as substantial housing assistance for those who already have the right to settle in Spain and are ready to make the small town of La Rioja their permanent home.

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