We’ve all dreamed at least once about packing up our bags and moving to a completely different corner of the planet – whether to enjoy the freedom of a remote job or to simply answer the call of adventure.
You’ll be glad to know, then, that there are a handful of places around the world that will pay you in some way or the other to do exactly that – and even help you settle into your new home.
Here are seven places around the world that offer interesting incentives to relocate there.
1. Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
For more than four years now, Oklahoma’s second city has been encouraging remote workers to pack up and move there through the Tulsa Remote program. If you apply and make the cut, you’ll receive a one-time payment of $10,000 to get you on your feet. You’ll also get a desk at 36 Degrees North, a co-working space in central Tulsa, plus a monthly housing stipend of $500 for up to one year. The program first started in November 2018 – well before the pandemic – and has been going strong ever since.
2. Albinen, Switzerland
Like the other places on this list, the beautifully picturesque village of Albinen, in the Swiss canton of Valais, is having issues with a decreasing population – which today numbers fewer than 250 souls. The urgency of bringing this figure up is why the Swiss government has started paying people to relocate there. Families who move to Albinen can expect to receive up to 25,000 Swiss francs (almost $27,000) per adult, and up to 10,000 francs (almost $11,000) per child. You must be a Swiss citizen or have a permanent residency permit to benefit from the scheme. Additionally, you have to commit to purchasing a house in in the commune and make it your main home for at least 10 years.
3. Sardinia, Italy
One of two island regions off the coast of Italy, Sardinia is known throughout the country and the world for its breathtaking beaches, wild hinterland and unique language and customs, which have stayed vibrant throughout the centuries. Like many rural places in the country, though, numerous Sardinian villages and towns face a depopulation crisis – one that the regional administration wants to tackle head-on with a financial scheme announced last July. Applicants who make their official residence in a Sardinian village with under 3000 inhabitants, or who move there after having purchased a home, can expect a payment of up to €15,000 toward housing expenses.
4. Topeka, Kansas, USA
A pilot program called Choose Topeka is luring those who agree to relocate to and work in the Kansas state capital with a payment of $15,000 (for those who purchase a home in Topeka) or $10,000 (for renters). Started in 2020 and still ongoing, the program seeks to help grow the city’s flatlining population, as well as fill vacancies in its financial services, publishing, education and government sectors.
5. Vermont, USA
You might be surprised that Vermont – with its lakes, forests, fall colors and ski resorts – would need to lure would-be residents with cash. Yet that’s exactly what the state doing. The second-least-populated state after Wyoming, Vermont is seeking to enhance its workforce with a relocation scheme that launched in January 2019. Successful applicants to the New Remote Worker Grand Program who fulfill all the criteria (on a first-come, first-served basis) can receive help from the state government to cover relocation costs, from renting moving equipment to closing costs for a primary residence or a lease deposit.
6. Santiago, Chile
The Chilean government is seeking to transform its capital Santiago into an international tech hub by offering entrepreneurs $40,000 to move to and launch their businesses in the city. Launched in 2010, the program, called Start-Up Chile, offers several variations catering to different kinds of start-ups, including one just for women-led projects. Those selected for the program are granted year-long work visas, as well as a complimentary co-working space and access to a network of contacts. Squeezed between the Andes and the Pacific and boasting a strong and stable economy, Santiago is a pretty appealing place to live and work.
7. Presicce-Acquarica, Italy
Located in Salento, Puglia – aka the “heel” of Italy’s famous boot, one of the most beautiful parts of one of the most beautiful countries — the small town of Presicce-Acquarica was formed in 2019 through the merger of municipalities Presicce and Acquarica del Capo. The new town has just under 10,000 inhabitants – a number the local administration would like to see rise. Which is why local authorities are preparing to announce a soon-to-be-launched program aptly called “Welcome to Presicce-Acquarica.”
Once officially intiated, the program will cater to both individuals and families who choose to move their residence to Presicce-Acquarica, giving them a contribution of up to €30,000 toward the purchase of a house as well as toward any renovations the property might eventually need.
This article was first published August 2019 and updated January 2023
