Have you ever thought about living in Switzerland? While it shares some similarities to New York City, like its wintry train rides and delicious hot chocolate, this one-of-a-kind country can be your new home, with a twist!
Albinen, a small village in Switzerland, is facing depopulation with residents moving away in great numbers over the last few years. And with fewer than 250 residents left (according to Daily Mail there were just 243 residents in the village at the end of 2020) the town’s economic success is in question.
To clarify: the village is far from uninhabitable. It’s nestled on a mountain slope at 4,265 feet above sea level, making it beautiful, clean, and filled with unbeatable scenery. But, unfortunately, the job market is virtually nonexistent.
To combat this issue, the Government is willing to pay people to move there!
Families of four can be paid over 50,000 francs ($57,957.55 USD) to move there. To break it down, the Swiss government will pay 25,000 francs ($26,818.35 USD) per adult and 10,000 francs ($10,727.34 USD) per child.
There are some requirements that must be met, however.
Those willing to relocate must be under the age of 45 years old as well as a Swiss citizen or have a permit C residence (permanent residence) to apply for the program. If you’re a member of the EU, or are from the U.S. or Canada, you can get that in five years, but for other foreigners, it can take up to ten.
The property chosen must have a minimum value of 200,000 francs ($214,593.79 USD), must be your permanent home (not a second residence), and a commitment to live there for at least 10 years must be made otherwise the money will have to be paid back. So if you have dual citizenship or family in Switzerland, it may be worth looking into!
According to Daily Mail, Beat Jostin, the municipality’s president, said “Albinen was characterised by its quietness, phenomenal views, great air quality, and many hours of sunshine throughout the year.” And us New York City dwellers know that quietness, great air quality, and endless sunshine are pretty hard to come by.
Beyond getting paid to live, Switzerland boasts one of the best education systems in the world and has a low violent crime rate.
Plus, you’ll also have more years to enjoy the beauty of Albinen as, according to data from the World Bank, the average life expectancy in Switzerland is 84–eight years longer than the United States’ life expectancy of 76.
Would you be able to leave the hustle and bustle of a big city for a small, quaint town? If you don’t meet the requirements at least let this serve as some travel inspo for some very non-touristy parts of Switzerland. Or, make it something to look forward to as a retirement plan off the beaten path!
You can find more info here.
For more cheap living abroad options, this enchanting medieval village in Italy is selling homes for 1 euro!