What islands pay you to live there?

If you’ve ever fantasised about moving to a sunny island, now’s your chance: Sardinia is offering people a mammoth €15,000 to relocate.

Table of Contents Show

What are the rules of the scheme?
Why is Sardinia offering people money to move there?
What state will pay you $10000 to move there?
What country pays their citizens to live there?
Where is the cheapest island to live?
Does Ireland pay you to live there?

The Italian island - the second largest in the Mediterranean - boasts sandy beaches, blue skies and turquoise waters.

But the island paradise faces dwindling rural population numbers, as young locals move abroad for work.

To combat this exodus, the government has set aside €45 million for the relocation grant, enough to cover 3,000 grants.

So if you’re already packing your suitcase, here’s everything you need to know.

What are the rules of the scheme?

The grant money sounds too good to be true - and there are a few caveats.

To be eligible for the grant, you will have to move to a Sardinian municipality with a population of less than 3,000 people.

The money must also be used to buy or renovate a home. The grant cannot exceed half of the total cost of the house or renovation - and the government will not always hand over the entire €15,000 sum.

Finally, recipients must live on the new property full time, and must register for permanent residency in Sardinia within 18 months of arrival.

Why is Sardinia offering people money to move there?

Italy’s population is ageing. The average age of Italians is 45.7 - a figure which is set to rise to 50.7 by 2050.

The overall population is projected to decline by nearly 20 per cent by 2070, from 59.55 million 47.6 million in 2070.

The problem is particularly severe in the country’s rural areas - and places like Sardinia are feeling the burn.

Sardinian president Christian Solinas said that the scheme would encourage young people to stay in Sardinia or move to the island.

“Thanks to these contributions to [homebuyers'] first houses, [Sardinia] becomes fertile ground for those who will move there or decide to build a family,” he said.

“There can be no growth without a real enhancement of the territories, of the interior and most disadvantaged areas… We have created the conditions for young people to decide to stay and develop the economic fabric of the most fragile territories.”

If you do move to the island, you can expect to be there for a long while yet. With more than 500 people aged over 100, Sardinia has one of the highest concentrations of centenarians in the world - roughly 33 for every 100,000 inhabitants.

House Beautiful

If you've ever dreamed of what life would be like if you picked everything up and moved to a gorgeous island in Greece, you have a new incentive to make that dream a reality. The small Greek island of Antikythera is ready for more young families to move onto their land—so much that they'll even pay you to do it, the Los Angeles Times reports.

If (or when) you move to this almost remote island (the official population is currently 20), you'll receive housing, land, and an allowance of 500 euros a month for the next three years (which adds up to a little over $20,000) from the local Greek Orthodox Church. While living on a barely populated island might not be your ideal situation, those with an adventurous streak will feel right at home—and the cash incentive itself isn't too bad, either.

Currently, four families are being sponsored to live on the island—and Antikythera wants even more families to join them. The goal of this program is to stimulate the local economy and bring new life to the island.

What state will pay you $10000 to move there?

Tulsa, Oklahoma They offer a $10,000 relocation award. The payment is made over the course of a year and there are other eligibility requirements.

What country pays their citizens to live there?

1. Antikythera, Greece. The Greek island of Antikythera has less than 50 inhabitants, and the Greek Orthodox Church will pay you to move there. You'll receive a house and a piece of land, as well as €500 (around $590) a month for your first three years.

Where is the cheapest island to live?

Jamaica, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Aruba, Honduras, and Belize have some of the cheapest properties that you can own or rent. You can rent lovely one-bedrooms in these areas for around $700-$1000 a month, although they're rarely beachfront locations.

Does Ireland pay you to live there?

Not to mention, the top 11 countries that will actually pay you to move there. Ireland is offering the most money for entrepreneurs to move there and start a business (nearly £150,000). New Zealand town Kaitangata is enticing people to move there by gifting a quarter acre of land worth £120,338.