26 October 2023 , 11:26
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The best city to live in in Europe also has one of the strongest Christmas market scenes on the Continent.
Vienna has been crowned the place to live in if you're a parent with kids. A family can live in the Austrian capital for £2,790 a month, once the £1,356 cost of renting a three-bed home for a month and the £223 price of four weeks' of childcare are taken into account.
As well as the fairly reasonable costs, Vienna has a lot of other appealing qualities for families. Its pollution levels are low, there are 44 parks and ample kid friendly activities. When the festive season comes around, foremost among them is the city's Christmas market.
During the festive season, the capital of Austria is transformed into a world-famous winter wonderland with traditional Viennese Christmas markets being held at City Hall and the Schönbrunn Palace, as well as the Christmas villages at Belvedere Palace, Maria-Theresien Platz and the former general hospital.
Vienna is famed for its Christmas market (Getty Images)Austrian food tends to be incredibly hearty, so your cockles are sure to be warmed however chilly the winter weather. Wiener schnitzel and boiled beef are two classics designed to leave a deep warmth in your belly. Of course a great Christmas market isn't a reason to move abroad, but families looking for festive fun won't need to break the bank to visit.
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When the Mirror team took a look, we found some of the cheapest flights were with Jet2, with prices starting from £77 in November. Alternatively you can take the train - according to Rail Europe the journey takes around 13 hours and can occasionally be boarded for around £100. While there are plenty of cheap hotels in Vienna, if you're on a budget The Hostel Ruthensteiner will provide you a basic bed for just £40 a night.
With the ever-increasing living costs, the thought of starting a family overseas may be increasingly tempting for British families. Searches for ‘best cities for expats in Europe’ have increased 22% in the last 12 months.
A new report by life insurance brokers, Reassured, analysed a range of living factors, from average monthly rents to the number of kids activities available and crime rates to find the best family-friendly cities in Europe. The report concluded that Vienna is the best city for new families.
No UK city made the top 10, with Edinburgh as the best city for families in the country at 21st place, followed by Glasgow at 39th place. London ranks low for families at 69th place due to its high monthly costs.
If safety is a priority for your family, Salzburg in Austria has the lowest crime rate. Yet, Switzerland was ranked the safest country overall, with half of the top safest cities being Swiss, including Zug, Lugano, Lucerne, Bern and Zurich.
For families who are always looking for something fun to do, capital cities may be the best option, as Rome, London, Paris, Prague and Amsterdam were found to have the most kids' activities, with Rome having 687 different options to choose from. Going hand in hand with these findings, Paris, London and Rome also have the most green spaces and parks for families to enjoy, making all three capital cities a great option for adventure or nature loving families.