What €100,000 buys abroad: 8 countries compared

One hundred thousand euro is the budget where the choice of country changes the result most. In Bulgaria, Georgia or Turkey it buys a full-size flat; in Spain, Portugal or Greece it buys a small one. This page compares eight markets using only figures from our own country price guides (dated October 2026) and shows the arithmetic. It is not a list of offers, and we do not promise that any particular home is available.

How to read the numbers

Take EUR 100,000 and subtract about 10% for taxes, notary and fees. The real share ranges from about 5% to 15% by country, so about EUR 90,000 (EUR 85,000 to 95,000) is left for the property. Divide by a price per square metre to get the area. The square metres are illustrative arithmetic, not a quote. The per-m² figures are asking prices or citywide averages from our guides; new projects aimed at foreigners usually cost more. Georgian prices are in dollars and for round numbers we treat one dollar as roughly one euro, which you should check against the real rate. For the broader price picture see property prices per m² by country.

Bulgaria: the widest choice of size

Our guide gives Sofia at about EUR 2,680 per m² citywide, so EUR 90,000 buys roughly 34 m² there. In the cheaper Sofia districts of Lyulin and Nadezhda (about EUR 1,500 to 2,000) it is about 45 to 60 m², on the coast (quality complexes at about EUR 1,200 to 2,000) about 45 to 75 m², and in Bansko and Pamporovo (about EUR 900 to 1,300) about 70 to 100 m². Buyer costs are reported at roughly 4% to 8%; on a EUR 100,000 resale in Sofia the 3% transfer tax alone is EUR 3,000. Rental angle: Sofia averages about 4.2% gross, Burgas about 5.1% to 5.3%; resort income is seasonal and net is lower. Main risk: resort liquidity and complex fees. Residence by investment needs about EUR 306,775, so it is out of reach. See Bulgaria: prices and buying costs and Bulgaria: rental yield.

Georgia: a one or two-bedroom flat

An agency snapshot of September 2026 puts a one-bedroom at about USD 85,000 in Tbilisi and USD 78,000 in Batumi, and a two-bedroom at about USD 123,000 and USD 113,000. Colliers reported new-build averages of about USD 1,314 to 1,331 per m² in Tbilisi and USD 1,334 to 1,455 in Batumi in 2026, which on our round arithmetic is about 62 to 68 m². Black-frame units are cheaper but need finishing. Costs are reported at about 1% to 1.5%. Rental angle: a headline 7% to 8% gross, Batumi nearer 2% to 4% net. Main risk: unsold stock and slower price growth, about 4.9% over the year to the second quarter of 2026 (Geostat). USD 150,000 for the residence route is not reached. See Georgia: prices and buying costs.

Turkey: the average home

The average home in Turkey cost about EUR 98,000 in August 2026, so this budget is the national average. Istanbul's citywide figure of about EUR 1,100 to 1,200 per m² gives roughly 75 to 82 m², and Alanya at about EUR 1,100 gives about 82 m²; these are citywide averages and new projects for foreigners cost more. Title-deed tax is 4%, plus a valuation report and compulsory earthquake insurance. Rental angle: roughly 6% to 8% gross in lira. Main risk: the lira and inflation, since prices rose 23.5% in lira in the year to August 2026 but fell about 6.2% after inflation. The USD 200,000 residence permit is not reached. See Turkey: prices and buying costs.

Montenegro: a one-bedroom flat

Podgorica asks about EUR 2,324 per m² on average (about EUR 1,600 to 2,800), the official new-build average is EUR 2,557 (Monstat, second quarter of 2026), and Bar asks EUR 2,200 to 3,500. Arithmetic gives roughly 32 to 56 m² in Podgorica and about 26 to 41 m² in Bar. Our guide gives a 60 m² flat in Podgorica at roughly EUR 150,000. A resale adds about 5% to 8%. Rental angle: Podgorica about 5.15% gross; the coast is seasonal. Main risk: sources disagree on the transfer tax (flat 3% or a progressive scale), so ask a lawyer. The residence route needs EUR 150,000 of taxable value and does not apply to EU citizens. See Montenegro: prices and buying costs.

Greece: a small flat in a city

Our guide gives central Athens at about EUR 2,500 to 4,500 per m², Thessaloniki at EUR 1,800 to 3,000 and Crete at EUR 2,000 to 4,000, with existing homes nationally near EUR 2,550. EUR 90,000 buys roughly 20 to 36 m² in central Athens, 30 to 50 m² in Thessaloniki and 22 to 45 m² in Crete. Costs are usually quoted at 7% to 10%, up to 12% with VAT and an agent. Rental angle: about 4.4% gross on average, small Athens flats near 6% to 8%. Main risk: apartment prices rose about 5.3% in the year to the second quarter of 2026 and sit above the 2008 peak. The Golden Visa starts at EUR 400,000, so it is out of reach. See Greece: prices and buying costs.

Portugal: a studio in a city or a house inland

INE medians for 2025 put Porto's metropolitan area at about EUR 2,305 per m², Setúbal at EUR 2,596 and the Algarve at EUR 3,139, so EUR 90,000 buys roughly 39 m² around Porto and 29 m² in the Algarve; inland prices are far lower. Non-residents pay a flat 7.5% transfer tax (IMT) since 25 May 2026, with exceptions, plus 0.8% stamp duty, and our guide's example puts total costs at about 9.7% to 10.5%. Rental angle: about 4% to 5% gross in big cities and 5% to 8% inland, but a Lisbon flat nets nearer 2% to 3%. Main risk: prices still rising 16.5% a year, yields compressing. Residential property no longer qualifies for the Golden Visa. See Portugal: prices and buying costs.

Italy: south and inland

The average used home in Italy was about EUR 1,903 per m² in the second quarter of 2026, which gives roughly 47 m²; Turin at about EUR 2,194 gives about 41 m² and Naples at about EUR 2,807 about 32 m². Southern and inland towns are cheaper than these averages. A second home pays 9% registration tax on the cadastral value, and total buyer costs are about 10% to 15%, so use the upper end of our range here. Rental angle: aggregators put the average near 6.6% gross, net nearer 3% to 4%. Main risk: costs and title problems with inherited houses. See Italy: prices and buying costs.

Spain: about 30 m² in a popular area

Used homes in Spain average about EUR 2,823 per m² (June 2026), which gives roughly 32 m²; Alicante at about EUR 2,909 gives about 31 m² and the Canary capitals at about EUR 2,650 to 2,760 about 33 to 34 m². Transfer tax on a resale is set by region, for example 7% in Andalucía and 10% in the Valencia region (a cut was reported from June 2026, confirm it), and costs total roughly 10% to 13%. Rental angle: about 6.5% gross on average, Alicante near 7.8%, net 2% to 4% realistic. Main risk: prices rose 12.2% in a year (INE) faster than rents, which squeezes yield. The investor Golden Visa closed in 2025. See Spain: prices and buying costs.

If you live in Poland

Convert the budget into zloty and decide how the money will leave Poland: see the budget in zloty. Rental income from abroad is declared in Poland, see PIT for foreigners in Poland, and if you sell a flat in Poland to fund the purchase see selling a flat in Poland (PIT-39). Official price statistics: Portugal (INE) and Montenegro (Monstat).

FAQ

Which country gives the largest flat for EUR 100,000? On the figures above Georgia, Turkey and Bulgaria give the most square metres, but exchange rates, rental demand and exit liquidity differ. Is the biggest flat the best deal? No; rents, costs and resale decide that, see rental yield by country. Are the square metres a promise? No, they are arithmetic from averages. Does this budget give residence? Not in the programmes in our guides, whose thresholds start at EUR 150,000 or USD 150,000 and rise. Can I buy with a mortgage? Polish banks rarely finance property abroad; read about common first-time mistakes.

How we help

We are a trilingual platform that finds properties and coordinates independent local lawyers and tax advisers. We start from your budget and goal and check asking prices against closed sales. This text is informational and is not legal, tax or investment advice; figures are indicative and change, so verify the current rules before you decide.