Written by Beril Naz Hassan  on TimeOut

Cost of living getting you down? Sick of long winters? You’re not the only one thinking of escaping to somewhere far, far away – and now two quaint towns in Spain are willing to pay you thousands to do so.

The adorable small town of Ponga in Spain’s northern mountains is prepared to pay £2,600 (€2,970, $3,244) to every person that moves over. That includes babies, too, so families have an extra incentive. The local authority hopes that the new citizens will boost the local economy while enjoying the 2,000 hours of sunshine across the year.

The catch? You have to commit to staying in the town for at least five years – but we can think of worse places to live. Ponga is home to a major nature reserve, meaning residents will have access to beautiful hiking trails, breathtaking birdwatching spots, and thrilling adventure sports. The nearby Costa Verde offers beach days while locals can enjoy a busier pace of life in Gijon, the closest city.

If you’d prefer the cooler climate of Galicia better, the village of Rubia is also paying a pretty penny for people to move there. Ex-pats here can enjoy cheap house prices, jaw-dropping scenery and yearly payments of £1,600 (€1,827, $1,995). The scheme is specifically targeting families with children to boost the number of students at local schools, given Rubia’s population of 1,400 residents.

These aren't the only tempting invitations available across Europe. At the end of last year, Italy announced it would pay people €30,000 to move to some of its rural towns. The country has an ongoing one-euro home scheme, most recently putting eight houses in Sant'Elia up for sale to stimulate the town’s economy. 
 

*This article was published on TimeOut.com

Original article link: https://www.timeout.com/news/these-spanish-towns-will-pay-you-thousands-to-move-there-040523?