I fled California and now live on $1,100 a month in quaint European city… it’s the best decision I’ve made

A young American has revealed how he escaped California’s crippling cost of living to build a new life in a quaint European city – where he now lives comfortably on just $1,100 a month.

Colby Grey, 24, grew up in rural San Luis Obispo, California, where international travel was so rare that ‘not many people in my town had passports,’ he told CNBC Make It.

‘You didn’t really travel much and you didn’t go to school very far either,’ he told the outlet. ‘I was one of the ones that went further and then when I studied abroad, I was one of the first to leave the country.’

Now the university graduate has left the Golden State’s astronomical rents and education costs for an idyllic European lifestyle in Leuven, Belgium.

Leuven comes with affordable housing, universal healthcare, and the freedom to explore nearby countries on a whim.

‘As a student, though, there is no better cost of living,’ he said. ‘There is nothing better economically than being in Europe. There’s no reason to go into debt here, so it just makes sense at this stage in my life.’

Grey’s journey began when he left his hometown to attend the University of California, Santa Cruz – a two-hour drive that at the time was the furthest he’d ever traveled at that point.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced him to go back to his parents’ home during college before he finally got an opportunity to study abroad in Copenhagen.

A young American has revealed how he escaped California’s crippling cost of living to build a new life in a quaint European city – where he now lives comfortably on just $1,100 a month

Now the university graduate has left the Golden State’s astronomical rents and education costs for an idyllic European lifestyle in Leuven, Belgium (Pictured: View of the city of Leuven)

″[Denmark] managed the pandemic really well and had a very high vaccination rate,’ he said. ‘I fell in love with it and decided I wanted to do more.

Those six months in Denmark ultimately changed the trajectory of his life.

When he arrived back in Santa Cruz after traveling, Grey experienced what he described as ‘reverse culture shock’ – along with a brutal housing market.

He was left to share a two-bedroom apartment with three roommates at $1,340 per month for his portion alone.

But the final straw came when he realized the staggering cost of his education wasn’t worth the price. 

The average annual cost of in-state tuition at UC Santa Cruz was $44,160 for the 2024-2025 academic year and many of the classes had gone entirely online. 

‘It just didn’t seem like I was getting what I paid for even with a ton of federal and state funding,’ Grey said.

‘I knew there had to be a better system and a better way to get an education. Through my study abroad job, I realized I could just get a visa and study as an international student for a sixth of the price.’

‘I wanted to continue my education, but I wanted to use that as a pathway towards residency.’

Grey found out that he could pursue a master’s degree in Europe ‘for a sixth of the price’ while using it as a pathway to residency.

Colby Grey, 24, grew up in rural San Luis Obispo, California, where international travel was so rare that ‘not many people in my town had passports,’ he told CNBC Make It 

Grey’s journey began when he left his hometown to attend the University of California, Santa Cruz – a two-hour drive that at the time was the furthest he’d ever traveled at that point (Pictured: San Luis Obispo, California)

He decided on Belgium’s KU Leuven university, where annual tuition runs approximately €3,800 ($4,310) – less than 10 percent of what he’d pay in California.

Grey arrived in Belgium with just two checked bags and a backpack.

He settled into a four-bedroom house with three housemates for just €500 ($567) monthly – ‘a third of the price’ he paid in California.

‘It was fantastic. I mean I was paying a third of the price to get my own room.

‘When I first got here, it was daunting. I was aware of the fact that I had no friends here and I was totally on my own,’ he continued. ‘I think that was the first time I ever felt like that in my life. I worked really hard to make friends and make a community here.’ 

After graduating last summer, he moved to an even more affordable home just outside the city center, where he now pays just €420 ($477) monthly including utilities, with some toiletries and food included.

His total monthly expenses come to approximately €998 ($1,132), allowing him a comfortable lifestyle that includes regular dining out, gym membership, and wellness activities.

Grey emphasized his love for Leuven’s car-free city center with ’15-minute city’ design, where most daily necessities can be reached within a 15-minute walk or bike ride.

‘That was one of the things that I loved about living in Europe, I never felt like I needed a car to live,’ he said, adding that Belgium’s central location means ‘there are four different countries around me within a three-hour train ride.’

Grey emphasized his love for Leuven’s car-free city center with ’15-minute city’ design, where most daily necessities can be reached within a 15-minute walk or bike ride

Since first visiting Europe in 2021 and relocating in 2023, Grey has traveled to 20 different countries, while hosting visits from family and friends

He also expressed his fondness over the city’s work-life balance and easy access to other countries. 

Since first visiting Europe in 2021 and relocating in 2023, Grey has traveled to 20 different countries, while hosting visits from family and friends.

‘The community feels so strong here and I have a really great balance between my work life and my home life,’ he said. ‘It’s such a slower pace of life here and it’s really beautiful.’