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    For the Price of a Tiny N.YC. Apartment, You Could Snag a Sprawling Villa in Calabria, Italy

    New York City is consistently one of the most expensive places to live, so it’s no wonder more and more Big Apple residents are packing up their postage-stamp apartments and heading abroad in search of more space for less money. And, if you’re considering pulling a real-life Emily in Paris and escaping to Europe, you might be pleasantly surprised just how much more bang for your buck you can get when it comes to real estate. 

    A new study from My Dolce Casa, an expat-oriented blog about living and retiring overseas, has done the hard part and calculated what the same amount of money can buy you in the Mediterranean versus Manhattan. The website based its research on Realtor.com’s median listing price for a 500-square-foot apartment in New York City, which was approximately $750,000 or $1,500 per square foot. Using that value as a guide, it then determined what size house you would be able to purchase for a similar cost in countries like Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, and France. Let’s just say the results are nothing short of enticing. 

    You can buy three times as much space in Spain compared to Manhattan.

    David Zorrakino/Europa Press via Getty Images

    During the pandemic, Americans descended on Italy for a taste of la dolce vita. When it comes to getting the most for your money in Bel Paese, the mountainous region of Molise—due east of Rome on the Adriatic coast—topped the chart in terms of value with an average price per square foot of $90. Here, for example, $750,000 will get you a sprawling 8,333-square-foot villa. Similarly, if you wanted to settle down further south in Calabria, the same amount of money would afford a whopping 8,242 square feet of space, which translates to about $91 per square foot. By comparison, a condo of that size would run you upwards of $12 million in Manhattan, according to The New York Times. 

    Spain’s Castilla-La Mancha, a vast region in the center of the country, landed in third place. The desert-like area includes the historic city of Toledo and was the setting of the famous Don Quixote novel. It also has the country’s lowest population density, so essentially it’s the complete opposite of New York City. Here, you can expect a home as large as 7,813 square feet, while over in Extremadura, which borders Portugal, you could pick up a 7,426-square-foot country home. For all The White Lotus fans, the Italian island of Sicily notched the fifth spot. With an average price per square foot of $104, you could live big like Quentin (Tom Hollander) in your very own 7,212-square-foot palazzo. 

    Real estate on Crete costs on average $215 per square foot.

    Laszlo Szirtesi/Getty Images

    Greece has long drawn tourists during the summer months, but if putting down roots in the so-called cradle of Western civilization appeals to you, for the price of a 500-square-foot studio in Manhattan, you could snap up a 5,859-square-foot abode in Thessaly, one of the most important regions of ancient Greece and known for its impressive mountain ranges and idyllic landscapes. On the other hand, if pink-sand beaches, archaeological sites, and a thriving wine scene float your expat boat, you could stretch out in a scenic 3,488-square-foot villa on Crete, Greece’s largest island.

    You can find the full ranking below.

    RegionCountryHome Size (square feet)MoliseItaly8,333CalabriaItaly8,242Castilla-La ManchaSpain7,813ExtremaduraSpain7,426SicilyItaly7,212UmbriaItaly6,944BasilicataItaly6,356AbruzzoItaly6,303Castilla y LeónSpain6,148PugliaItaly5,952MurciaSpain5,906ThessalySpain5,859PiedmontItaly5,769ThraceSpain5,556La RiojaSpain5,474CentralSpain5,474AsturiasSpain5,245GaliciaSpain5,245AragónSpain5,102Friuli-Venezia GiuliaItaly5,068

    Authors

    Abby Montanez

    Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…

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    NBA Star Giannis Antetokounmpo Just Bought Two Vacation Homes in His Native Greece

    NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is ballin’ beyond the court.  

    The Milwaukee Bucks forward just scored a pair of luxury vacation villas in his home country of Greece, and the two-time MVP will be spending the summer at the new Costa Navarino Residences, a swanky, eco-conscious development in Messenia in the southwest Peloponnese. The homes are part of Costa Navarino’s exclusive Rolling Greens community, one of the property’s three residential neighborhoods—the other two being Sea Dunes and Olive Grove. 

    “I came here to Costa Navarino for one reason—because I know I can bring my family, Antetokoumpo said in a statement. “When I first came here in 2018, I liked that we could all be together. This is a place that can offer me what I felt as a child.’’ 

    The home emphasizes indoor-outdoor living.

    Courtesy of Costa Navarino

    Antetokounmpo’s new digs were designed by the Greek architecture firm Buerger Katsota. Each of the semi-detached, turnkey homes features three bedrooms and are spread out over a single story. Some of the highlights include a large swimming pool, panoramic views of the Ionian Sea, and tons of private outdoor space for lounging including a courtyard with a barbecue area. 

    Additionally, the sold-out Rolling Greens community has direct access to The Dunes golf course, one of four signature 18-hole courses at the development. Costa Navarino Residences just completed its first phase and recently rolled out a new Villa rental collection. As its name suggests, the program features a slew of high-end homes that are available to rent, giving guests that opportunity to enjoy all of the property’s facilities while getting the homeowner experience. The villas on offer can accommodate up to 10 guests and come with either beachfront or golf course views.  

    The design features local materials and eans into the natural surroundings.

    Courtesy of Costa Navarino

    Antetokounmpo, also known as the “Greek Freak,” currently owns a mansion in Wisconsin. According to Realtor.com, the pro athlete nabbed the home back in 2018 for a cool $1.8 million, two years after he signed a four-year, $100 million contract extension with the Bucks. Located in the affluent River Hills suburb, the estate has five bedrooms, seven full bathrooms, and roughly 10,000 square feet of living space. Fun fact, Antetokounmpo reportedly nabbed the pad from former Bucks player Mirza Teletovic. Before that, the place was owned by 2014 Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams who was acquired by the Bucks in 2015 and then traded to the Chicago Bulls. 

    Click here to see more photos of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Greek villas.

    Courtesy of Costa Navarino

    Authors

    Abby Montanez

    Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…

    Read More More

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    Luxury Villa In Mykonos, Greece (PHOTOS)

    Rear Exterior

    Listed with  of Greece Sotheby’s International Realty
    LOCATION: Mykonos, Greece
    SQUARE FOOTAGE: 7,405
    BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS: 9 bedrooms & 10 bathrooms
    PRICE: Available Upon Request
    This luxury villa is located in Mykonos, Greece and is situated on an acre of land. More