This Picturesque Region in Italy Will Pay You Over $27,000 to Move There

If you’ve ever considered uprooting your life, moving to another country, and completely starting over, you’re not the only one. Normally, that’s a lot easier said than done. But now, a region in Italy wants to help make that dream come true—and pay you to do it.

As CNN Travel reports, the region of Molise, Italy is looking for new people to move to one of 106 villages in the area. It’s in the midst of a depopulation crisis and has lost nearly 9,000 residents since 2014, leaving the current population at just over 300,000. To sweeten the deal, if you make the move, the local government will pay you €700 (about $770) a month for up to three years.

“I want my region to undergo a renaissance and avoid its authentic villages turning into ghost towns,” Antonio Tedeschi, a regional councilor and the person who came up with the idea, tells CNN Travel. “We need to safeguard our roots.”

Sounds like a dream come true, right? There’s just one stipulation: If you take the money, you’ll have to commit to contributing to the economy by starting a small business.

“The goal is to breathe new life and revamp the local economy,” Tedeschi continues. “Newcomers are free to kick-start anything they please in order to get our financial support: a small inn, restaurant, bar, B&B, a tiny rural farm, artisan boutique, library or shop selling local gourmet excellences.”

Villages in the Molise region inviting people to move there include Fornelli, which is known for its olive groves; Riccia, which is known for its grape festival and its wine; Capracotta and Campitello Matese, which are both known for skiing and winter sports resorts; and Pietrabbondante and Sepino, which are both known for ancient architecture.

If you’ve ever dreamed of opening a bookstore or a café (or a bookstore café!) in Italy, this is your chance to make it happen.