Why a cheaper country lowers the target
Your FIRE number is the amount that lets you live off investments, usually set at 25 times a year of spending under the 4% rule. Because the target is a multiple of spending, every dollar cut from monthly costs takes $300 off the number, and moving to a lower-cost country can cut costs by thousands.
FIRE number = yearly spending ÷ withdrawal rate
A moderate single-person life costs about $3,190 a month in the US, which gives a FIRE number near $957,000. The same life in Lisbon with $200 of health insurance is about $2,920 a month and about $877,000, and in Bangkok about $1,430 a month and roughly $430,000.
Things to weigh before moving
A lower number is only half the picture. Exchange rates move, residence visas have rules of their own, and many early retirees want to fly home every year. Leave a buffer by using a 3.5% withdrawal rate or adding a travel line to your health insurance figure.
Where the numbers come from
Rent is a typical asking rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the main city we list for each country, taken from 2026 listings and local market reports and converted to dollars at the exchange rate of October 28, 2026. Rent is the number that varies most from street to street, so the calculators let you change it whenever you have a better figure.
Everything else starts from a monthly budget for one person in the United States: about $450 for groceries, $250 for eating out, $200 for utilities, $90 for phone and internet, $300 for transport and $350 for clothes, personal care and fun. Each line is then scaled by the World Bank's International Comparison Program price levels for that type of spending, and brought forward from 2021 with the World Bank's latest price level data, so a country where restaurant meals cost a third of US prices gets a third of the eating-out budget.
These are planning estimates, not quotes. A lean budget uses 75% of the moderate one with cheaper rent, and a comfortable budget uses 150% with nicer rent. Visas, health insurance and flights are not included unless a calculator asks for them.
Common questions
How much do I need to retire early in Thailand?
About $430,000 for a moderate single life in Bangkok with $200 a month of health insurance, using the 4% rule.
Is the 4% rule safe abroad?
It was built on US market history. If you spend in another currency, consider a slightly lower rate for extra safety.
Should I include rent if I buy a home abroad?
If you buy outright, use the housing-free setting in the retire abroad calculator and subtract the purchase price from your savings.
Sources
This calculator gives estimates for planning. Real returns, rates and prices change, so treat the result as a guide rather than a promise. Read how we build and check our calculators.