Retirement & investing · free calculator
Retirement abroad cost calculator
Project the all-in cost of retiring abroad — cost of living vs US, healthcare, visa fees, plane tickets home, and tax implications.
Annual savings vs US
Show the work
- Monthly cost in destination$3,200
- Annual cost in destination$42,400
- Annual cost staying in US$68,400
Retiring abroad — the budget delta
The moves to Mexico / Portugal / Costa Rica / Thailand are real, and the cost-of-living delta is real. The two costs that cut into the savings: visa/immigration fees (annual or biannual renewals) and flights home (which compound if you have grandkids).
Cost-of-living index reference
- Mexico (Lake Chapala, Mérida): 50-65% of US for similar lifestyle
- Portugal (Algarve, Porto): 55-70%, but has tightened post-D7-visa boom
- Costa Rica (Atenas, Escazú): 65-80%
- Spain (smaller cities): 60-75%
- Thailand: 40-55%
- Switzerland / Norway / Iceland: 100-130% (more expensive than US)
What this calc misses
- Income tax treaty implications — Portugal NHR (now ending), Mexico's residency-based system, Costa Rica's territorial taxation
- Currency risk — most destinations price in local currency; USD weakens 10-15% over 5 years and your savings shrink
- Property purchase vs rental math — retiring abroad usually starts with rental
- Social Security portability — most countries OK, North Korea / Cuba blocked
- Medicare gap — Medicare doesn't cover services abroad (excluding emergency near border). Most expat retirees keep Part A (free) and skip Part B until returning.
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