FIRE Calculator
Calculate your FIRE number for 95 countries with real tax brackets, cost of living, and healthcare costs. See how much faster you can FIRE by moving abroad. Free tool.
Powered by our portfolio math + relocation index · methodology
Data last updated: September 2026
Quick answer
Key facts
- 95 destinations indexed cost-of-living + healthcare + retirement-visa eligibility for each.
- Lowest modelled monthly budgets Egypt $547/mo · India $553/mo · Vietnam $696/mo · Indonesia $700/mo · Philippines $700/mo
- 4% rule baseline target = annual spend × 25 · with sequence-of-returns and healthcare-shock buffers user-adjustable.
- Retirement-visa cross-link Thailand Retirement Visa, Colombia Retirement Visa, Mexico Temp Resident — eligibility surfaced per destination.
- Sources World Bank ICP 2021 PPP reference · WhereNext model · visa registry · CC BY 4.0.
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How much do you need to FIRE abroad?
The calculator applies a 4% withdrawal setting to annual spending, so a $2,000 monthly budget gives a $600,000 target. The 4% convention traces to William Bengen's historical withdrawal-rate analysis; it is a planning heuristic, not a guarantee, and actual outcomes depend on portfolio mix, fees, taxes, inflation, and withdrawal period. Its current moderate-lifestyle model estimates $888/month in Thailand (target $266,400) and $1,721/month in Portugal (target $516,300). The calculator's private-insurance estimates are country-specific; for example, Thailand is $70–$150/month and Portugal is $56–$120/month. Cost estimates use the World Bank ICP 2021 as a PPP reference and WhereNext's cost model (Q1 2026 estimate date).
What are the cheapest countries to retire early with FIRE?
The calculator's current moderate-lifestyle model estimates these lowest monthly budgets: Egypt ($547/month), India ($553/month), Vietnam ($696/month), Indonesia ($700/month), Philippines ($700/month). It calculates modeled budgets from its U.S. category baselines and country multipliers, using the World Bank ICP 2021 as one PPP reference; these are estimates, not observed prices. Visa examples describe specific routes: Thailand's O-A: Applicants must be 50 or older. O-A is applied for outside Thailand; the annual extension uses the same THB 800,000 / THB 65,000 financial test. Financial test: Thai MFA: THB 65,000/month income, THB 800,000 deposit, or a combination totalling THB 800,000/year. Colombia's pensioner route: Equals 3× the Colombian minimum wage, which rose ~23% for 2026 — old peso figures are quickly stale (COP 5,252,715/month). Mexico's temporary-resident economic-solvency route: 680 UMA-days of monthly income over the last 6 months (Lineamientos generales para la expedición de visas; 2026 UMA MXN 117.31) — consulate sheets quote about $4,342–4,510 (79,771 MXN/month). The Mexico dollar conversion varies by consulate and exchange rate.
How does retiring abroad compare to retiring in the US?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported average 2023 annual expenditures of $60,087 for consumer units whose reference person was 65 or older (about $5,007/month per consumer unit). At a 4% withdrawal setting, that spending level corresponds to a $$1,502,175 target. The calculator's current moderate-lifestyle estimates are $1,721/month in Portugal, $888/month in Thailand, and $1,042/month in Mexico; compared with its $3,510/month U.S. model estimate, its five lowest-cost destinations are about 80–84% lower. This can shorten the savings timeline by 8-15 years depending on income and savings rate. Key considerations include healthcare access (most countries require private insurance) and taxes: U.S. citizens abroad generally have U.S. filing obligations when they meet applicable filing requirements. Most retirement visas require proof of income or savings. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2023 Consumer Expenditure Survey; WhereNext FIRE model.
▶▼Methodology & related tools
Important assumptions
FIRE projections assume stable returns, consistent inflation, and no major life changes. They do not account for healthcare cost shocks, currency devaluation, relocation expenses, or sequence-of-returns risk. Treat results as directional estimates, not financial plans.
Popular FIRE destination deep-dives: ExpatFIRE in the Philippines · FIRE Abroad Complete Guide