Live data · 74 countries · 222 cities · Free to cite 2026 Runway Report:
2026 Runway Report:
What Americans Can Afford, and Where They Can Actually Stay
Cost of living is the easy half. This report cross-references how long savings last against how long you may legally remain, how little income makes the math permanent, and which cheap countries survive a healthcare and safety filter.
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runway in Egypt on $100K, against 30 days of legal stay
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countries fully covered by $2,000/mo of income
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combine 5+ yr runway with good healthcare and safety
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cheapest tracked city (Batumi)
Key Findings
Six Numbers Worth Quoting
Free to cite in articles, newsletters, and research with attribution and a link to this page.
- In Egypt, $100,000 covers 11.9 years of living costs and the visa runs out after 30 days. Affordability and legal access are separate problems, and almost nobody publishes them side by side.
- 10 of 74 tracked countries admit Americans for just 30 days visa-free, and only 35 offer a digital nomad visa as a longer-term route. For the remaining 39, staying means employment, investment, ancestry, or repeated border runs.
- $2,000 a month in remote income fully covers local costs in 49 of 74 countries (66%). At $1,000 the number is 11; at $3,000 it reaches 67. Framed this way, the question stops being how much you saved and becomes how little you need to earn.
- Only 13 of 74 countries combine five or more years of runway with healthcare and safety scores of 7 or better. Vietnam leads at 9.3 years, followed by Malaysia and Romania. Cheap and livable overlap far less than cost tables suggest.
- The longest runways often fail that filter. India offers 11.1 years but scores 4 of 10 on safety; Turkey offers 9.8 years at a safety score of 3.
- Batumi, Georgia is the cheapest of 222 tracked cities at $350 a month, which turns $100,000 into 23.8 years. City-level figures diverge sharply from national averages, and the averages are what most coverage uses.
Finding 1
Where Your Money Outlasts Your Welcome
Countries offering at least four years of runway on $100,000, no digital nomad visa, and 90 or fewer visa-free days. The gap between the two columns is the part cost-of-living rankings never show.
Swipe to see all columns
| Country | Runway on $100K | Visa-free stay | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egypt | 11.9 yrs | 30 days | $700/mo |
| India | 11.1 yrs | 90 days | $750/mo |
| Nepal | 10.4 yrs | 30 days | $800/mo |
| Rwanda | 10.4 yrs | 30 days | $800/mo |
| Cambodia | 7.9 yrs | 30 days | $1,050/mo |
| Kenya | 7.6 yrs | 90 days | $1,100/mo |
| Bulgaria | 7.2 yrs | 90 days | $1,150/mo |
| Argentina | 7.2 yrs | 90 days | $1,150/mo |
| Ghana | 7.2 yrs | 30 days | $1,150/mo |
| Montenegro | 6.9 yrs | 90 days | $1,200/mo |
| Poland | 6.4 yrs | 90 days | $1,300/mo |
| Morocco | 6.4 yrs | 90 days | $1,300/mo |
| North Macedonia | 5.7 yrs | 90 days | $1,450/mo |
| South Africa | 5.7 yrs | 90 days | $1,450/mo |
| Lithuania | 5.4 yrs | 90 days | $1,550/mo |
| Taiwan | 5.4 yrs | 90 days | $1,550/mo |
| Latvia | 4.9 yrs | 90 days | $1,700/mo |
| Slovakia | 4.8 yrs | 90 days | $1,750/mo |
| China | 4.5 yrs | 90 days | $1,850/mo |
| Uruguay | 4.4 yrs | 90 days | $1,900/mo |
| Estonia | 4.3 yrs | 90 days | $1,950/mo |
| Slovenia | 4.2 yrs | 90 days | $2,000/mo |
| Malta | 4.1 yrs | 90 days | $2,050/mo |
| Cyprus | 4 yrs | 90 days | $2,100/mo |
Visa-free entry is not residency. Extensions, border runs, and long-stay permits exist in most of these countries, but each carries its own income thresholds, paperwork, and refusal risk. Anyone budgeting a multi-year stay should treat the legal pathway as the binding constraint, not the money.
Finding 2
How Little Income Makes Savings Permanent
Savings only deplete when spending exceeds income. This chart counts how many of the 74 tracked countries a given monthly income covers outright, at which point the runway stops being finite.
A part-time remote income of $1,000 a month, roughly one freelance client, covers full local costs in 11 countries outright. The same figure buys about a third of average rent in a mid-cost US city.
Model your own income and lifestyle level against every country in the Runway Calculator.
Finding 3
Cheap That Survives a Quality Filter
The 13 countries clearing five or more years of runway on $100,000 while also scoring 7 or better on both healthcare and safety. This ranking differs substantially from a pure cost ranking.
H = healthcare quality, S = safety, each scored 0 to 10. Sources for both are listed on the methodology page.
The countries that fail this filter are the ones cost rankings put first.
- India: 11.1 years of runway, healthcare 7/10, safety 4/10
- Turkey: 9.8 years of runway, healthcare 8/10, safety 3/10
- Colombia: 8.3 years of runway, healthcare 8/10, safety 3/10
- Kenya: 7.6 years of runway, healthcare 6/10, safety 4/10
Finding 4
National Averages Hide the Real Numbers
Monthly cost and $100,000 runway for 222 cities across 74 countries, cheapest first. Most coverage of this topic quotes country averages, which sit well above what specific cities actually cost.
Swipe to see all columns
| City | Country | Monthly cost | Runway on $100K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batumi | Georgia | $350/mo | 23.8 yrs |
| Da Nang | Vietnam | $450/mo | 18.5 yrs |
| Tirana | Albania | $450/mo | 18.5 yrs |
| Chiang Mai | Thailand | $550/mo | 15.2 yrs |
| Tbilisi | Georgia | $550/mo | 15.2 yrs |
| Medellin | Colombia | $650/mo | 12.8 yrs |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Vietnam | $650/mo | 12.8 yrs |
| Kathmandu | Nepal | $650/mo | 12.8 yrs |
| Sofia | Bulgaria | $750/mo | 11.1 yrs |
| Hanoi | Vietnam | $750/mo | 11.1 yrs |
| Buenos Aires | Argentina | $750/mo | 11.1 yrs |
| Biratnagar | Nepal | $750/mo | 11.1 yrs |
| Merida | Mexico | $800/mo | 10.4 yrs |
| Bogota | Colombia | $800/mo | 10.4 yrs |
| Belgrade | Serbia | $800/mo | 10.4 yrs |
| Colombo | Sri Lanka | $800/mo | 10.4 yrs |
| Cairo | Egypt | $800/mo | 10.4 yrs |
| Lalitpur | Nepal | $850/mo | 9.8 yrs |
| Guadalajara | Mexico | $900/mo | 9.3 yrs |
| Bangkok | Thailand | $900/mo | 9.3 yrs |
| Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia | $900/mo | 9.3 yrs |
| Surabaya | Indonesia | $900/mo | 9.3 yrs |
| Hyderabad | India | $900/mo | 9.3 yrs |
| Bangalore | India | $900/mo | 9.3 yrs |
| Mombasa | Kenya | $900/mo | 9.3 yrs |
| Sihanoukville | Cambodia | $900/mo | 9.3 yrs |
| Phnom Penh | Cambodia | $900/mo | 9.3 yrs |
| Jaffna | Sri Lanka | $950/mo | 8.8 yrs |
| Sharm El Sheikh | Egypt | $950/mo | 8.8 yrs |
| Mexico City | Mexico | $1,000/mo | 8.3 yrs |
| Penang | Malaysia | $1,000/mo | 8.3 yrs |
| Delhi | India | $1,000/mo | 8.3 yrs |
| Manila | Philippines | $1,000/mo | 8.3 yrs |
| Battambang | Cambodia | $1,000/mo | 8.3 yrs |
| Takoradi | Ghana | $1,000/mo | 8.3 yrs |
| Musanze | Rwanda | $1,000/mo | 8.3 yrs |
| Cape Town | South Africa | $1,000/mo | 8.3 yrs |
| Quezon City | Philippines | $1,050/mo | 7.9 yrs |
| Galle | Sri Lanka | $1,050/mo | 7.9 yrs |
| Giza | Egypt | $1,050/mo | 7.9 yrs |
| Jakarta | Indonesia | $1,100/mo | 7.6 yrs |
| Denpasar | Indonesia | $1,100/mo | 7.6 yrs |
| Quito | Ecuador | $1,100/mo | 7.6 yrs |
| Nairobi | Kenya | $1,100/mo | 7.6 yrs |
| Nakuru | Kenya | $1,100/mo | 7.6 yrs |
| Accra | Ghana | $1,100/mo | 7.6 yrs |
| Phuket | Thailand | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs |
| Cartagena | Colombia | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs |
| Budapest | Hungary | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs |
| Casablanca | Morocco | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs |
| Tangier | Morocco | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs |
| Davao City | Philippines | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs |
| Rustavi | Georgia | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs |
| Lima | Peru | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs |
| Shkoder | Albania | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs |
| Tamale | Ghana | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs |
| Gisenyi | Rwanda | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs |
| Manta | Ecuador | $1,250/mo | 6.7 yrs |
| Trujillo | Peru | $1,250/mo | 6.7 yrs |
| Kumanovo | North Macedonia | $1,250/mo | 6.7 yrs |
| Ostrava | Czech Republic | $1,300/mo | 6.4 yrs |
| Bucharest | Romania | $1,300/mo | 6.4 yrs |
| Rabat | Morocco | $1,300/mo | 6.4 yrs |
| Curitiba | Brazil | $1,300/mo | 6.4 yrs |
| Vlore | Albania | $1,300/mo | 6.4 yrs |
| La Romana | Dominican Republic | $1,300/mo | 6.4 yrs |
| Butare | Rwanda | $1,300/mo | 6.4 yrs |
| Johannesburg | South Africa | $1,300/mo | 6.4 yrs |
| Burgas | Bulgaria | $1,350/mo | 6.2 yrs |
| Cuenca | Ecuador | $1,350/mo | 6.2 yrs |
| Cusco | Peru | $1,350/mo | 6.2 yrs |
| Ohrid | North Macedonia | $1,350/mo | 6.2 yrs |
| Seville | Spain | $1,400/mo | 6 yrs |
| Athens | Greece | $1,400/mo | 6 yrs |
| San Jose | Costa Rica | $1,400/mo | 6 yrs |
| Krakow | Poland | $1,400/mo | 6 yrs |
| Istanbul | Turkey | $1,400/mo | 6 yrs |
| Warsaw | Poland | $1,450/mo | 5.7 yrs |
| Varna | Bulgaria | $1,450/mo | 5.7 yrs |
| Kragujevac | Serbia | $1,450/mo | 5.7 yrs |
| Brasilia | Brazil | $1,450/mo | 5.7 yrs |
| Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | $1,450/mo | 5.7 yrs |
| Punta Cana | Dominican Republic | $1,450/mo | 5.7 yrs |
| Pretoria | South Africa | $1,450/mo | 5.7 yrs |
| Antalya | Turkey | $1,450/mo | 5.7 yrs |
| Porto | Portugal | $1,550/mo | 5.4 yrs |
| Valencia | Spain | $1,550/mo | 5.4 yrs |
| Kota Kinabalu | Malaysia | $1,550/mo | 5.4 yrs |
| Iasi | Romania | $1,550/mo | 5.4 yrs |
| Mendoza | Argentina | $1,550/mo | 5.4 yrs |
| Nis | Serbia | $1,550/mo | 5.4 yrs |
| Santiago | Chile | $1,550/mo | 5.4 yrs |
| Bitola | North Macedonia | $1,550/mo | 5.4 yrs |
| Izmir | Turkey | $1,550/mo | 5.4 yrs |
| Chengdu | China | $1,600/mo | 5.2 yrs |
| Santiago | Dominican Republic | $1,600/mo | 5.2 yrs |
| Portmore | Jamaica | $1,600/mo | 5.2 yrs |
| Niksic | Montenegro | $1,600/mo | 5.2 yrs |
| Panama City | Panama | $1,650/mo | 5.1 yrs |
| Prague | Czech Republic | $1,650/mo | 5.1 yrs |
| Timisoara | Romania | $1,650/mo | 5.1 yrs |
| Rosario | Argentina | $1,650/mo | 5.1 yrs |
| Vilnius | Lithuania | $1,650/mo | 5.1 yrs |
| Taipei | Taiwan | $1,650/mo | 5.1 yrs |
| Mecca | Saudi Arabia | $1,700/mo | 4.9 yrs |
| Spanish Town | Jamaica | $1,700/mo | 4.9 yrs |
| Kotor | Montenegro | $1,700/mo | 4.9 yrs |
| Lisbon | Portugal | $1,750/mo | 4.8 yrs |
| Zagreb | Croatia | $1,750/mo | 4.8 yrs |
| Busan | South Korea | $1,750/mo | 4.8 yrs |
| Jeddah | Saudi Arabia | $1,750/mo | 4.8 yrs |
| Riga | Latvia | $1,750/mo | 4.8 yrs |
| Montevideo | Uruguay | $1,750/mo | 4.8 yrs |
| Pecs | Hungary | $1,800/mo | 4.6 yrs |
| Dammam | Saudi Arabia | $1,800/mo | 4.6 yrs |
| Berlin | Germany | $1,850/mo | 4.5 yrs |
| Alajuela | Costa Rica | $1,850/mo | 4.5 yrs |
| Jelgava | Latvia | $1,850/mo | 4.5 yrs |
| Siauliai | Lithuania | $1,850/mo | 4.5 yrs |
| Madrid | Spain | $1,900/mo | 4.4 yrs |
| Split | Croatia | $1,900/mo | 4.4 yrs |
| Szeged | Hungary | $1,900/mo | 4.4 yrs |
| Lyon | France | $1,900/mo | 4.4 yrs |
| Beijing | China | $1,900/mo | 4.4 yrs |
| Montego Bay | Jamaica | $1,900/mo | 4.4 yrs |
| Budva | Montenegro | $1,900/mo | 4.4 yrs |
| Bratislava | Slovakia | $1,900/mo | 4.4 yrs |
| Nitra | Slovakia | $1,900/mo | 4.4 yrs |
| Heredia | Costa Rica | $1,950/mo | 4.3 yrs |
| Klaipeda | Lithuania | $1,950/mo | 4.3 yrs |
| Rome | Italy | $2,000/mo | 4.2 yrs |
| Osijek | Croatia | $2,000/mo | 4.2 yrs |
| Osaka | Japan | $2,000/mo | 4.2 yrs |
| Fukuoka | Japan | $2,000/mo | 4.2 yrs |
| Manchester | United Kingdom | $2,000/mo | 4.2 yrs |
| Shanghai | China | $2,000/mo | 4.2 yrs |
| La Serena | Chile | $2,000/mo | 4.2 yrs |
| Tallinn | Estonia | $2,000/mo | 4.2 yrs |
| Liepaja | Latvia | $2,000/mo | 4.2 yrs |
| Zilina | Slovakia | $2,000/mo | 4.2 yrs |
| Heraklion | Greece | $2,050/mo | 4.1 yrs |
| Santiago | Panama | $2,050/mo | 4.1 yrs |
| Gdansk | Poland | $2,050/mo | 4.1 yrs |
| Turin | Italy | $2,100/mo | 4 yrs |
| Seoul | South Korea | $2,100/mo | 4 yrs |
| Edinburgh | United Kingdom | $2,100/mo | 4 yrs |
| Concepcion | Chile | $2,100/mo | 4 yrs |
| Limassol | Cyprus | $2,100/mo | 4 yrs |
| Narva | Estonia | $2,100/mo | 4 yrs |
| Kranj | Slovenia | $2,100/mo | 4 yrs |
| Patras | Greece | $2,150/mo | 3.9 yrs |
| Colon | Panama | $2,150/mo | 3.9 yrs |
| Paphos | Cyprus | $2,150/mo | 3.9 yrs |
| Tainan | Taiwan | $2,150/mo | 3.9 yrs |
| Maldonado | Uruguay | $2,150/mo | 3.9 yrs |
| Plzen | Czech Republic | $2,200/mo | 3.8 yrs |
| Graz | Austria | $2,200/mo | 3.8 yrs |
| Parnu | Estonia | $2,200/mo | 3.8 yrs |
| Coimbra | Portugal | $2,250/mo | 3.7 yrs |
| Milan | Italy | $2,250/mo | 3.7 yrs |
| Tokyo | Japan | $2,250/mo | 3.7 yrs |
| Nantes | France | $2,250/mo | 3.7 yrs |
| Abu Dhabi | UAE | $2,250/mo | 3.7 yrs |
| Larnaca | Cyprus | $2,250/mo | 3.7 yrs |
| Celje | Slovenia | $2,250/mo | 3.7 yrs |
| Taichung | Taiwan | $2,250/mo | 3.7 yrs |
| Salto | Uruguay | $2,250/mo | 3.7 yrs |
| Birkirkara | Malta | $2,300/mo | 3.6 yrs |
| Munich | Germany | $2,400/mo | 3.5 yrs |
| Montreal | Canada | $2,400/mo | 3.5 yrs |
| Ghent | Belgium | $2,400/mo | 3.5 yrs |
| Dubai | UAE | $2,400/mo | 3.5 yrs |
| St. Julian's | Malta | $2,400/mo | 3.5 yrs |
| Maribor | Slovenia | $2,400/mo | 3.5 yrs |
| Cologne | Germany | $2,450/mo | 3.4 yrs |
| Daejeon | South Korea | $2,500/mo | 3.3 yrs |
| Amsterdam | Netherlands | $2,500/mo | 3.3 yrs |
| Utrecht | Netherlands | $2,500/mo | 3.3 yrs |
| Antwerp | Belgium | $2,500/mo | 3.3 yrs |
| Bruges | Belgium | $2,500/mo | 3.3 yrs |
| Vienna | Austria | $2,500/mo | 3.3 yrs |
| Perth | Australia | $2,550/mo | 3.3 yrs |
| Hamilton | New Zealand | $2,550/mo | 3.3 yrs |
| Paris | France | $2,550/mo | 3.3 yrs |
| Doha | Qatar | $2,550/mo | 3.3 yrs |
| Ajman | UAE | $2,600/mo | 3.2 yrs |
| Sliema | Malta | $2,600/mo | 3.2 yrs |
| Brisbane | Australia | $2,650/mo | 3.1 yrs |
| Auckland | New Zealand | $2,650/mo | 3.1 yrs |
| Christchurch | New Zealand | $2,650/mo | 3.1 yrs |
| Calgary | Canada | $2,650/mo | 3.1 yrs |
| Rotterdam | Netherlands | $2,650/mo | 3.1 yrs |
| Linz | Austria | $2,650/mo | 3.1 yrs |
| London | United Kingdom | $2,650/mo | 3.1 yrs |
| Lusail | Qatar | $2,650/mo | 3.1 yrs |
| Dublin | Ireland | $2,750/mo | 3 yrs |
| Limerick | Ireland | $2,750/mo | 3 yrs |
| Uppsala | Sweden | $2,750/mo | 3 yrs |
| Al Khor | Qatar | $2,750/mo | 3 yrs |
| Melbourne | Australia | $2,800/mo | 3 yrs |
| Turku | Finland | $2,800/mo | 3 yrs |
| Toronto | Canada | $2,850/mo | 2.9 yrs |
| Galway | Ireland | $2,850/mo | 2.9 yrs |
| Aalborg | Denmark | $2,850/mo | 2.9 yrs |
| Malmo | Sweden | $2,850/mo | 2.9 yrs |
| Helsinki | Finland | $2,850/mo | 2.9 yrs |
| Tampere | Finland | $2,900/mo | 2.9 yrs |
| Odense | Denmark | $2,950/mo | 2.8 yrs |
| Tampines | Singapore | $2,950/mo | 2.8 yrs |
| Stockholm | Sweden | $3,000/mo | 2.8 yrs |
| Jurong East | Singapore | $3,000/mo | 2.8 yrs |
| Stavanger | Norway | $3,050/mo | 2.7 yrs |
| Woodlands | Singapore | $3,050/mo | 2.7 yrs |
| Aarhus | Denmark | $3,150/mo | 2.6 yrs |
| Akureyri | Iceland | $3,150/mo | 2.6 yrs |
| Bern | Switzerland | $3,200/mo | 2.6 yrs |
| Trondheim | Norway | $3,200/mo | 2.6 yrs |
| Hafnarfjordur | Iceland | $3,250/mo | 2.6 yrs |
| Bergen | Norway | $3,350/mo | 2.5 yrs |
| Reykjavik | Iceland | $3,350/mo | 2.5 yrs |
| Basel | Switzerland | $3,500/mo | 2.4 yrs |
| Zurich | Switzerland | $3,600/mo | 2.3 yrs |
No city matches that search.
The Full Dataset
Every Tracked Country, All Four Variables
Monthly cost, runway on $100,000, visa-free days, nomad visa availability, and healthcare and safety scores for all 74 countries. Sorted by runway, longest first.
Swipe to see all columns
| Country | Monthly cost | Runway $100K | Visa-free | Nomad visa | Health | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egypt | $700/mo | 11.9 yrs | 30 d | no | 7/10 | 5/10 |
| India | $750/mo | 11.1 yrs | 90 d | no | 7/10 | 4/10 |
| Sri Lanka | $750/mo | 11.1 yrs | 30 d | yes | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Nepal | $800/mo | 10.4 yrs | 30 d | no | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Rwanda | $800/mo | 10.4 yrs | 30 d | no | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Georgia | $850/mo | 9.8 yrs | 360 d | yes | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Turkey | $850/mo | 9.8 yrs | 180 d | no | 8/10 | 3/10 |
| Vietnam | $900/mo | 9.3 yrs | 90 d | yes | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Thailand | $1,000/mo | 8.3 yrs | 60 d | yes | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Indonesia | $1,000/mo | 8.3 yrs | 30 d | yes | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Colombia | $1,000/mo | 8.3 yrs | 180 d | yes | 8/10 | 3/10 |
| Malaysia | $1,050/mo | 7.9 yrs | 180 d | yes | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Cambodia | $1,050/mo | 7.9 yrs | 30 d | no | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Kenya | $1,100/mo | 7.6 yrs | 90 d | no | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Dominican Republic | $1,100/mo | 7.6 yrs | 180 d | no | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Romania | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs | 90 d | yes | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Bulgaria | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs | 90 d | no | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Argentina | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Philippines | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs | 30 d | yes | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Ghana | $1,150/mo | 7.2 yrs | 30 d | no | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Serbia | $1,200/mo | 6.9 yrs | 90 d | yes | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Montenegro | $1,200/mo | 6.9 yrs | 90 d | no | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Albania | $1,250/mo | 6.7 yrs | 360 d | yes | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Poland | $1,300/mo | 6.4 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Morocco | $1,300/mo | 6.4 yrs | 90 d | no | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Brazil | $1,300/mo | 6.4 yrs | 90 d | yes | 8/10 | 4/10 |
| Ecuador | $1,350/mo | 6.2 yrs | 90 d | yes | 8/10 | 3/10 |
| Peru | $1,350/mo | 6.2 yrs | 180 d | yes | 7/10 | 5/10 |
| Mexico | $1,400/mo | 6 yrs | 180 d | yes | 8/10 | 3/10 |
| Hungary | $1,450/mo | 5.7 yrs | 90 d | yes | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| North Macedonia | $1,450/mo | 5.7 yrs | 90 d | no | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| South Africa | $1,450/mo | 5.7 yrs | 90 d | no | 7/10 | 4/10 |
| Croatia | $1,500/mo | 5.6 yrs | 90 d | yes | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Panama | $1,550/mo | 5.4 yrs | 180 d | yes | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Saudi Arabia | $1,550/mo | 5.4 yrs | 30 d | yes | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Lithuania | $1,550/mo | 5.4 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Taiwan | $1,550/mo | 5.4 yrs | 90 d | no | /10 | 7/10 |
| Czech Republic | $1,600/mo | 5.2 yrs | 90 d | yes | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Jamaica | $1,600/mo | 5.2 yrs | 180 d | no | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Chile | $1,650/mo | 5.1 yrs | 90 d | yes | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Costa Rica | $1,700/mo | 4.9 yrs | 180 d | yes | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Latvia | $1,700/mo | 4.9 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Slovakia | $1,750/mo | 4.8 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| China | $1,850/mo | 4.5 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 5/10 |
| Greece | $1,900/mo | 4.4 yrs | 90 d | yes | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Uruguay | $1,900/mo | 4.4 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Estonia | $1,950/mo | 4.3 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Portugal | $2,000/mo | 4.2 yrs | 90 d | yes | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Slovenia | $2,000/mo | 4.2 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Malta | $2,050/mo | 4.1 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 10/10 |
| Cyprus | $2,100/mo | 4 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| UAE | $2,150/mo | 3.9 yrs | 30 d | yes | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Spain | $2,200/mo | 3.8 yrs | 90 d | yes | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Qatar | $2,200/mo | 3.8 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| South Korea | $2,250/mo | 3.7 yrs | 90 d | yes | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| Singapore | $2,250/mo | 3.7 yrs | 180 d | yes | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Italy | $2,300/mo | 3.6 yrs | 90 d | yes | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| France | $2,450/mo | 3.4 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Germany | $2,500/mo | 3.3 yrs | 90 d | yes | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Japan | $2,700/mo | 3.1 yrs | 90 d | yes | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Belgium | $2,650/mo | 3.1 yrs | 90 d | no | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Austria | $2,650/mo | 3.1 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Netherlands | $2,750/mo | 3 yrs | 90 d | yes | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Canada | $2,850/mo | 2.9 yrs | 180 d | no | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| United Kingdom | $2,900/mo | 2.9 yrs | 90 d | yes | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| New Zealand | $2,950/mo | 2.8 yrs | 90 d | no | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Finland | $2,950/mo | 2.8 yrs | 90 d | no | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Sweden | $3,050/mo | 2.7 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Denmark | $3,200/mo | 2.6 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Australia | $3,350/mo | 2.5 yrs | 90 d | no | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Ireland | $3,350/mo | 2.5 yrs | 90 d | no | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Norway | $3,500/mo | 2.4 yrs | 90 d | yes | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Iceland | $3,600/mo | 2.3 yrs | 90 d | yes | 9/10 | 10/10 |
| Switzerland | $4,000/mo | 2.1 yrs | 90 d | no | 9/10 | 9/10 |
No country matches that search.
Methodology
How This Was Calculated
Runway in years is calculated as savings ÷ monthly cost of living ÷ 12, using each country's baseline single-person monthly cost, and the same formula against city-level costs where available. Cost figures come from a public open-data cost-of-living API and are refreshed quarterly. The income threshold in Finding 2 is simply that monthly cost figure read the other way: income at or above it covers spending outright, so savings stop depleting.
Healthcare and safety scores run 0 to 10, derived from the UHC Service Coverage Index and the Global Peace Index respectively. Visa-free stay lengths reflect standard tourist entry for US passport holders and exclude extensions, border runs, and long-stay permits. Digital nomad visa availability is a yes/no flag for whether a formal remote-worker route exists, not a judgment on how accessible it is. Every source is named in full on the methodology page.
Runway figures assume no additional income and a constant cost of living at a normal (non-lean, non-luxury) standard. The interactive Runway Calculator lets you set your own income and lifestyle level.
Figures exclude one-time relocation costs, healthcare premiums, currency risk, and US tax obligations, which apply to citizens regardless of residence. Visa rules change frequently and should be verified against the relevant consulate before any decision. This report reflects data current as of July 2026.
Citing this report: every figure here is free to use in articles, newsletters, and research with attribution and a link to this page. I'm Marcin Janiak, I built this site and maintain the dataset behind it. Journalists can reach me for custom numbers on any country or savings amount: [email protected]. I typically reply within a day.