The FIRE number you need in 162 countries
Where you retire changes the target more than almost any other decision. The lifestyle that needs $1,500,000 in the United States needs $225,000 in Egypt, Arab Rep., computed from World Bank price data.
The headline
Our US state study found a 27% gap between the most and least expensive states. Internationally the spread is far wider: Switzerland sits at 1.26 times US prices while Egypt, Arab Rep. sits at 0.15. Same standard of consumption, roughly eight times the cost.
Want the full calculation for your country? The table above uses one shared price level; a real plan needs your country's own pension system and account rules. We have built dedicated calculators for the United Kingdom, India, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Singapore, New Zealand, each with its local state pension or equivalent built into the maths.
Method, stated in full
There is no single official "cost of living index" covering every country, so this study computes the standard economists' measure, the comparative price level, from two published World Bank series:
price level (US = 1.00) = PPP conversion factor ÷ market exchange rate
country spending = $60,000 × price level
FIRE number = country spending ÷ 4%
The PPP conversion factor comes from the World Bank's International Comparison Program, which prices a common basket of goods across countries. Dividing it by the market exchange rate gives how expensive a country is in dollar terms, with the United States as 1.00 by construction. Both series are 2024 values, the most recent complete year. The $60,000 baseline is a chosen reference, not a statistic: the ratios hold whatever budget you use, and you can run your own in the FIRE number calculator.
Every country, ranked by price level
| Country | Price level (US = 1.00) | Cost of a $60,000 US lifestyle | FIRE number at 4% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | 1.26 | $75,600 | $1,890,000 |
| Iceland | 1.13 | $67,800 | $1,695,000 |
| Bahamas, The | 1.11 | $66,600 | $1,665,000 |
| Vanuatu | 1.05 | $63,000 | $1,575,000 |
| United States | 1.00 | $60,000 | $1,500,000 |
| Palau | 0.99 | $59,400 | $1,485,000 |
| Denmark | 0.98 | $58,800 | $1,470,000 |
| Israel | 0.98 | $58,800 | $1,470,000 |
| Ireland | 0.95 | $57,000 | $1,425,000 |
| Australia | 0.94 | $56,400 | $1,410,000 |
| Luxembourg | 0.91 | $54,600 | $1,365,000 |
| New Zealand | 0.91 | $54,600 | $1,365,000 |
| Canada | 0.91 | $54,600 | $1,365,000 |
| Solomon Islands | 0.90 | $54,000 | $1,350,000 |
| Norway | 0.89 | $53,400 | $1,335,000 |
| United Kingdom | 0.87 | $52,200 | $1,305,000 |
| Finland | 0.85 | $51,000 | $1,275,000 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 0.82 | $49,200 | $1,230,000 |
| Belgium | 0.81 | $48,600 | $1,215,000 |
| Sweden | 0.81 | $48,600 | $1,215,000 |
| Haiti | 0.81 | $48,600 | $1,215,000 |
| Netherlands | 0.80 | $48,000 | $1,200,000 |
| San Marino | 0.80 | $48,000 | $1,200,000 |
| Austria | 0.78 | $46,800 | $1,170,000 |
| Singapore | 0.78 | $46,800 | $1,170,000 |
| France | 0.78 | $46,800 | $1,170,000 |
| Tonga | 0.77 | $46,200 | $1,155,000 |
| Germany | 0.76 | $45,600 | $1,140,000 |
| Qatar | 0.76 | $45,600 | $1,140,000 |
| Hong Kong SAR, China | 0.75 | $45,000 | $1,125,000 |
| Uruguay | 0.73 | $43,800 | $1,095,000 |
| Papua New Guinea | 0.71 | $42,600 | $1,065,000 |
| Estonia | 0.70 | $42,000 | $1,050,000 |
| United Arab Emirates | 0.70 | $42,000 | $1,050,000 |
| Samoa | 0.69 | $41,400 | $1,035,000 |
| Italy | 0.68 | $40,800 | $1,020,000 |
| Japan | 0.66 | $39,600 | $990,000 |
| Korea, Rep. | 0.64 | $38,400 | $960,000 |
| Cyprus | 0.64 | $38,400 | $960,000 |
| Spain | 0.64 | $38,400 | $960,000 |
| Costa Rica | 0.64 | $38,400 | $960,000 |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 0.63 | $37,800 | $945,000 |
| Malta | 0.63 | $37,800 | $945,000 |
| Grenada | 0.63 | $37,800 | $945,000 |
| Macao SAR, China | 0.63 | $37,800 | $945,000 |
| Slovenia | 0.62 | $37,200 | $930,000 |
| Jamaica | 0.62 | $37,200 | $930,000 |
| Czechia | 0.62 | $37,200 | $930,000 |
| Kiribati | 0.62 | $37,200 | $930,000 |
| Maldives | 0.61 | $36,600 | $915,000 |
| Portugal | 0.60 | $36,000 | $900,000 |
| Greece | 0.60 | $36,000 | $900,000 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 0.60 | $36,000 | $900,000 |
| Kuwait | 0.60 | $36,000 | $900,000 |
| Seychelles | 0.60 | $36,000 | $900,000 |
| St. Lucia | 0.59 | $35,400 | $885,000 |
| Slovak Republic | 0.59 | $35,400 | $885,000 |
| Mexico | 0.59 | $35,400 | $885,000 |
| Lebanon | 0.59 | $35,400 | $885,000 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 0.58 | $34,800 | $870,000 |
| Dominica | 0.58 | $34,800 | $870,000 |
| Latvia | 0.58 | $34,800 | $870,000 |
| Lithuania | 0.57 | $34,200 | $855,000 |
| Comoros | 0.56 | $33,600 | $840,000 |
| Belize | 0.55 | $33,000 | $825,000 |
| Croatia | 0.53 | $31,800 | $795,000 |
| Cabo Verde | 0.52 | $31,200 | $780,000 |
| Peru | 0.52 | $31,200 | $780,000 |
| Hungary | 0.52 | $31,200 | $780,000 |
| Djibouti | 0.51 | $30,600 | $765,000 |
| Panama | 0.51 | $30,600 | $765,000 |
| Poland | 0.50 | $30,000 | $750,000 |
| Saudi Arabia | 0.50 | $30,000 | $750,000 |
| Bahrain | 0.50 | $30,000 | $750,000 |
| Honduras | 0.50 | $30,000 | $750,000 |
| China | 0.49 | $29,400 | $735,000 |
| Chile | 0.49 | $29,400 | $735,000 |
| Albania | 0.49 | $29,400 | $735,000 |
| Oman | 0.48 | $28,800 | $720,000 |
| El Salvador | 0.48 | $28,800 | $720,000 |
| Moldova | 0.47 | $28,200 | $705,000 |
| Brazil | 0.47 | $28,200 | $705,000 |
| Serbia | 0.47 | $28,200 | $705,000 |
| Gabon | 0.47 | $28,200 | $705,000 |
| Guyana | 0.47 | $28,200 | $705,000 |
| Timor-Leste | 0.46 | $27,600 | $690,000 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 0.45 | $27,000 | $675,000 |
| Jordan | 0.45 | $27,000 | $675,000 |
| Ecuador | 0.45 | $27,000 | $675,000 |
| Montenegro | 0.45 | $27,000 | $675,000 |
| Guatemala | 0.45 | $27,000 | $675,000 |
| Romania | 0.45 | $27,000 | $675,000 |
| Suriname | 0.44 | $26,400 | $660,000 |
| Central African Republic | 0.43 | $25,800 | $645,000 |
| Iraq | 0.43 | $25,800 | $645,000 |
| Mauritius | 0.43 | $25,800 | $645,000 |
| South Africa | 0.42 | $25,200 | $630,000 |
| Fiji | 0.41 | $24,600 | $615,000 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.41 | $24,600 | $615,000 |
| Brunei Darussalam | 0.41 | $24,600 | $615,000 |
| Morocco | 0.41 | $24,600 | $615,000 |
| Armenia | 0.40 | $24,000 | $600,000 |
| Namibia | 0.40 | $24,000 | $600,000 |
| Georgia | 0.40 | $24,000 | $600,000 |
| Dominican Republic | 0.40 | $24,000 | $600,000 |
| Chad | 0.39 | $23,400 | $585,000 |
| Mozambique | 0.39 | $23,400 | $585,000 |
| Botswana | 0.39 | $23,400 | $585,000 |
| Cote d'Ivoire | 0.39 | $23,400 | $585,000 |
| Turkiye | 0.38 | $22,800 | $570,000 |
| Congo, Rep. | 0.38 | $22,800 | $570,000 |
| Colombia | 0.38 | $22,800 | $570,000 |
| Senegal | 0.38 | $22,800 | $570,000 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 0.38 | $22,800 | $570,000 |
| North Macedonia | 0.38 | $22,800 | $570,000 |
| Kazakhstan | 0.38 | $22,800 | $570,000 |
| Paraguay | 0.38 | $22,800 | $570,000 |
| Libya | 0.37 | $22,200 | $555,000 |
| Nicaragua | 0.37 | $22,200 | $555,000 |
| Togo | 0.37 | $22,200 | $555,000 |
| Cambodia | 0.36 | $21,600 | $540,000 |
| Philippines | 0.36 | $21,600 | $540,000 |
| Angola | 0.36 | $21,600 | $540,000 |
| Burundi | 0.36 | $21,600 | $540,000 |
| Niger | 0.35 | $21,000 | $525,000 |
| Uganda | 0.35 | $21,000 | $525,000 |
| Cameroon | 0.34 | $20,400 | $510,000 |
| Bolivia | 0.34 | $20,400 | $510,000 |
| Lesotho | 0.33 | $19,800 | $495,000 |
| Ghana | 0.33 | $19,800 | $495,000 |
| Mongolia | 0.33 | $19,800 | $495,000 |
| Kenya | 0.33 | $19,800 | $495,000 |
| Burkina Faso | 0.33 | $19,800 | $495,000 |
| Benin | 0.33 | $19,800 | $495,000 |
| Indonesia | 0.32 | $19,200 | $480,000 |
| Kyrgyz Republic | 0.32 | $19,200 | $480,000 |
| Mali | 0.32 | $19,200 | $480,000 |
| Malaysia | 0.32 | $19,200 | $480,000 |
| Algeria | 0.32 | $19,200 | $480,000 |
| Russian Federation | 0.31 | $18,600 | $465,000 |
| Azerbaijan | 0.31 | $18,600 | $465,000 |
| Thailand | 0.31 | $18,600 | $465,000 |
| Tunisia | 0.31 | $18,600 | $465,000 |
| Ethiopia | 0.30 | $18,000 | $450,000 |
| Viet Nam | 0.30 | $18,000 | $450,000 |
| Zambia | 0.29 | $17,400 | $435,000 |
| Gambia, The | 0.29 | $17,400 | $435,000 |
| Bangladesh | 0.29 | $17,400 | $435,000 |
| Lao PDR | 0.28 | $16,800 | $420,000 |
| Madagascar | 0.28 | $16,800 | $420,000 |
| Rwanda | 0.27 | $16,200 | $405,000 |
| Ukraine | 0.27 | $16,200 | $405,000 |
| Uzbekistan | 0.27 | $16,200 | $405,000 |
| Nepal | 0.26 | $15,600 | $390,000 |
| Tanzania | 0.25 | $15,000 | $375,000 |
| Belarus | 0.25 | $15,000 | $375,000 |
| Bhutan | 0.25 | $15,000 | $375,000 |
| India | 0.24 | $14,400 | $360,000 |
| Pakistan | 0.23 | $13,800 | $345,000 |
| Bulgaria | 0.22 | $13,200 | $330,000 |
| Nigeria | 0.18 | $10,800 | $270,000 |
| Egypt, Arab Rep. | 0.15 | $9,000 | $225,000 |
Source: World Bank, PPP conversion factor for private consumption (PA.NUS.PRVT.PP) ÷ official exchange rate (PA.NUS.FCRF), 2024. 162 countries with complete data.
What is missing, and why
Two kinds of gap are worth naming rather than papering over.
One country is excluded as a data error. Liberia's 2024 PPP conversion factor is published as 0.506 local units per international dollar against a market exchange rate of roughly 191 local units per US dollar, which would imply a price level near zero. That is a units or reporting problem in the source series, not a country where life costs nothing, so it is left out.
Several countries are absent because the data itself is not published. Iran, Argentina, Venezuela, Zimbabwe and Syria have no complete pairing for 2024. That is not a coincidence: these are precisely the economies running multiple or heavily managed exchange rates, where a single official rate would not describe what anyone actually pays. Where the World Bank declines to publish a figure, inventing one from a distorted rate would be worse than an honest blank.
This is also why the study uses 2024 rather than 2023 data. In the 2023 series, Lebanon's official rate produced a price level of 2.68, implying it was more expensive than Switzerland. After the currency was re-pegged, the same calculation for 2024 gives 0.59. The earlier figure was an artefact; publishing it would have been arithmetically correct and factually nonsense.
Your spending, your target, your currency.
What this does and does not mean
The arbitrage is real but smaller than the table implies. Price levels measure a representative local consumption basket. Someone relocating from a rich country rarely adopts the local basket: they keep international health insurance, travel home, and buy imported goods, all priced far closer to global rates. A realistic expat budget in a 0.30 country tends to land nearer 0.50 to 0.60 of home costs.
Healthcare changes the calculation more than groceries. For anyone retiring before Medicare age, the US healthcare gap is often the single largest line item, and it is precisely the cost that does not fall when you move somewhere cheaper unless you also change insurance system. Several mid-priced European countries end up cheaper in practice than the raw index suggests for this reason.
Residency is the binding constraint. A low price level is worthless if you cannot legally stay. Retirement and passive-income visas exist in a minority of countries, each with its own income or asset threshold, and those thresholds often exceed what the local price level would suggest you need.
Currency risk cuts both ways. A portfolio denominated in dollars funding expenses in another currency introduces exchange-rate exposure that no withdrawal-rate rule accounts for. A 20% adverse move is an effective 20% cut in spending power, arriving with no warning.
Limitations
- Vintage. 2024 data published in 2026. Price levels move slowly, exchange rates do not.
- National averages. Capital cities routinely run far above their country's figure; rural areas far below.
- Consumption basket. The ICP basket reflects local consumption patterns, not a retiree's, and not an immigrant's.
- Tax is excluded. Income, capital gains and wealth taxes vary enormously and can reverse the ranking of two similarly priced countries.
Sources
Every figure above is computed from these public series. The data is free to download and the arithmetic is one division, so anyone can reproduce this table.
- World Bank, PPP conversion factor for private consumption (PA.NUS.PRVT.PP)
- World Bank, official exchange rate (PA.NUS.FCRF)
- World Bank International Comparison Program, the source of the underlying price surveys
- The Trinity Study, origin of the 4% withdrawal convention
Free to reuse: this table may be republished with attribution and a link to this page.