Where could you live comfortably on 80k a year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pittsburg

Thanks this is a good recommendation. Any particular neighborhoods you'd recommend? In the city or close in suburb?

for the burbs, Sewickley, Franklin Park, places north of the city

Sewickley and Franklin Park are very nice but also very pricey.

In the South Hills, I’m thinking of Dormont or Bethel Park or maybe some of the city neighborhoods like Brookline. Further south in Washington County, there are a lot of towns with low costs of living - they can also look in Butler County but I do not know any specific towns.

One thing about the Pittsburgh area is that rents are pretty expensive - it may have changed with interest rates but it is typically less expensive to buy here

My friend lived near Dormont. It's not fancy but it was low cost. And there are hills where you have a view of the city from your yard. You probably will be driving everywhere though.

PP. Sorry, need to correct myself. I do agree with Dormont but the house with the hills with the view is near Millvale on the north of Pittsburgh. Sort of a mirror image of the South Hills.

Basically you want to look for neighborhoods with older, smaller houses. Not busy areas, not areas chosen for good schools. Just modest, safe neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

OP again. I do want to clarify that the 80k is pre-tax. It's a pension.

For context, this is a couple in their late 50s looking at early retirement. They recently sold a business for a nice chunk of change plus have plenty of retirement savings. They are ready to leave the rat race but they are still young and they'd like to try living in the pension income only until their early 60s. One of them is a writer and wants to pursue that more seriously, the other is unsure but would like to do something similar. They may dip into their reserves for travel, but otherwise they'd like to live somewhat simply, somewhere with a low cost of living, while they pursue their passions. They are willing to try out multiple places. They don't want to live in the DC area (BTDT, plus they feel they will be pressured into a higher cost lifestyle here because of their peers in the area).

I am helping them make a list of possibilities. Schools are a non-issue, but they want a safe, lively neighborhood and be close enough to a decent sized airport to easily travel and be visited. Second bedroom for friends and family. They don't want to pinch pennies too much but are fine living on a budget as they don't have luxury tastes.

Some good options so far! I'd love to know if there are any European cities that seem feasible because, selfishly, I want to visit them there. Someone asked about the health insurance issue -- they've told me they think it would be feasible to get coverage abroad but need to investigate more. They have access to an employer sponsored plan via BCBS and there are apparently options that would work abroad, but I don't know the details.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Open to US and international locations.

Assume you can use the full 80k for living expenses, you don't have to save for anything. But the 80k would have to cover rent or a mortgage (assume you could put down 20%).

Defining comfortable as: live in a safe and pleasant neighborhood, doesn't need to be high end. Can easily afford groceries, cell phone, cable and internet. Can afford transportation within the region, either public transit if available or can afford to pay for parking/insurance/gas (assume you already have a car if it's necessary for getting around). Can afford basic entertainment -- maybe eating out at a mid price restaurant once a week, going to the movies occasionally.

80k doesn't have to cover travel, but access to a decent sized airport is a major plus.

$80k post tax is plenty of money to live nearly anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:80k?! Is this a joke? That is not enough money to live comfortably anywhere that is not straight up third world. Like you will be living like a local with no ac and a squat toilet in Eastern Europe/Asia.

OP here. This doesn't sound right. They can spend the full 80k on living expenses. I was thinking if we could find somewhere where you could get a rental for around 2k/mo would work, would adjust higher or lower depending on taxes, whether they'd need a car, etc.

I was expecting suggestions for smaller cities in the midwest, south, and rust belt, maybe midsize cities in Europe? They'd be open to Mexico for sure (one of them speaks Spanish very well) though I'm mildly worried about the heat.

I’m the poster who suggested Mexico.

I lived in Mexico City for a year, and it’s not hot at all because of the altitude. The weather was absolutely lovely - much nicer than DC. Mexico City is a cosmopolitan city with an excellent public transportation system, plenty of cultural events, and incredibly delicious food. I’d move there again in a heartbeat if I wasn’t tied to my job here.

Mexicans don’t want American expats anymore driving up their prices. They are protesting now in Mexico City. Unless you speak the language and look like you will blend it, I honestly would not move anywhere where people are having anti-tourist and anti-expat protests. I am not saying it’s unsafe necessarily or you will be hurt, but it’s because the environment might be unpleasant and you will feel unwelcome. No need to go overseas at all having 80K a year for a childless couple with subsidized healthcare. You can live anywhere in the USA pretty much outside of the most expensive neighborhoods or HCOL cities.

Mexicans have been treating our border laws like suggestions for decades. They can kiss my ass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:80k?! Is this a joke? That is not enough money to live comfortably anywhere that is not straight up third world. Like you will be living like a local with no ac and a squat toilet in Eastern Europe/Asia.

The average salary in the U.S. is $66k. You live in a bubble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pittsburg

Or, Pittsburgh

[Anonymous]

College towns are a great bet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pittsburg

Thanks this is a good recommendation. Any particular neighborhoods you'd recommend? In the city or close in suburb?

for the burbs, Sewickley, Franklin Park, places north of the city

Sewickley and Franklin Park are very nice but also very pricey.

In the South Hills, I’m thinking of Dormont or Bethel Park or maybe some of the city neighborhoods like Brookline. Further south in Washington County, there are a lot of towns with low costs of living - they can also look in Butler County but I do not know any specific towns.

One thing about the Pittsburgh area is that rents are pretty expensive - it may have changed with interest rates but it is typically less expensive to buy here

My friend lived near Dormont. It's not fancy but it was low cost. And there are hills where you have a view of the city from your yard. You probably will be driving everywhere though.

PP. Sorry, need to correct myself. I do agree with Dormont but the house with the hills with the view is near Millvale on the north of Pittsburgh. Sort of a mirror image of the South Hills.

Basically you want to look for neighborhoods with older, smaller houses. Not busy areas, not areas chosen for good schools. Just modest, safe neighborhoods.

I’m the pp who suggested Dormont and other places. If they are also looking at European cities, they are not going to want anything in Washington County or Butler County. They should visit as there are lots of different city neighborhoods and each suburb has its own personality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. I do want to clarify that the 80k is pre-tax. It's a pension.

For context, this is a couple in their late 50s looking at early retirement. They recently sold a business for a nice chunk of change plus have plenty of retirement savings. They are ready to leave the rat race but they are still young and they'd like to try living in the pension income only until their early 60s. One of them is a writer and wants to pursue that more seriously, the other is unsure but would like to do something similar. They may dip into their reserves for travel, but otherwise they'd like to live somewhat simply, somewhere with a low cost of living, while they pursue their passions. They are willing to try out multiple places. They don't want to live in the DC area (BTDT, plus they feel they will be pressured into a higher cost lifestyle here because of their peers in the area).

I am helping them make a list of possibilities. Schools are a non-issue, but they want a safe, lively neighborhood and be close enough to a decent sized airport to easily travel and be visited. Second bedroom for friends and family. They don't want to pinch pennies too much but are fine living on a budget as they don't have luxury tastes.

Some good options so far! I'd love to know if there are any European cities that seem feasible because, selfishly, I want to visit them there. Someone asked about the health insurance issue -- they've told me they think it would be feasible to get coverage abroad but need to investigate more. They have access to an employer sponsored plan via BCBS and there are apparently options that would work abroad, but I don't know the details.

This is silly to retire early without a lot of savings and just a pension.

[Anonymous]

Omaha! Or even better, Lincoln NE. Omaha has excellent health care, a bit of an arts scene, some good restaurants. Friendly people, more diversity than DCUM thinks. $2k month puts you in a safe clean attractive middle class neighborhood.

Downsides - nothing is walkable, and summer and winter can be punishing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
80k?! Is this a joke? That is not enough money to live comfortably anywhere that is not straight up third world. Like you will be living like a local with no ac and a squat toilet in Eastern Europe/Asia.


OP here. This doesn't sound right. They can spend the full 80k on living expenses. I was thinking if we could find somewhere where you could get a rental for around 2k/mo would work, would adjust higher or lower depending on taxes, whether they'd need a car, etc.

I was expecting suggestions for smaller cities in the midwest, south, and rust belt, maybe midsize cities in Europe? They'd be open to Mexico for sure (one of them speaks Spanish very well) though I'm mildly worried about the heat.


I’m the poster who suggested Mexico.

I lived in Mexico City for a year, and it’s not hot at all because of the altitude. The weather was absolutely lovely - much nicer than DC. Mexico City is a cosmopolitan city with an excellent public transportation system, plenty of cultural events, and incredibly delicious food. I’d move there again in a heartbeat if I wasn’t tied to my job here.


Mexicans don’t want American expats anymore driving up their prices. They are protesting now in Mexico City. Unless you speak the language and look like you will blend it, I honestly would not move anywhere where people are having anti-tourist and anti-expat protests. I am not saying it’s unsafe necessarily or you will be hurt, but it’s because the environment might be unpleasant and you will feel unwelcome. No need to go overseas at all having 80K a year for a childless couple with subsidized healthcare. You can live anywhere in the USA pretty much outside of the most expensive neighborhoods or HCOL cities.


Mexicans have been treating our border laws like suggestions for decades. They can kiss my ass.

There are 1.6 million American expats living in Mexico. That is far more than any other country in the world. The number has increased substantially since 2019. Mexicans have been very welcoming. I would not be afraid to live there. There are also many Canadians living there.

[Anonymous]

Portugal, Ohio (a few cities), Syracuse NY, Buenos Aires, Equador (Quito or on the coast), Costa Rica, most Asian countries (houses in Japan can be very affordable), Istanbul (lived there for a few years - exchange rate is very favorable, Poland - so many options!

[Anonymous]

Cumberland, MD, Parsons WV - you could live on 80K and buy a house.

[Anonymous]

Porto in Portugal

[Anonymous]

Columbus, Cleveland, or Cincinnati are all more chill than DC and have some nice neighborhoods. The cities proper are all liberal and have decent arts scenes if they're looking for fellow writers.