7 countries where working class couples can retire comfortably for under $1500 a month

Here’s the question I get all the time: can a working‑class couple really retire abroad on about $1,500 a month — comfortably, not ramen‑noodles‑every‑night?

Short answer: yes, if you’re flexible about location and lifestyle.

Below are 7 countries (with specific cities) where the math works right now. I’ve cross‑checked current cost‑of‑living data and typical rents so you’re not flying blind.

Think walkable neighborhoods, home cooking most days, public transit, and a modest one‑bedroom. Let’s go shopping for a simpler life.

1) Mexico — San Cristóbal de las Casas

San Cristóbal sits high in the Chiapas highlands — colorful mercados, coffee that tastes like a hug, and cobblestone streets you’ll actually want to walk.

The everyday costs are gentle. A single person’s total monthly spend (with rent) is often under $800 here, and even a family of four frequently lands around $1,700 all‑in, which hints at plenty of headroom for a couple under $1,500 if you keep rent sensible and cook most meals. 

What “sensible” looks like: a simple one‑bedroom or small two‑bedroom on the edge of the center generally falls in the $275–$450 range depending on building age and amenities; utilities and fiber internet tend to be modest (think tens, not hundreds).

Groceries, produce, and tortillas from local markets are budget‑friendly. If you love eating out, set a weekly cap; local comida corrida lunches stretch a dollar without feeling like a compromise.

Mexico’s overall consumer prices are ~40% lower than in the U.S., and rent ~59% lower—another clue this city can fit a $1,500 envelope for two. 

Comfort notes: altitude chill at night (bring layers), strong indie/arts vibe, and enough cafes to keep your inner bookworm happy. If you need big‑city medical care, Tuxtla Gutiérrez is a couple of hours away.

2) Colombia — Medellín

If “eternal spring” had a mailing address, it’d be Medellín.

The city has upgraded transit, leafy barrios like Laureles, and prices that still make spreadsheets smile.

Typical living costs for one person (excluding rent) hover in the mid‑$500s; a frugal couple that shares a kitchen and cooks most meals can often keep combined non‑rent expenses near $900–$1,050. Keep rent under ~$375–$450 (very doable for a 1‑bed outside the center), and you can land in the $1,300–$1,480 zone.

Rents move with neighborhood and building quality, but current market snapshots show 1‑beds outside the center commonly around 1.5–2.0 million COP per month (roughly the mid‑$300s to low‑$400s), with utilities and 60 Mbps internet together often under $100. That leaves room for transit (inexpensive), a couple of midrange dinners out, and a gym membership.

As always, try a month‑to‑month Airbnb first to test the block before you sign.

Comfort notes: excellent metro/bus network, robust expat support groups, and a climate that makes car‑free living pleasant. Standard safety common sense applies—pick well‑lit neighborhoods and learn the bus routes locals actually use.

3) Ecuador — Cuenca

Cuenca has long been an expat favorite for a reason: temperate weather, colonial architecture, and costs that are stubbornly reasonable.

One person’s monthly non‑rent expenses typically sit around $500 — a sharing couple can keep non‑rent costs near ~$900–$1,000 without feeling pinched.

Rents for a simple 1‑bedroom in a normal neighborhood commonly land ~$250–$350. Put that together and a realistic “comfortable” couple budget is roughly $1,200–$1,350. The U.S. dollar is the local currency, so you avoid exchange‑rate whiplash.

Even with modest eating‑out, fresh‑market produce and staples keep food spend tidy. Utilities are famously low in many buildings (older places may run a bit higher in winter).

If you’re running the numbers against South America at large, both Medellín and Cuenca show up with fair city‑center rent medians under global big‑city norms—handy for cross‑checking your rent assumptions.

Comfort notes: lots of flat, walkable zones along the Tomebamba River, a strong arts calendar, and a healthcare scene many expats rate as high‑value.

Visa pathways also exist for pensioners and other categories—nice, but not strictly required to understand the budget today. 

4) Thailand — Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is the archetype of low‑stress, high‑amenity living: markets, temples, parks, and a community that knows how to stretch a baht.

Current city data puts a single person’s non‑rent costs around the mid‑$500s. Two people sharing (one kitchen, one internet plan) often keep combined non‑rent spend near ~$900–$1,050.

If you target a clean, non‑luxury 1‑bed in the 10,000–15,000 baht range (about $275–$415), your total lands safely under $1,500. Real listings as of this month show plenty of inventory right in that band. 

Daily life is built for affordable comfort: $1 fruit smoothies, endless noodle stalls, and cheap songthaew rides.

If you plan a formal retirement visa (O‑A), Thailand requires health insurance coverage; budget accordingly and confirm the latest rules before you go. If you’re doing a simpler long stay via other visas or visa runs, your day‑to‑day burn rate is the same; just don’t ignore the paperwork.

Comfort notes: huge café scene (if you work on a laptop now and then), gentle traffic in many neighborhoods, and a community where it’s easy to meet people without blowing your food budget.

5) Vietnam — Da Nang

Beach city energy, a modern riverfront, and prices that are still out of the “how is this real?” category. Country‑wide data show Vietnam’s everyday costs are roughly 60% lower than the U.S. on average.

Da Nang specifically clocks in with a total monthly cost around $1,500 for a family of four and around $590 for a single person—numbers that imply a sharing couple can live quite comfortably under $1,500 with a standard 1‑bed and a mostly‑home‑cooking routine.

Rents depend on distance to the beach and building quality, but a normal 1‑bed apartment is frequently in the low‑to‑mid $300s per month; utilities and 100 Mbps fiber won’t break the bank.

Restaurant spending is the flex lever here — street food is cheap and delicious, but Western cafés add up fast.

Expat‑compiled price lists (and current, albeit community‑sourced city pages) confirm the pattern: rent is the big line item; everything else is mercifully small.

Comfort notes: growing international airport, walkable waterfront, and a slower pace than Ho Chi Minh City. If you like early morning seaside walks and a weekly seafood market routine, this one just fits.

6) Georgia — Kutaisi (with Batumi as a seaside alternative)

Georgia is one of those places that rewards people who actually run the numbers.

In Kutaisi, a single person’s non‑rent costs hover a bit above $500; two people who share most expenses can usually keep non‑rent spend near ~$900–$1,000.

Factor in a modest 1‑bed apartment (Kutaisi rents are far lower than Tbilisi’s), and you land well under $1,500. Even Batumi, which is pricier due to the beach, can work if you keep rent on the low end and cook at home.

One nice perk: many nationalities can stay in Georgia visa‑free for up to a year, which removes a lot of bureaucratic friction if you’re testing the waters before committing. (Always double‑check your specific passport.)

If you crave harder city data, Numbeo’s 2025 pages for Georgia’s cities (and Estimator tools) give you current ranges to cross‑validate your budget before you book a flight.

Comfort notes: good coffee culture, mountain day trips, and something delicious called khachapuri that will challenge your home‑cooking resolve — in a good way.

7) Morocco — Agadir (or Tangier if you like a strait view)

If your ideal retirement mix is warm weather, Atlantic breezes, and markets piled high with produce, Morocco deserves a look.

Current country and city data show a single person’s non‑rent costs in the low‑$500s in Agadir or Tangier; a sharing couple can often hold non‑rent expenses near ~$950–$1,050.

Rents for a modest 1‑bedroom in a non‑touristy area frequently fall in the mid‑$200s to mid‑$300s, putting a comfortable couple’s total below $1,500.

Eating out is inexpensive if you go local (tagines, harira, grilled sardines), and produce is a steal. Utilities and home internet are reasonable; intercity buses and trains make exploring painless.

If you’re debating cities, Agadir is quieter and beach‑forward; Tangier adds a dash of cosmopolitan energy and quick ferries to Spain. Both work on a working‑class budget if you keep housing expectations grounded. 

How I built these budgets (and how to sanity‑check yours)

I leaned on current cost‑of‑living databases that update continuously throughout 2025 (Numbeo and LivingCost primarily), plus fresh city pages and rental snapshots where available.

You’ll see that reflected in the per‑city numbers above — they’re not cherry‑picked—just the kind of apartments and habits most working‑class couples actually choose.

Before you fly, look up your target city and plug in your own habits (e.g., dining out 1x/week vs 3x/week). Then hunt real listings for two or three neighborhoods to lock in a realistic rent figure.

What “comfortable under $1,500” really means

A comfortable $1,500/month in these places usually rests on four levers:

• Rent under $500. This is the make‑or‑break. Each city above has ample 1‑beds or simple 2‑beds in that ballpark if you look just outside the hottest zones. (Scan the city pages and current listing portals for ground truth.).

• Cook most meals. Local markets slash grocery costs; eating out becomes a treat, not a habit that doubles your food line. (Run the “Meal for 2” price on the city pages to see how quickly it adds up.).

• Use public transit or walk. Every city here lets you live car‑free without feeling stranded. Check the bus/metro bits on the city pages for current fares and passes.

• Keep “Western imports” occasional. Imported wine, certain cheeses, familiar cereals—those tiny luxuries can torpedo a great budget if they sneak in weekly. (Malaysia and Morocco city pages are excellent cautionary reads for import markups, even though Malaysia didn’t make the seven.).

Bottom line

If you’re willing to trade a bit of square footage and a few imported comforts for blue‑sky weather, walkable neighborhoods, and market‑fresh food, retiring comfortably on ~$1,500 a month is not a fantasy.

The trick is to choose a city where the big rock—rent—stays under $500, then build a routine that makes the cheap things (home cooking, public transit, parks, free events) the center of your days.

Run the numbers with today’s data, try a 60–90 day test stay, and pay attention to how your actual receipts compare to your spreadsheet.

In the seven places above, that exercise usually ends with the same quiet surprise: you can stop chasing “more” and start enjoying “enough.” And “enough,” as it turns out, feels a lot like freedom.