GeoArbitrage Planner
Compare retirement runway length across different countries using cost of living data.
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How It Works
Enter your savings, current home country annual spending, and optionally select target countries. The tool compares your runway across destinations. Use actual annual spending from your budget, not gross income. Exclude mortgage if you plan to sell before relocating. Healthcare estimates assume private or mixed systems; US retirees should verify Medicare portability limits. Part time remote work income can extend runway beyond static savings division. Trial extended stays in top ranked countries before selling home: visa runs and seasonal rentals reveal true local costs beyond COLI tables. Digital nomad visas in Portugal and Spain appear in difficulty ratings: moderate friction paths for EU foothold. Compare lean FIRE budget at thirty thousand versus comfortable fifty thousand home spending to see ranking shift. Trial extended stays in top ranked countries before selling home: visa runs and seasonal rentals reveal true local costs beyond COLI tables. Digital nomad visas in Portugal and Spain appear in difficulty ratings: moderate friction paths for EU foothold. Compare lean FIRE budget at thirty thousand versus comfortable fifty thousand home spending to see ranking shift.
Review runway years, savings needed for FIRE, and cost of living ratios for each country. See top 3 destinations ranked by longest runway. Compare a lean FIRE budget at 30K versus comfortable at 50K home spending to see how lifestyle choice shifts rankings. Pair with Time to FIRE to estimate when savings reach each country's FIRE target. Factor remote work income taxed in home country versus destination to refine annual cost assumptions. Currency hedging is not modeled: hold some savings in local currency after relocation if destination uses non dollar banking. Sort by runway then filter visa difficulty four out when you need permanent residency not tourist loop. Currency hedging is not modeled: hold some savings in local currency after relocation if destination uses non dollar banking. Sort by runway then filter visa difficulty four out when you need permanent residency not tourist loop.
hedging is not modeled: hold some savings in local currency after relocation if destination uses non dollar banking. Sort by runway then filter visa difficulty four out when you need permanent residency not tourist loop. Currency hedging is not modeled: hold some savings in local currency after relocation if destination uses non dollar banking. Sort by runway then filter visa difficulty four out when you need permanent residency not tourist loop.
Use GeoArbitrage Planner whenever inputs change: after market moves, new contributions, or revised personal assumptions. Bookmark the page for quick reruns without installing software.
Step by step
- Enter savings and home country annual expenses
- Select target countries to compare
- Review runway years and cost of living comparisons
Worked example
Enter your savings, current home country annual spending, and optionally select target countries. Enter the sample inputs described in How it works to reproduce the scenario step by step.
Adjust one input at a time to see sensitivity. GeoArbitrage Planner updates instantly so you can stress test optimistic and conservative assumptions before acting.
When to use this calculator
Reach for GeoArbitrage Planner when compare retirement runway length across different countries using cost of living data.. It suits quick what if analysis before trades, allocation changes, or plan updates.
Pair with related tools when the decision spans taxes, liquidity, or multi year projections beyond what one formula captures.
Common mistakes
Copying outputs without checking input units or stale market prices is a frequent error with GeoArbitrage Planner. Confirm tickers, percentages, and dates before acting.
Running a single baseline scenario ignores tail risks. Stress test with conservative inputs and compare against related tools listed below when the decision is material.
The Formula
Local Cost = Home Annual Cost × COLI. Total Cost = Local Cost + Healthcare. Runway = Savings / Total Cost. Savings Needed (FIRE) = Total Cost × 25.
19 country dataset with COLI ratios and healthcare estimates. Sorted by runway years. Does not model currency risk, tax residency, or inflation differences between countries. Treat as planning starting point for geoarbitrage research. Dual citizenship and territorial tax systems can shift effective cost beyond COLI ratios alone. Remote work taxed in home country while living abroad can erase COLI savings: model tax residency separately from runway years. Tax residency day count rules vary: spending six months abroad may not automatically shift tax home. Property ownership abroad adds non COLI legal costs this planner excludes from annual spend lines. Remote work income taxed in home country can erase COLI savings: model tax residency separately. Remote work taxed in home country while living abroad can erase COLI savings: model tax residency separately from runway years. Tax residency day count rules vary: spending six months abroad may not automatically shift tax home. Property ownership abroad adds non COLI legal costs this planner excludes from annual spend lines. Remote work income taxed in home country can erase COLI savings: model tax residency separately.
Limitations and assumptions
19 country dataset with COLI ratios and healthcare estimates. Sorted by runway years. Does not model currency risk, tax residency, or inflation differences between countries. Treat as planning starting point for geoarbitrage research. Dual citizenship and territorial tax systems can shift effective cost beyond COLI ratios alone. Remote work taxed in home country while living abroad can erase COLI savings: model tax residency separately from runway years. Tax residency day count rules vary: spending six months abroad may not automatically shift tax home. Property ownership abroad adds non COLI legal costs this planner excludes from annual spend lines. Remote work income taxed in home country can erase COLI savings: model tax residency separately. Remote work taxed in home country while living abroad can erase COLI savings: model tax residency separately from runway years. Tax residency day count rules vary: spending six months abroad may not automatically shift tax home. Property ownership abroad adds non COLI legal costs this planner excludes from annual spend lines. Remote work income taxed in home country can erase COLI savings: model tax residency separately. GeoArbitrage Planner does not replace personalized advice. Fees, slippage, account specific rules, and behavioral constraints may change real world outcomes.
Key terms
- How are runway years calculated
- Local cost = your home annual spending × the country's cost of living index.
- What data is bundled in the tool
- Cost of living (COLI) data covers 19 countries with ratios relative to US = 1.
- Model assumption
- Savings Needed = Total Annual Cost × 25, using the 4% rule.
Compare alternatives
Time to FIRE estimates when you reach each country's savings needed target. Use those calculators when geoarbitrage planner alone does not capture the full decision.
Internal links on portfolios.tools help you chain calculators: run GeoArbitrage Planner first, then validate edge cases with a specialized tool from the related section below.
FAQ
How are runway years calculated?
Local cost = your home annual spending × the country's cost of living index. Total annual cost adds each country's healthcare estimate. Runway = Savings / Total Annual Cost in years. Example: 40K home spending in Portugal at 0.65 COLI yields 26K local cost plus healthcare. 500K savings divided by 30K total cost gives roughly 16.7 runway years. Nomad visas and digital nomad tax regimes may reduce effective cost further in selected countries. Seasonal relocation between two low COL countries can extend runway without permanent visa commitment. Lean FIRE at seventy five percent home spending scales savings needed and runway together in every country row. Lean FIRE at seventy five percent home spending scales savings needed and runway together in every country row.
What data is bundled in the tool?
Cost of living (COLI) data covers 19 countries with ratios relative to US = 1.0. Healthcare costs are country specific annual estimates added on top of local living expenses. COLI reflects housing, food, transport, and services but not visa fees or travel. Update home annual cost to match your actual budget excluding one time relocation expenses. Housing is the largest COLI component and varies widely within each country by city. City level COLI within Portugal or Mexico can differ 30% from national average: adjust home annual cost mentally for capital versus provincial towns. Nineteen country dataset includes Thailand Vietnam Portugal Mexico and Colombia popular in FIRE relocation forums. City level COLI within Portugal or Mexico can differ 30% from national average: adjust home annual cost mentally for capital versus provincial towns. Nineteen country dataset includes Thailand Vietnam Portugal Mexico and Colombia popular in FIRE relocation forums.
What is savings needed for FIRE?
Savings Needed = Total Annual Cost × 25, using the 4% rule. This shows the nest egg required to FIRE in each country without depleting principal. The 4% rule assumes a diversified portfolio and 30 year horizon. Higher healthcare countries need larger nest eggs even when COLI is low. Compare savings needed across your top three destinations. Lean FIRE at 75% of home spending reduces savings needed proportionally in every country. Healthcare line dominates low COL countries with weak public systems: verify private insurance quotes locally. Healthcare line dominates low COL countries with weak public systems: verify private insurance quotes locally.
How do I select specific countries?
Select target countries individually or leave blank to compare all available countries. Results are sorted by longest runway (most years of savings). Filter to countries where you hold citizenship or eligible retirement visas. Visa difficulty ratings (1=easiest, 4=hardest) appear for each country to flag relocation friction beyond cost math. Portugal D7 and Spain non lucrative visas are popular FIRE relocation paths with moderate difficulty ratings. Schengen ninety day rules affect EU trial stays: visa difficulty ratings flag long term paths beyond tourist limits. Filter countries where you hold citizenship or eligible retirement visa before sorting by runway alone. Schengen ninety day rules affect EU trial stays: visa difficulty ratings flag long term paths beyond tourist limits. Filter countries where you hold citizenship or eligible retirement visa before sorting by runway alone.
Which countries stretch savings furthest?
Low COL countries like Vietnam, Colombia, and Argentina stretch savings the most. Consider visa difficulty ratings (1=easiest, 4=hardest) shown for each country. Runway length is not the only factor: healthcare quality, political stability, and language matter for long term relocation. Pair cost analysis with trial extended stays before committing. Currency depreciation against the dollar can erode runway faster than COLI alone suggests in emerging markets. Political risk premium is subjective: pair runway math with expat forums and residency attorney consults before moving nest egg abroad. Local inflation can exceed US CPI in emerging destinations: haircut real runway one to two years mentally. Political risk premium is subjective: pair runway math with expat forums and residency attorney consults before moving nest egg abroad. Local inflation can exceed US CPI in emerging destinations: haircut real runway one to two years mentally.
Can I use GeoArbitrage Planner on a phone or tablet?
Yes. GeoArbitrage Planner runs entirely in your mobile browser with the same formulas as desktop. Optional localStorage may remember inputs on your device when enabled in browser settings.
Where is my data stored when I use GeoArbitrage Planner?
Nowhere on our servers. Calculations execute locally in your browser. Optional localStorage saves form fields on your device only and never transmits portfolio numbers over the network.
Should I rely on GeoArbitrage Planner for tax or legal decisions?
No. GeoArbitrage Planner provides educational math only. Tax law, account rules, and personal circumstances vary. Consult a qualified tax or legal professional before transactions with material consequences.
Related Tools
Time to FIRE estimates when you reach each country's savings needed target. Coast FIRE and Barista FIRE model partial retirement before full geoarbitrage relocation. Real Return Inflation adjusts spending assumptions for purchasing power over long runways. Passive Income Bridge shows how rental or dividend income extends runway without selling assets. Expat Exit Tax Calculator matters when renouncing citizenship after building overseas runway from this comparison. Expat Exit Tax Calculator matters when renouncing citizenship after building overseas runway from this comparison.