Best value countries for your money

About this page

Ranked on monthly costs, rent and purchasing power, with a floor on safety and healthcare.

Last updated: October 26, 2026

This tab answers a narrow question: where does a month of ordinary life cost least, without dropping into places where safety or healthcare collapse? Monthly costs for one person, rent for a one-bedroom outside the centre, purchasing power, safety and healthcare are scored together. Countries below the twentieth percentile on safety or healthcare are removed before ranking, so the cheapest unstable destinations do not win by default.

The headline compares each country with a US baseline of $1,176 a month for one person excluding rent. Costs are estimates from published survey data, not quotes, and they exclude flights, visas and health insurance.

Treat the ordering as a starting point for a budget, not a promise about your own spending.

Countries at travel advisory level 3 or 4 are not ranked here.

Read the full method

Best value ranking

1

Tuvalu

9.5out of 10Partial data

Est. $450/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $231/mo.

  • Low cost
  • English widely spoken
2

Kiribati

9.2out of 10Partial data

Est. $305/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $587/mo.

  • Low cost
3

Eritrea

8.9out of 10Partial data

Est. $304/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $141/mo.

  • Low cost
4

Guinea

8.4out of 10Partial data

Est. $380/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $318/mo.

  • Low cost
5

China

8.3out of 10

Est. $500/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $239/mo.

  • Low cost
  • Fast internet
  • Path to residency
6

Benin

8.0out of 10Partial data

Est. $500/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $78/mo.

  • Low cost
7

Bhutan

7.8out of 10

Est. $371/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $74/mo.

  • Low cost
  • Nomad visa
8

India

7.8out of 10

Est. $296/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $95/mo.

  • Low cost
9

Taiwan

7.7out of 10

Est. $783/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $336/mo.

  • Fast internet
  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
10

Samoa

7.7out of 10Partial data

Est. $545/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $150/mo.

  • Low cost
  • English widely spoken
  • Nomad visa
11

Japan

7.6out of 10

Est. $830/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $364/mo.

  • Fast internet
  • Clean air
  • Nomad visa
12

Gambia

7.5out of 10Partial data

Est. $566/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $108/mo.

  • English widely spoken
  • Retirement visa
13

Malaysia

7.2out of 10

Est. $538/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $276/mo.

  • Low cost
  • English widely spoken
  • Nomad visa
14

Andorra

7.1out of 10

Est. $877/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $1,000/mo.

  • Fast internet
  • Clean air
  • Retirement visa
15

Brunei

7.1out of 10

Est. $823/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $529/mo.

  • English widely spoken
16

Kosovo

7.1out of 10

Est. $530/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $224/mo.

  • Low cost
17

Marshall Islands

7.1out of 10Partial data

Est. $547/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $833/mo.

  • Low cost
  • English widely spoken
  • Path to residency
18

San Marino

7.0out of 10Partial data

Est. $900/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $577/mo.

  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
19

Vietnam

7.0out of 10

Est. $431/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $264/mo.

  • Low cost
  • Fast internet
  • Nomad visa
20

São Tomé and Príncipe

6.9out of 10Partial data

Est. $719/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $187/mo.

  • Path to residency
21

Thailand

6.8out of 10

Est. $603/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $282/mo.

  • Fast internet
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
22

South Korea

6.8out of 10

Est. $966/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $441/mo.

  • Fast internet
  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
23

Turkey

6.8out of 10

Est. $646/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $420/mo.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
24

Tajikistan

6.7out of 10

Est. $454/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $287/mo.

  • Low cost
25

Indonesia

6.7out of 10

Est. $430/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $178/mo.

  • Low cost
  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
26

Sri Lanka

6.7out of 10

Est. $465/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $176/mo.

  • Low cost
  • English widely spoken
  • Retirement visa
27

Lithuania

6.6out of 10

Est. $863/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $448/mo.

  • English widely spoken
  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
28

Romania

6.6out of 10

Est. $659/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $383/mo.

  • Fast internet
  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
29

Bulgaria

6.6out of 10

Est. $691/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $365/mo.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
30

North Macedonia

6.6out of 10

Est. $612/mo for one person (vs. $1,176 US average)

1BR rent outside the center: $260/mo.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa

Next step

See how far your income stretches

See how far your income stretches