$1,500 a month is a real number for a great many people, whether it comes from a pension, savings drawdown or part-time work. What it buys depends almost entirely on where it is spent.
Where $1,500 goes furthest
| Country | Multiplier | $1,500 becomes |
|---|---|---|
| India | 4.21x | $6,308 |
| Nepal | 3.79x | $5,685 |
| Viet Nam | 3.37x | $5,062 |
| Thailand | 3.24x | $4,854 |
| Malaysia | 3.16x | $4,737 |
| Indonesia | 3.11x | $4,659 |
| Philippines | 2.76x | $4,143 |
| Cambodia | 2.76x | $4,134 |
| Nicaragua | 2.69x | $4,035 |
Where it buys less than at home
| Country | Multiplier | $1,500 becomes |
|---|---|---|
| Bahamas, The | 0.90x | $1,355 |
| Switzerland | 0.80x | $1,193 |
The visa question sits on top of this
Affording a country and being allowed to live in it are separate tests. Several countries where $1,500 stretches a long way ask for more than that as an income floor before they will grant residence.
| Country | Income floor for residence |
|---|---|
| Spain | €2,400 a month |
| Portugal | €920 a month |
| Costa Rica | $1,000 a month |
| Panama | $1,000 a month |
| Colombia | about $1,710 a month |
| Mexico | $4,200 a month over six months, or $70,000 held for twelve |
Alone versus as a couple
Almost every ranking you will read quietly assumes two people. Two checks arrive, and almost none of the fixed costs halve when you go alone.
A one-bedroom is not half the price of a two-bedroom anywhere on earth. Utilities barely move. Visa thresholds drop for a single applicant, but not by half. Insurance is the only line that genuinely halves, and it is the line that rises fastest with age.
What the multiplier does not include
Health cover as a foreigner, which is priced separately and rises steeply with age. Flights home, which are a recurring cost and not a one-off. And the exchange rate, which quietly adjusts your income by several per cent a year in whichever direction it likes.
Budget above the multiplier, not at it.