Ranked on real monthly costs
Ranked by what a couple actually spends per month to live comfortably — rent, food, utilities, transport and private healthcare included. The cheapest on this list is Egypt at £1,050 a month; the fifteenth is Georgia at £1,700.
Three budgets are shown for each country. Modest is a small flat outside the tourist centre, cooking at home, local transport. Comfortable is the figure most people should plan around: a decent two-bedroom, eating out a few times a week, private health cover, a car or regular taxis. Premium is a central or beachfront home with help in the house.
| # | Country | Modest | Comfortable | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egypt | £650 | £1,050 | £1,800 |
| 2 | Bulgaria | £780 | £1,200 | £1,900 |
| 3 | Albania | £750 | £1,200 | £1,900 |
| 4 | Laos | £750 | £1,250 | £2,100 |
| 5 | Tunisia | £850 | £1,300 | £2,100 |
| 6 | India | £750 | £1,300 | £2,300 |
| 7 | Sri Lanka | £800 | £1,350 | £2,300 |
| 8 | Colombia | £950 | £1,400 | £2,100 |
| 9 | Cambodia | £850 | £1,400 | £2,400 |
| 10 | Cape Verde | £1,050 | £1,600 | £2,500 |
| 11 | Ecuador | £1,050 | £1,600 | £2,400 |
| 12 | Dominican Republic | £1,150 | £1,650 | £2,400 |
| 13 | Philippines | £1,000 | £1,650 | £2,700 |
| 14 | Vietnam | £1,100 | £1,700 | £2,900 |
| 15 | Georgia | £1,100 | £1,700 | £2,600 |
Ancient history, warm Red Sea resorts and some of the lowest living costs of any retirement destination make Egypt appealing, especially in expat-friendly hubs like Hurghada, El Gouna and the North Coast.
Owning there: Foreigners can generally own residential property freehold across most of Egypt, subject to a limit of two properties, each up to 4,000 square metres. Agricultural land and some sensitive border areas are restricted, and the Sinai Peninsula is usually leasehold (usufruct) only. Formally registering title is important and best handled with a lawyer.
Staying there: Egypt offers renewable residence permits linked to property ownership, with the permit length scaling to the value invested, plus long-stay options for older applicants; the property-based permit typically renews annually.
A low monthly figure is worth very little if you cannot own the home, cannot get a visa that renews, or cannot sell when you want to leave. Several countries near the top of this table are cheap precisely because foreign buyers are restricted — which is fine if you intend to rent, and a problem if you intend to buy. The ownership column on each country page is the one to read before the cost column.
See which of these fits what you are actually after — four questions, two minutes.