Cost of living figures are The Nomad HQ's editorial estimates of a comfortable monthly budget for one person (rent, food, coworking, getting around and some fun), in USD, not official data. Lean and premium tiers scale that estimate. Figures are after-tax take-home income; taxes are not modelled because they depend on your residency and visa.
How much salary do you need to live abroad?
There is no single number, because the cost of a good life swings enormously from place to place. The same remote job that leaves you scraping by in London or San Francisco can fund a very comfortable life with money left over in Lisbon, Mexico City or Chiang Mai. This calculator turns that into a concrete figure: choose a city and it shows the monthly take-home income you would need at three lifestyle levels, plus whatever you want to set aside as savings.
How the three tiers work
We start from our comfortable estimate for one person: a decent private rental, eating out often, a coworking membership, local transport and some fun. The lean tier trims that to a modest local lifestyle, sharing or renting further out and cooking more. The premium tier adds a central apartment, more eating out and more comfort. Your savings goal is applied on top: if you want to keep 20% aside, we gross the number up so your costs are covered and that 20% still lands in the bank.
Popular starting points
Affordable favourites
Chiang Mai, Tbilisi, Medellín, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur and Budapest all let a typical remote salary go a long way.
Frequently asked questions
How much salary do I need to be a digital nomad?
It depends entirely on where you base yourself. A comfortable single-person budget ranges from roughly $500 a month in the cheapest towns of Asia and Latin America to $5,000 or more in cities like Zurich, Singapore or New York. Pick a city above to see the income you would need at a lean, comfortable or premium lifestyle.
What is a comfortable budget?
Our comfortable figure is an editorial estimate of what one person spends to live well in a city: a decent private rental, eating out regularly, a coworking membership, local transport and some fun. Lean trims that to a modest local lifestyle; premium adds a central apartment and more comfort.
Does the required salary include savings?
Only if you ask it to. Set a savings goal and the calculator grosses up the required income so that, after covering your living costs, you still put that share aside. At a zero savings goal the number is simply your monthly cost of living.
Is this before or after tax?
After tax. The figure is the take-home income you need in your hand each month. Taxes vary hugely with your residency, visa and citizenship, so we do not model them. Speak to a cross-border accountant before making decisions based on tax.