Forbes recently released their piece on the 6 Best Places to Live in the US on Less Than $1,500 a Month.
Why $1,500? According to the Social Security Administration, that’s the average Social Security benefit a retired American gets per month—or $1,538.14, to be exact.
Best yet, you don't have to condemn yourself to crime-ridden sketchy neighborhoods to live on a budget. You can experience the good life in these cities that are perfect for retirees.
Top six cities to retire in:
1. Odessa, Texas
Total monthly cost of living: $1,385.63
“Odessa, in western Texas, is known for its oil rigs, Friday night high school football and a working re-creation of William Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre,” says GOBankingRates. It’s got the lowest average monthly rent on the list of best places to live at just $487.
2. Fort Wayne, Indiana
Total monthly cost of living: $1,397.29
“Retirees who settle in Fort Wayne would find it affordable, as well as a great place to make friends,” says GOBankingRates. The average monthly rent is low at $634 a month, and healthcare costs are also low at just $453.83 a month.
3. St. Cloud, Minnesota
Total monthly cost of living: $1,404.64
About an hour’s drive northwest of Minneapolis, St. Cloud is known for its sports teams, many nightspots and 95 parks, according to the site, Livability. You’ll find the lowest healthcare costs on the list, average $444.71 a month. One downside: Grocery costs are the highest on the list at an average of $328.43 a month.
4. Lake Charles, Louisiana
Total monthly cost of living: $1,446.59
Set between Houston and New Orleans, Lake Charles offers tons to do—“from enjoying museums to water activities to wildlife experiences,” reports GOBankingRates. Healthcare costs are on the high side at more than $500 a month, but the average monthly rent makes up for it, coming in at less than $600 a month.
5. Lawton, Oklahoma
Total monthly cost of living: $1,483.75
According to MyMove.com, “people love living in Lawton for its reasonable cost of living and natural beauty.” Rent is affordable here, averaging $519 a month, and the city has the lowest grocery costs in the study at an average of $304.73 per month. But healthcare is not cheap, averaging $660.52 a month.
6. Lansing, Michigan
Total monthly cost of living: $1,485.48
The capital city of Michigan, Lansing is known for its “college town vibe and all four seasons of a Midwest climate,” according to GreatGuysMovers.com. The average monthly rent in state capital the highest of the cities on the list at $701. But groceries help balance that out at $308.45, the second-lowest on the list.
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