How much income do you really need to move abroad?
How to work out the income you actually need to relocate abroad, covering rent, tax, healthcare, visa income floors, and a realistic buffer.
Key takeaways
- Affordability is surplus after tax and rent, not your gross salary.
- Budget three to six months of total living costs for the move itself.
- Healthcare and insurance are often mandatory for long-stay visas.
The question "can I afford to move there?" has a precise answer, and it is rarely your salary. It is what is left after tax, rent, and living costs in the destination, plus enough buffer to absorb the move itself. Here is how to think about it.
Start from surplus, not salary
Two cities with the same rent can leave you with wildly different amounts depending on local tax treatment of foreign income and everyday prices. Convert your income to local terms, subtract estimated tax for your situation, then subtract all-in monthly costs. The surplus, positive or negative, is the real signal.
Budget the move, not just the month
First-month costs are higher: deposits (often 1–3 months rent), flights, shipping or replacing belongings, visa and insurance fees, and a gap before any local income or refunds arrive. A common rule of thumb is three to six months of total living costs in reserve before you go.
Don't forget healthcare and insurance
If you are not yet in a local public system, budget for international or private cover. Many long-stay visas require proof of insurance, Portugal D8 (~$3,500/mo), Spain DNV (~$2,760/mo), and Colombia V visa (~$750/mo) all mandate it.
Run the numbers per city
The threshold changes completely between Lisbon and Chiang Mai. Jonzy's cost calculator and tax estimator model take-home pay and monthly surplus per city, and the Life Upgrade Score tells you whether a move is an upgrade or a downgrade on your current baseline.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do I need to move abroad?
As a rule of thumb: three months of destination-city living costs as a buffer, plus one-off moving costs (typically $3,000–$8,000 including flights, deposits, and visa fees), plus monthly income above the local comfortable-budget line, roughly $1,200 in cheap hubs and $2,500–$3,500 in Western Europe.
Can I move abroad on $2,000 a month?
Yes, comfortably in much of Southeast Asia, Latin America, Georgia, and parts of Eastern Europe, where all-in single budgets run $900–$1,800. It gets tight in southern Europe and unrealistic in hubs like Singapore, Dubai, or Zurich.
What income do digital nomad visas require?
Most programs set floors between about $2,500 and $5,000 a month: Spain around $2,760, Portugal about $3,500, Greece €3,500 net, Estonia around €4,500, and premium programs like Korea's workation visa near $5,400 equivalent.