The Geo-FIRE Arbitrage Explorer

Geographic Arbitrage, or "Geo-FIRE", is a powerful strategy to accelerate your path to Financial Independence. The concept is simple: earn your money in a high-cost-of-living (HCOL) area, but move to a lower-cost-of-living (LCOL) area in retirement. Your powerful HCOL savings are then supercharged by LCOL expenses.

Moving from a city like San Francisco to a state like Tennessee or even a country like Portugal can cut your required retirement nest egg in half, potentially shaving a decade or more off your working career. This tool helps you quantify that dream.

Pros of Geo-FIRE

  • Drastically reduces FIRE number
  • Accelerates retirement timeline
  • Increases quality of life (less financial stress)
  • Potential for new cultural experiences

Cons & Considerations

  • Leaving friends, family, and professional network
  • Navigating different tax laws (especially abroad)
  • Healthcare quality and accessibility
  • Potential language and cultural barriers

New FIRE Number
Portfolio Savings Required
New Annual Expenses

Detailed Cost Comparison

Metric Current New

Understanding the Terms

New FIRE Number
Your "FIRE Number" is the total amount of savings you need to become financially independent. It's calculated by dividing your annual expenses by your safe withdrawal rate (e.g., 4%). The "New FIRE Number" is a recalculation of this amount based on the lower cost of living in your potential new location. It shows you the new, smaller savings target you would need to hit if you were to move.
Portfolio Savings Required
This number represents the total reduction in the amount of money you need to save for retirement. It is the difference between your original FIRE number (in your current, more expensive location) and the "New FIRE Number" (in your new, cheaper location). In essence, it's the financial reward for using the geo-arbitrage strategy—the amount of money you no longer need to earn and save because your expenses will be lower.