How to FIRE Without Moving to a Low-Cost Country

The idea behind FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) is simple: reduce your spending, increase your savings and investments, and build a portfolio that supports you indefinitely.

A common shortcut people suggest is to relocate to a cheaper country due to lower rent, lower healthcare costs and cheaper services. But moving abroad isn’t for everyone – many of us have family, career ties, visa issues, or simply prefer to stay where we are.

The good news is, you can certainly achieve FIRE while staying in a higher-cost country by leaning on smarter saving, optimized investing, and a lifestyle redesign.

Reality Check: Why You Can Do This At Home

Achieving FIRE without relocating is more realistic than many of us might think. With the right mix of income, disciplined saving, and smart investing, the data shows you can reach financial independence while staying in your home country:

Income and Earnings Context

Although the median U.S. household income slipped to about $74,580 in 2022 from the previous year, it still represented a relatively strong baseline for many families to start saving or investing.

Saving Behavior Matters

The U.S. personal saving rate has fluctuated, but remains low relative to some historical peaks: 2025 monthly data show rates in the single digits (around 4-5%). That means, to FIRE without moving, you’ll likely need to raise your personal saving rate far above the national average.

The Math of Withdrawal

Research suggests a commonly used planning rule: the “4% rule”, withdrawing ~4% of your starting portfolio each year (adjusted for inflation) historically worked across many 30-year periods with mixed stock/bond portfolios. Use it as a planning baseline, not a guarantee.

Long-Term Returns Drive The Plan

A broadly diversified stock allocation (for example, an S&P index fund) has historically produced strong long-term returns, which is essential for growing the capital you’ll live off. Vanguard and index funds are commonly used building blocks.

Core Steps To FIRE While Staying Put

Here are the key moves that can put you on the path to FIRE without leaving your home country, focusing on saving more, investing wisely, and designing a lifestyle that supports long-term independence:

Be Surgical About Your Budget (and Raise Your Savings Rate)

Track your expenses for 90 days and categorize them into fixed, variable, and waste. This shows where you can cut back. To retire very early, aim to save 50-70% of your income. Even saving 20-40% works, it just takes longer. Automate savings by directing your paycheck first to retirement accounts, then brokerage, and other savings.

Maximize Tax-Advantaged Retirement Accounts

Contribute to 401(k)s or 403(b)s at least enough to get your employer’s full match. It’s free money. Gradually increase your contributions. Use IRAs and Roth IRAs for tax benefits, with Roths offering tax-free withdrawals. If eligible, use HSAs for triple tax benefits on contributions, growth, and medical withdrawals.

Build a Low-Cost, Diversified Investment Portfolio

Invest in broad U.S. and international index funds like the S&P 500 or total market funds. As you get closer to FIRE, add bonds to protect against market ups and downs. Keep an eye on fees. Low expense ratios can save you thousands over the years.

Increase Income Strategically

This one is a no-brainer, but increasing your income helps speed up FIRE. Whether investing, asking for a raise, changing jobs, or freelancing, protecting your online privacy is going to be extremely important.

VPN apps help secure your data and encrypt connections, which matters if you’re sending proposals, handling client files, or working while traveling.

For example, if you’re freelancing on the go or applying to international gigs, using an open VPN APK for Android ensures your connection stays private while also letting you access job boards and opportunities worldwide – giving you more flexibility in where and how you work.

Cut Big Recurring Costs Without Moving

Housing is often the biggest expense. Consider downsizing, refinancing, renting out a room, or moving to a cheaper neighborhood nearby. Transportation costs add up too. Try selling your spare car if you have one, using just one vehicle, or taking public transit. For healthcare, use HSAs, shop smart, and negotiate bills when you can.

Plan for Flexibility with Part-Time Work

Working part-time or consulting in retirement is common and helps reduce stress on your savings. Research shows many retirees stay in the workforce longer. Having this option adds flexibility and peace of mind.

Tactical Rules-Of-Thumb And Safety Buffers

When planning your nest egg, a common rule is the 4% withdrawal guideline. Multiply your expected annual spending by 25 to estimate the portfolio size needed. For example, spending $40,000 per year means aiming for about $1,000,000. Treat this 25× figure as a guideline though, not a guarantee.

To protect against early market downturns, keep 2 to 5 years of expenses in cash or bonds before fully retiring. This buffer prevents selling investments at a loss during tough times.

Finally, be ready to adjust your withdrawals if markets underperform or unexpected costs arise. Flexibility, like spending less or working part-time, helps your savings last longer!

Example Pathway (Numbers-Only Mini-Plan)

For a household with an income of $100,000, aiming for annual retirement spending of $40,000 means targeting a portfolio of approximately $1,000,000, based on the 25× rule.

By saving 50% of after-tax income and investing with an expected real return of 6-7%, it’s possible to reach this goal in roughly 10-12 years, though actual results will vary depending on investment returns, taxes, and individual circumstances.

Common Objections & How To Handle Them

“I can’t save that much”

Start small, automate increases (1% per raise), slash a couple of big recurring costs (housing, commuting), and prioritize incremental income growth.

“Markets might crash”

Diversify, hold buffers, and remember that retirement math uses very long time horizons. Historically, equities have recovered and grown. Still, plan for conservative withdrawal and be flexible on spending!

“Healthcare is unaffordable”

Use HSAs while working, compare plans, and plan for a bridge (work until Medicare age if needed) rather than an abrupt stop.

Actionable Takeaways

1. Measure first: Track your expenses for 90 days. Know your true FIRE number.
2. Raise your savings rate: Aim to incrementally move toward 50%+ if you want very early retirement; smaller increases still help massively.
3. Max out tax-advantaged accounts: Employer match → Roth/Traditional IRAs → taxable investing.
4. Invest low-cost, diversified: Make broad index funds the backbone; watch fees.
5. Build a 2-5 year cash/bond buffer to reduce sequence-of-returns risk before you stop working.
6. Design optionality: Keep a lightweight part-time or consulting path available. It’s both income and flexibility insurance.

Final Thoughts

FIRE without moving to a low-cost country is absolutely possible, but it trades relocation for discipline, optimization, and contingency planning.

Use the data (saving rates, median incomes, withdrawal rules) as guardrails, not absolutes, and build a plan that fits your values: freedom often looks different for everyone.