I Asked ChatGPT for Safe and Beautiful Retirement Spots on $2K a Month: These 6 Surprised Me
Written by
Daisy Carrington
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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The quality of one’s retirement often depends on two things: the size of a nest egg and how much they spend. In an ideal world, retirees would have enough saved to live exactly as they please. In reality, that’s often not the case. As reported by The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, 39% of today’s working households won’t be able to maintain their standard of living in retirement.
For many, the solution isn’t trying to save more but finding a place where their dollar stretches further. To uncover those hidden gems that are beautiful, safe and affordable, GOBankingRates asked ChatGPT to suggest picturesque spots where you can retire on $2,000 a month or less. Here are some surprising results.
Also see America’s 50 most livable retirement towns.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
In driving distance from New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, this countryside community near Amish country is a popular weekend escape for city dwellers. I didn’t expect it to show up on ChatGPT’s affordability list — yet it did, pointing out that a one-bedroom apartment rents for around $1,200 a month. Apartments.com cited similar statistics, with rent for a studio apartment coming in at $1,225 and a one-bedroom apartment at $1,482.
Beyond affordability, the appeal lies in Lancaster’s slower pace, rolling farmland and farmers markets. Healthcare is another plus, with Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital ranked among the best in the state.
In fact, Lancaster made U.S. News & World Report’s list of the best places to retire in 2025 to 2026, landing in spot 72.
Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville consistently lands on “best places to retire” lists, even landing in spot No. 30 on U.S. News & World Report’s latest list. I assumed this would drive up the cost of living. Not so, according to ChatGPT.
It noted that a one-bedroom runs about $1,200 a month, which is in line with Apartments.com’s average rent of $1,279. It also explained that the city’s walkable downtown is lined with cafes, shops and green spaces. Nestled between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the coast, Greenville offers four seasons, a strong sense of community and several top-rated medical centers.
Mérida, Mexico
ChatGPT was particularly enthusiastic about Mérida, calling it one of the safest cities in Mexico. The colonial capital of the Yucatán offers rich Mayan culture, bustling markets and proximity to beaches like Progreso.
It noted that a one-bedroom apartment typically rents for $500 to $800 a month, which aligns with the $600 Numbeo cited as the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center.
Healthcare is also excellent and affordable. In fact, International Living claimed that the city comes pretty close to having it all for retirees. The only caveat? Summers are hot and humid.
The Silver Coast, Portugal
Portugal is becoming a retirement hotspot, but ChatGPT suggested skipping the crowded Algarve and heading to the Silver Coast instead. Towns like Nazaré, Caldas da Rainha and Peniche offer fishing villages, beaches and cobblestoned old towns at lower prices.
Rent for a one-bedroom apartment ranges from $600 to $900 a month, per ChatGPT. That’s right in line with International Living’s $700 average rent for a two-bedroom furnished apartment in the city center.
Retirees also benefit from Portugal’s affordable healthcare system and mild climate, though winters can be rainy compared with the country’s southern coast. Live and Invest Overseas cited the Silver Coast’s history, beauty, property values and climate as reasons it makes a great retirement spot.
Seville, Spain
Seville might not have been the first Spanish city I’d think of for affordable retirement. It’s one of the country’s cultural crown jewels, after all. Yet ChatGPT noted that while Madrid and Barcelona can quickly eat through a retirement budget, Seville offers many of the same perks at a fraction of the price.
International Living cited rent of $850 in Seville, which is right in the middle of ChatGPT’s range of $700 to $1,000 per month. ChatGPT also noted that meals of tapas and wine rarely exceed $15, and it highlighted the city’s walkability, warm winters and access to one of Europe’s best public healthcare systems.
The only caution: Summer temperatures routinely soar past 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Eastern Europe
I expected ChatGPT to stick with more familiar retiree destinations, but it went off the beaten path with Eastern Europe. It suggested countries like Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia, where one-bedroom apartments often run between $400 and $700 per month, and dining out can be as cheap as $5.
Indeed, according to Numbeo, Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia see average rents for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center of about $480, $494 and $772, respectively.
Retirees can trade suburban strip malls for cobblestoned towns, mountain scenery and Adriatic beaches. While private health insurance is often recommended to supplement patchier public systems, the overall costs remain far below those in Western Europe or the U.S.
The biggest trade-off is weather (cold winters inland, hot summers on the coast) and sometimes tricky bureaucracy, but for adventurous retirees, ChatGPT framed it as an affordable way to live out a European dream.
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