Best West Coast Cities To Retire on a Budget of $2,100 a Month

A monthly budget of $2,100 will not get you far in the United States — especially on the notoriously pricey West Coast. But there are still a handful of enclaves where you can get by on that kind of cash.  

Using data from the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Sperling’s Best and ApartmentList, GOBankingRates identified seven West Coast cities where you can still squeak by on $2,100 a month.  Unsurprisingly, not a single one of them is in California. 

Keep in mind when reading that 16% of the population in the average American city is 65 and older. The national average annual cost of groceries is $4,942, or $411.83 per month. Interestingly, just one of the following cities has a lower supermarket bill. When it comes to healthcare, however, every city comes in well under the national annual average of $5,177, or $431.42 per month. In fact, not even one city in the ranking tops $383. Looking for a city by the Pacific where you can call it quits on the cheap? Keep reading to learn about the best West Coast cities to retire on a budget of $2,100. 

• Monthly expenditures: $2,092
• % of population 65 and older: 17%
• Livability: 68

Residents of Lynnwood pay an average of $1,297 per month on rent, more than any other city on the list. No other city pays more for groceries either; Lynnwood residents pay an average of $432 per month. Lynnwood’s $4,359 annual health care bill is in the middle of the pack.

• Monthly expenditures: $2,050
• % of population 65 and older: 15%
• Livability: 65

The average one-bedroom goes for $1,252 per month in Portland — only Lynnwood renters pay more. The $5,125 annual grocery bill is the No. 2 most expensive, behind only Lynnwood as well. Its $371 monthly healthcare bill is tied for the second-highest in the ranking. 

• Monthly expenditures: $1,985
• % of population 65 and older: 14%
• Livability: 65

The city that Portland ties in the healthcare category is nearby Gresham, which also comes in at $371 per month ($4,447 per year). Its $416 monthly grocery bill is the No. 3 cheapest, and its $1,198 rent is in the middle. 

• Monthly expenditures: $1,981
• % of population 65 and older: 13%
• Livability: 66

With a monthly rent payment of $1,203, Tacoma is one of only three cities where a one-bedroom costs more than $1,200. The city’s $417 monthly grocery bill is middling, but its $362 monthly healthcare cost is among the three cheapest. 

• Monthly expenditures: $1,961
• % of population 65 and older: 13%
• Livability: 80

An average monthly rent of $1,187 puts Richland among the three most affordable spots in the ranking. Although its $418 monthly grocery bill lands it among the three priciest in that category, Richland’s $355 healthcare bill is the lowest on the entire list. 

• Monthly expenditures: $1,883
• % of population 65 and older: 17%
• Livability: 75

Renters in only one city enjoy a cheaper average one-bedroom than those in Spokane Valley, who pay just $1,114. The $411 monthly grocery bill is the most affordable in the entire ranking, and the $359 monthly healthcare cost is the No. 2 least expensive. 

• Monthly expenditures: $1,866
• % of population 65 and older: 19%
• Livability: 65

Eugene is the only city on the list with an average monthly rent under $1,100 — $1,068.29, to be exact. Only Spokane Valley beats its $416 monthly grocery bill; but, at a cost of $382 per month, Eugene’s monthly healthcare cost is the most expensive out of all seven cities.

Methodology: To find the best West Coast cities to retire on a monthly budget of $2,100 or less, GOBankingRates first used ApartmentList’s data to find (1) average 2022 rent in West Coast cities. GOBankingRates then used Sperling’s Best to find the cost of living index for each selected city, looking at (2) grocery and (3) healthcare index scores. Next, GOBankingRates used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2020 Consumer Expenditure Survey to find the annual expenditure amount for both grocery (“food at home”) and healthcare costs for people aged 65 and older to determine how much a person 65 and over would spend on groceries and healthcare in each city monthly. GOBankingRates then added monthly housing, grocery and healthcare costs together to find the West Coast cities where a person 65 and older could survive on $2,100 or less. In order for a city to be qualified for the study, its (4) population had to be 10% or more over the age of 65, according to the Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey; and the city (5) must have a livability score of 65 or above, as sourced from AreaVibes. All data was collected on and up to date as of Aug. 16, 2022.