7 Best Winter Vacation Cities To Retire on $2,000 a Month

Weather is often a big factor in where people decide to retire. Many folks opt for warmer climes like Florida and parts of the south to avoid all the messiness that can come with winter. Retirees might want to be out and about all year long now that they’ve got more free time on their hands.

Of course, budget is also a concern in retirement, so to help winter lovers on a budget of $2,000 per month, GOBankingRates sourced crucial information about important factors, including one-bedroom rent, average monthly grocery and healthcare costs, as well as livability score and percentage of people ages 65 and older who live in a town. In order for a place to be qualified for the study, 10% or more of the population had to be over the age of 65, according to the Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey; and it must have a livability score of 75 or above, as sourced from AreaVibes. Here are the top seven most affordable winter vacation cities to retire on $2,000 per month.

• 2022 1-bedroom rent: $996.29
• % of the population aged 65 and older: 11%
• Livability: 75
• Monthly expenditures: $1,797.06

Here in Temple you’ll pay less than the national average in monthly grocery costs, at $379.71 per month, and $421.06 in monthly healthcare costs.

• 2022 1-bedroom rent: $919.71
• % of the population aged 65 and older: 20%
• Livability: 75
• Monthly expenditures: $1,783.32

Roanoke has the highest percentage of people ages 65 and older on this list, so probably a strong community for retired folks. While your monthly healthcare costs of $471.54 here are about $40 higher than the national average per month, monthly grocery costs of $392.07 sneak under the national average by almost $20.

• 2022 1-bedroom rent: $993.43
• % of the population aged 65 and older: 16%
• Livability: 82
• Monthly expenditures: $1,763.57

Metairie has a lot going for it. A decent percentage of the population is 65 and older; it’s got a high livability score; and both monthly grocery costs and monthly healthcare costs are under the national averages.

• 2022 1-bedroom rent: $867.50
• % of the population aged 65 and older: 15%
• Livability: 79
• Monthly expenditures: $1,716.28

The livability score in Huntsville is also among the higher on this list, and with rent at an affordable rate, it’s got a lot going for it. You’ll also pay under the national average for groceries here, at $395.36 per month.

• 2022 1-bedroom rent: $847.14
• % of the population aged 65 and older: 15%
• Livability: 78
• Monthly expenditures: $1,700.94

San Angelo is another city that has attracted a sizable number of retirees over the age of 65. Though the monthly cost of healthcare here is a bit higher than in other cities, and more than $40 above the national average at $473.26, other costs are low, like rent and groceries.

• 2022 1-bedroom rent: $841.14
• % of the population aged 65 and older: 11%
• Livability: 79
• Monthly expenditures: $1,664.72

The No. 2 spot on the list has a lower percentage of folks ages 65 and up, but that probably won’t last with costs as low as they are. Annually you’ll pay less than $10,000 for groceries and healthcare combined, which is incredibly affordable.

• 2022 1-bedroom rent: $857.43
• % of the population aged 65 and older: 12%
• Livability: 75
• Monthly expenditures: $1,649.77

The No. 1 spot on the list may not have the highest livability on the list, but it’s still a decent score, and most importantly, your total monthly expenditures leave a $350 surplus after they’re paid.

Methodology: To find the best winter vacation cities to retire on $2,000 per month, GOBankingRates first used ApartmentList’s data to find (1) average 2022 one-bedroom rents. 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 retired person might spend on groceries and healthcare in each city monthly. GOBankingRates then added monthly housing, grocery, and healthcare costs together to find the most beautiful and affordable winter vacation places to retire in. In order for a place to be qualified for the study, its population had to be 10% or more over the age of 65, (4) according to the Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey; and (5) must have a livability score of 75 or above, as sourced from AreaVibes. All data was collected on and up to date as of September 19, 2022.