You get a $30 haircut every month??I’d like an honest, fact-based reality check.
*** I’ve been having tremendous difficulty finding a flat-fee or hourly financial advisor who’s even willing to talk to me. It feels like almost all CFPs just want long-term AUM clients, not someone who simply needs a one-time factual analysis. So I’m posting here out of frustration and genuine need for a reality-based second opinion from people who’ve actually lived abroad on a fixed income.
Assume a single person, no debt, owns their home 100% outright (fully paid off so person would NOT have to pay mortgage or rent), and is an EU citizen planning to live permanently in a low-cost rural area of Europe (not a city).
They have a U.S.-domiciled lifetime annuity paying $3,175/month gross, with a 3% annual inflation adjustment (COLA).
After applying Slovakia’s 19% income tax and converting USD to EUR (≈0.92 rate), the net income would be about $2,570 USD/month, or roughly €2,360/month in euros.
This person has no children, by choice, and will never have any. There are no heirs and no interest in estate or legacy planning.
They will eventually renounce U.S. citizenship and live solely as an EU citizen.
(This decision is final and not up for discussion.)
They have no side income, no Social Security, and the annuity will be their only lifetime income.
Important:Please do not suggest side jobs, part-time work, or “extra income” ideas or talk about Social Security income.
This post is strictly about survival and sustainability on the annuity alone.
The purpose is to determine whether the annuity by itself can realistically support a lifetime of simple living.
Lifestyle preferences:
Prefers solitude, quiet, and simplicity
Avoids travel, restaurants, and shopping
Values a peaceful, rural life surrounded by nature
Today, in the rural parts of Europe where this person plans to live, €2,300–€2,400/month net is enough for a modest lifestyle that covers normal living expenses, property taxes, healthcare, and basic comforts.
For planning purposes, assume this person could live many more decades, unless something unfortunate happens sooner.The question:
Would you consider this income sustainable long-term — assuming the 3% COLA keeps pace with inflation — or is there a critical risk being overlooked?
I’d appreciate factual, experience-based feedback only, from people who have real-world experience living abroad on a fixed income.
NOTE:
I've pasted below my estimated monthly budget if I were to live i Slovakia countryside with fully paid off house:
$0 Mortgage
$120 Car repairs / maintenance
$180 Gas (fuel)
$100 Car insurance
$150 Electricity (heating + A/C)
$70 Home insurance
$50 Property tax
$400 Food (vegan, home cooking only)
$45 Gym
$50 Water
$20 Pest control
$115 Public healthcare levy
$30 Internet (100 Mbps)
$20 Waste management (WM)
$25 Sewer
$35 Cell (Mint + HU SIM)
$70 Home / online services (Dropbox, Prime, Wix, Burner, Domains, etc.)
$15 Donation to Animal Rescue
$15 YouTube Premium
$30 Haircut
$120 Home maintenance
$300 Miscellaneous (will be fully used)
$350 Unexpected bills / emergency buffer
Estimated total: ≈ $2,320 per month (I created my budget in USD out of habit... perhaps I should have created it in euro!)
Statistics: Posted by Godot — Wed Oct 08, 2025 6:40 pm — Replies 33 — Views 1635