Digital Nomad Monthly Budget Calculator
General information, not advice. This guide explains how things usually work. Fees, rules and products change and depend on your country and situation, so check the provider's or authority's own page before you act. See our disclaimer.
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Monthly budget calculator for living abroad
Replace the example figures with your own. Yearly costs such as visas and flights are spread across twelve months so they do not come as a surprise.
| Monthly cost | Amount |
|---|---|
Everything is calculated in your browser and nothing is saved or sent.
Most budgets for life abroad fail for the same reason: they count rent and food and forget the costs that only appear a few times a year. Visas, flights home, insurance renewals and currency conversion fees are easy to ignore in a monthly view, and then arrive all at once. This calculator spreads them across the year so you can see what living abroad really costs you each month, how much you keep and how big your emergency fund should be.
How this calculator works
- Choose your currency and enter your net monthly income, after tax.
- Replace the example figures with your own monthly costs. For yearly costs, such as visas or flights home, enter one twelfth of the annual amount.
- Set the number of months your emergency fund should cover. Three to six months is common; freelancers with irregular income often aim higher.
- Read the results: total monthly costs, what is left each month, your savings rate and your emergency fund target.
Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is stored or sent.
Worked example: a remote worker in a mid-priced city
The example figures in the calculator describe one person earning a net 3,000 a month:
| Item | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Rent and utilities | 900 |
| Coworking or internet | 80 |
| Food and groceries | 400 |
| Local transport | 60 |
| Health insurance | 150 |
| Phone and subscriptions | 40 |
| Visas and paperwork (yearly cost ÷ 12) | 30 |
| Flights home (yearly cost ÷ 12) | 70 |
| Currency conversion and bank fees | 25 |
| Leisure and travel | 200 |
| Total | 1,955 |
That leaves 1,045 a month, a savings rate of about 35%, and a six-month emergency fund target of about 11,730. Change the figures to match your city: our guides to Lisbon, Bangkok and Mexico City show typical local ranges.
The costs people forget
- Visas and residence permits: application fees, renewals, document translations and apostilles.
- Flights home: weddings, holidays and emergencies.
- Insurance: health, travel and equipment cover.
- Currency conversion: if you earn in one currency and spend in another, a poor exchange rate can cost several percent of your income. Check yours with the currency conversion cost calculator.
- Taxes and accountant fees, if your income is not taxed at source. See do digital nomads have to pay taxes?.
- Equipment: replacing a laptop or phone.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good savings rate for a digital nomad?
There is no single right number, but saving 15% to 20% or more of net income gives you room for irregular months and long-term goals. If your income varies, plan around a typical low month.
How big should my emergency fund be?
Three to six months of costs is a common rule of thumb. Freelancers and people far from family often keep six months or more. Read how to build an emergency fund as a freelancer.
Should I budget in my income currency or my spending currency?
Budget in the currency you spend, because that is what your rent and food cost. If your income is in another currency, convert it at a realistic rate and leave a margin for exchange-rate moves.
Are the results exact?
No. They are as accurate as the figures you enter. Use them to plan and compare cities, not as a guarantee.
Next steps
For a step-by-step budget with examples, read the digital nomad budget template. If you are planning a move, see how much money you need to move abroad, and set your income target with the freelance rate calculator.
Sources and further reading
Official pages and primary sources where you can check the rules, fees and rates discussed in this guide. They are updated by their publishers, so check them for the current figures before you decide.
- Comparative price levels of consumer goods and services (Eurostat)
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates (European Central Bank)
