How cheap can you live?
If you really wanted to, how little could you live on?
In other words, what’s the minimum amount of money you need to survive?
What do you need to survive?
To survive, humans need food, water, air, and shelter (according to NASA).
Let’s assume air is free.
That leaves food, water, and shelter.
Food
The average adult human needs about 2,000 to 2,500 calories per day.
Let’s assume you buy all your food from a grocery store and never go out to eat.
White rice currently costs $0.99 per pound in the U.S.
One pound of raw white rice has 1,628 calories.
So you would need 1.54 pounds of raw white rice to get 2,500 calories per day.
Which would cost $1.52 per day.
Assuming you want some diversity in your diet, let’s also look at the price of beans.
Dry beans currently cost $1.57 per pound in the U.S.
One pound of dry black beans has 1,547 calories.
So you would need 1.62 pounds of dry black beans to get 2,500 calories per day.
Which would cost $2.54 per day.
If you get half of your daily calories from rice and half from beans, your daily food cost would be $2.03.
Could you survive on just rice and beans? I’m not a doctor, but I think you need the occasional fruit or vegetable. Let’s assume you can fill in any remaining nutritional gaps with $0.43 per day.
Total food cost per day = $2.50
Total food cost per year = $912.50
Water
Let’s assume your sink water is safe to drink and you’re not buying any bottled water.
You’ll likely pay your local municipality to pipe water to your residence. This cost varies depending on where you live. Your water bill can be as low as $18 per month (if you live in Wisconsin) or as high as $91 per month (if you live in Virginia).
This also includes your sewer services, so you’ll be able to use the toilet, take showers, run the dishwasher, etc.
Let’s assume you choose to live somewhere like Wisconsin, where your water bill could be as low as $18 per month.
Total water cost per day = $0.59
Total water cost per year = $216
Rent
This will probably be your biggest expense.
If you’re fortunate, you might have a house that’s already paid for.
Otherwise, you’ll be paying rent or mortgage costs.
Let’s assume you’re renting.
Your rent will vary depending on where you live. On the low end, average rent in North Dakota is $880 per month. On the high end, average rent in Hawaii is $2,418 per month.
According to this report in January 2024, the nationwide median rent is $1,379 per month.
Let’s assume you choose to live somewhere like Minot, North Dakota, where your rent could be as low as $395 per month.
Total rent cost per day = $12.99
Total rent cost per year = $4,740
Utilities (other than water)
You need gas to cook your rice and beans.
You also need heat if you live somewhere cold.
You’ll likely pay your local municipality for gas and electricity. These costs vary depending on where you live.
Your gas bill can be as low as $32 per month in Oregon or as high as $164 per month in Alaska.
Your electricity bill can be as low as $80.87 per month in Utah or as high as $177.78 per month in Hawaii.
Let’s assume you choose to live somewhere like Oregon or Utah, where your gas bill could be as low as $32 per month and your electricity bill could be as low as $80.87 per month.
Total gas cost per day = $1.05
Total gas cost per year = $384
Total electricity cost per day = $2.66
Total electricity cost per year = $970.44
Health insurance
If you get sick or injure yourself, you might need medical care to survive.
Health insurance costs vary based on where you live.
On the low end, average health insurance premium for a benchmark plan in New Hampshire is $335 per month.
On the high end, average health insurance premium for a benchmark plan in Vermont is $950 per month.
However, if your income is low, you may be able to get health insurance for free because of the Affordable Care Act.
Let’s assume your income will be low enough that your health insurance will be free.
Total cost per day
Food = $2.50
Water = $0.59
Rent = $12.99
Gas = $1.05
Electricity = $2.66
Total = $19.79
Total cost per year
Food = $912.50
Water = $216
Rent = $4,740
Gas = $384
Electricity = $970.44
Total = $7,222.94
These are U.S. prices
All the prices above are for people living in the U.S.
You could live even cheaper if you move to a country with lower prices, e.g., Costa Rica, Peru, Vietnam, Thailand.
Conclusion
$19.79 per day.
$7,222.94 per year.
That’s how much you need to survive in the U.S. in 2024.
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DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
The information on this website is for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical or financial advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor or financial advisor. Never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
not sure you can cherry pick the state with the cheapest cost of living in each aspect - not sure you can pay rent in North Dakota but pay a gas bill in Oregon
overall i think it’s fraught to use macro level stats for anything close to a normative judgement, because by virtue of being averages they will deviate a lot from most people’s lived experience. for example, national dry goods prices probably don’t reflect what a person in minot, ND can walk down to the store and buy (i don’t know anywhere that you can buy fruits or veggies for $0.43 a day)
health insurance is not free in all states, what about transportation in those rural areas? internet? how do you make the money you do need? what’s the point of this excersie?