20 Cheapest Places To Retire in the West in 2025 T. WoodsAugust 31, 2025 at 9:16 AM Gregory Clifford / iStock.com Finding a location to retire in — one that won't drain your nest egg early — is a major part of retirement planning. It is almost as important as saving for the retirement itself.
- - 20 Cheapest Places To Retire in the West in 2025
T. WoodsAugust 31, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Gregory Clifford / iStock.com
Finding a location to retire in — one that won't drain your nest egg early — is a major part of retirement planning. It is almost as important as saving for the retirement itself. What good is a beautiful retirement city if it drains your savings accounts and portfolio halfway through your retirement?
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With that in mind, GOBankingRates has analyzed recent data to discover the cheapest American cities for retirement (minimum 150,000 population and 10% seniors). It is not cheap to retire in the West, where the most affordable city ranked 59th overall. From Peoria to Albuquerque, here are the 20 cheapest places to retire in the West.
©Shutterstock.com20. Peoria, Arizona -
Population 65+: 19.6%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,881
Livability: 77
While Peoria isn't the cheapest city in Arizona, it's loaded hiking trails, beautiful mountains, the gorgeous Lake Pleasant and the sprawling Pioneer Living History Museum. There is always something to do or somewhere to go during your retirement in Peoria.
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Davel5957 / Getty Images/iStockphoto19. Tempe, Arizona -
Population 65+: 10.8%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,838
Livability: 78
Tempe has plenty to do — with Arizona State University ballgames, theatrical performances and concerts being regular occurrences. It also has a warm climate, the Tempe Town Lake and two large golf courses. Also, Arizona doesn't tax Social Security, and carries a flat income tax rate of 2.5%.
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MattGush / Getty Images/iStockphoto18. Lancaster, California -
Population 65+: 12.0%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,808
Livability: 69
With very low cost of living (lower than 49% of California), close SoCal cities like Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Diego, and beautiful desert environs, Lancaster is a lovely and convenient place to settle down.
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto17. San Bernardino, California -
Population 65+: 10.2%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,804
Livability: 58
Thanks to the fact that San Bernardino County is huge (over 20,000 square miles), with plenty of room to grow, housing is relatively affordable in San Bernardino. While still expensive by national standards (+24%), home prices in San Bernardino are cheaper than all but two California towns in the study.
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto16. Modesto, California -
Population 65+: 14.4%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,700
Livability: 65
Modesto is a medium-sized metropolis with big-city amenities but small-town vibes. It's cheap compared to the rest of California (though still about 8% more expensive than the rest of America) and features fairly low (again, for California) housing prices.
©Shutterstock.com15. Stockton, California -
Population 65+: 13.0%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,683
Livability: 59
California is a rather expensive state, but affordable living is still possible in cities like Stockton. The city has a downtown marina, a number of festivals and street fairs throughout the year and seemingly endless walking trails and parks for active retirees.
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Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto14. Tacoma, Washington -
Population 65+: 14.6%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,681
Livability: 78
In addition to being surrounded by a wealth of natural beauty — and only a short jaunt away from Mount Rainier National Park — Tacoma is suffused with a vibrant culture and arts scene, with museums and multiple music festivals throughout the year. The city is also very affordable compared to other big cities in Washington, making it a prime retirement spot.
f11photo / Getty Images/iStockphoto13. Las Vegas -
Population 65+: 15.6%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,668
Livability: 82
Las Vegas offers low-cost luxury living, thanks to no state income taxes, affordable healthcare and, of course, a great deal of entertainment for the aging thrill seeker.
Jamie Hooper / Shutterstock.com12. Eugene, Oregon -
Population 65+: 17.7%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,581
Livability: 78
Eugene is a city that serves all kinds of budgets and — thanks to Oregon's lack of sales tax — keeps prices low.
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto11. Mesa, Arizona -
Population 65+: 17.2%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,565
Livability: 81
Mesa is one of the most affordable suburbs in all of Arizona. It's a very diverse city, from private communities with golf courses and lakes to plentiful outdoor activities such as trails and parks.
Read More: How Far $500,000 in Retirement Savings Plus Social Security Goes in Every State
Jacob Boomsma / Getty Images/iStockphoto10. Colorado Springs, Colorado -
Population 65+: 14.7%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,488
Livability: 79
Compared to other big cities in Colorado like Denver, Colorado Springs has a fairly affordable real estate market. Those affordable prices come with a suburban vibe, rich culture and beautiful, snowcapped landscapes.
miroslav_1 / iStock.com9. Phoenix -
Population 65+: 11.9%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,449
Livability: 76
Somewhat surprisingly, despite being the state capital and arguably the most well-known big city in the state, Phoenix boasts an average home value that's slightly lower than the average home price throughout the state. Phoenix also has its own international airport, warm and sunny weather throughout most of the year, and over 200 golf courses for active seniors to work on their short games.
Christopher Boswell / Shutterstock.com8. North Las Vegas, Nevada -
Population 65+: 12.0%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,448
Livability: 76
Not only does North Las Vegas get over 300 days of warm, sunny weather per year, the city has a very affordable real estate market (much more so than the remainder of Las Vegas Valley). Further, Nevada has no state income tax.
Davel5957 / Getty Images/iStockphoto7. Glendale, Arizona -
Population 65+: 13.1%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,407
Livability: 76
Compared to the rest of Arizona's bigger cities, Glendale features a cheap housing market.
Read Next: The Money You Need To Save Monthly To Retire Comfortably in Every State
©Shutterstock.com6. Salem, Oregon -
Population 65+: 15.3%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,339
Livability: 79
Oregon has no state sales tax, which means that expenses there are somewhat less than other states. Additionally, Salem's housing market is cheaper than other big cities in Oregon, making the city one in which retired seniors can easily save their nest eggs.
garytog / Getty Images/iStockphoto5. Bakersfield, California -
Population 65+: 10.8%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,257
Livability: 57
Bakersfield housing is more affordable than the national average, and far, far cheaper than such expensive California cities as San Francisco and Los Angeles. Bakersfield's average income is somewhat lower than surrounding cities, thus keeping the housing market comparatively inexpensive for retirees looking for California retirement settings.
stellamc / Shutterstock.com4. Fresno, California -
Population 65+: 12.1%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $4,252
Livability: 63
Fresno's cost of living is less than the rest of California's. The city is also well-placed, only a few hours from both San Francisco and Los Angeles, and boasts a rich cultural diversity, making it a lovely spot to send one's golden years.
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gregobagel / iStock.com3. Spokane, Washington -
Population 65+: 16.4%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $3,987
Livability: 81
Spokane is one of the most affordable cities on the West Coast, with a tight-knit community and a bevy of outdoor recreational opportunities.
constantgardener / Getty Images2. Tucson, Arizona -
Population 65+: 15.8%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $3,771
Livability: 72
Tucson may be the state's second-biggest city, but it feels like a small town. The city has a healthy culture of museums, art galleries and concert venues, as well as a number of hiking and biking trails in the desert terrain that surrounds the city.
Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto1. Albuquerque, New Mexico -
Population 65+: 17.2%
Monthly cost of living (with mortgage): $3,691
Livability: 72
Albuquerque enjoys a low cost of living compared to the rest of the United States, with a relatively inexpensive housing market, low property taxes and reasonable healthcare prices. The city is the largest in New Mexico, with a powerhouse economy that helps fuel the state. That healthy economy, coupled with beautiful western vistas, makes Albuquerque a great place for retirees to settle down.
Methodology: GOBankingRates identified cities with populations of at least 150,000, with at least 10% of the population age 65 and over. Other data was sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, Sperling's BestPlaces, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, AreaVibes, Zillow Home Value Index for December 2024 and the Federal Reserve Economic Data. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Feb. 18, 2025.
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