Travel Tips This Texas City Was Just Named the Best Southern City to Retire for Less Than $1,500 a Month Make your money go further in Brownsville, Texas. By Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeared in print or online for Travel + Leisure, Time, Los Angeles Times, Glamour, and many more. You'll usually find her in an airport. If you do see her there, please say hello." tabindex="0" data-inline-tooltip="true"> Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeared in print or online for Travel + Leisure, Time, Los Angeles Times, Glamour, and many more. You'll usually find her in an airport. If you do see her there, please say hello. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on February 15, 2024 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Sean Pavone/Getty Images Thinking of retiring soon? Or just want to daydream about the day you can? Then it’s time to not only get your finances in order but also to think about ways to save — including moving to an all-new destination where your retirement savings can go even further. And, according to a new report by Insider Monkey, a website dedicated to sharing the best investment ideas, there’s one spot in Texas we should all consider for living out our golden years. The website released its list of the top five southern cities to retire in for less than $1,500, specifically calling out the town of Brownsville, Texas, as its top pick. “With a zoo, state and historical parks, and wildlife refuges, Brownsville offers a happening retirement period for nature enthusiasts,” the website explained of the town located on the western Gulf Coast. “The cherry on top is the cost of living – 25% lower than the national average – that leaves senior citizens with a spending budget for the nicer things in life.” As Insider Monkey additionally reported, the average monthly rent in town is just $775, while the average monthly cost of groceries for one person is just $288, keeping living expenses well below that $1,500 threshold. And with more than 12 percent of the local population sitting over the age of 65, you’ll have plenty of great company. To come to this conclusion, the team compiled both its own data and data via FinanceBuzz, Forbes, and others. Once a seed list was compiled, it then shortlisted the top picks by addressing the cost of living index and livability scores via data from Best Places and Area Vibes. Cities with a cost of living index above 90 and a livability score of below 65 were removed from the list. It also took into account the average monthly cost of rent via Zumper and the average cost of groceries via data from the Economic Policy Institute. Finally, the top cities were ranked according to their cost of living, with the top spot going to the city with the lowest cost of living and the livability score used as a tie-breaker. Two more Texas cities join Brownsville on the list, including McAllen, Texas, in second place thanks to its cost of living being 24 percent lower than the national average. There, the monthly average rent hits just $735, while the average cost of groceries for one is $287. The third and fourth spots are both found in Virginia, including Lynchburg, where the average rent is just over $1,000 a month, and Roanoke, where the average rent is $1,149. Rounding out the top five is Lubbock, Texas, where the average rent is just $675. Though lower than the others, Lubbock loses points due to its lower livability score of 78. See all the findings, and maybe find your perfect retirement destination, at insidermonkey.com.