Safest Cheap Countries to Live: The Cheapest Safest Places in the World

The safest cheap countries to live are rarely the ones that top both lists. The most peaceful nations are often expensive, and the cheapest places to live are often further down the safety rankings. This guide looks for the balance. It ranks seven of the cheapest safest places in the world by combining the 2026 Global Peace Index, which ranks 163 countries and territories, with what expats and residents report spending each month. Every cost is shown in U.S. dollars, as a range for one person and, where we could verify it, for a couple.

A note on how to read the numbers. Cost figures are estimates published by relocation and cost-of-living guides, and they move with exchange rates, your city and your lifestyle. Where a guide gave euros, forints, ringgit or Taiwan dollars, we converted at about 1.13 U.S. dollars per euro, 384 forints per euro (the rate used in the Hungarian source) and about 31.6 Taiwan dollars per U.S. dollar, and rounded. A lower peace rank number means a more peaceful country.

Safest cheap countries to live at a glance

Country	2026 peace rank (of 163)	Monthly cost, one person (approx.)
Malaysia	12	$1,010 to $1,800, including rent
Hungary	15	$730 to $1,470 depending on city
Mauritius	18	$1,300 to $1,420, including rent
Latvia	19	$1,240 to $1,915 nationwide
Vietnam	41	$700 to $1,500 depending on lifestyle
Taiwan	42	$1,070 to $1,400 in Taipei
Romania	45	$730 to $1,350 nationwide

Latvia: very safe, but the most expensive on this list

Latvia ranks 19th in the 2026 Global Peace Index, which places it among the safest countries in the world. It is also the priciest country here. One cost guide puts a comfortable single budget at about 1,100 to 1,700 euros a month nationwide (roughly $1,240 to $1,915), with Riga at 1,400 to 1,900 euros and cities outside the capital at 850 to 1,200 euros (about $960 to $1,350). The same guide says a couple typically spends 1,900 to 2,800 euros (about $2,140 to $3,155). A second index lists about $1,746 a month for one person including rent and about $2,470 for a couple, which is consistent. If safety matters most and budget is flexible, Latvia is a strong choice; leaving Riga is the main way to lower the bill.

Vietnam: low costs, a mid-table safety rank

Vietnam ranks 41st for peace, a clear step below the top of this list, but its prices are among the lowest. Two expat guides agree on the shape of the budget: a lean single budget of roughly $700 to $1,200 a month, a comfortable one of about $1,000 to $1,500, and a couple spending roughly $1,500 to $2,500 for a comfortable life, all including rent. Vietnam rewards people who adapt to local food, transport and housing; it is the best fit here for anyone whose first priority is a low monthly cost and who accepts a middle-table safety rank.

Hungary: skip Budapest and the budget drops

Hungary ranks 15th for peace, one of the best scores here. A Hungarian news outlet estimates that a single person needs about 350,000 to 500,000 forints a month in Budapest (roughly $1,030 to $1,470) and 250,000 to 380,000 forints in smaller cities (about $730 to $1,115). A separate expat guide puts Budapest at 1,000 to 1,800 euros (about $1,130 to $2,030). For couples, the Hungarian source gives 550,000 to 750,000 forints in Budapest (about $1,610 to $2,200); we found no verified couple figure for smaller cities.

Taiwan: a high-tech island with a moderate budget

Taiwan ranks 42nd for peace. In Taipei, one guide lists a comfortable single budget of 40,000 to 55,000 Taiwan dollars a month and a calculator default of about 34,000 (roughly $1,065), while a second guide gives about $1,100 to $1,400 for a single person in a mid-tier neighborhood. A one-bedroom in central Taipei rents for about 15,000 to 25,000 Taiwan dollars ($470 to $780). We did not find a sourced figure for couples, so we do not publish one; couples generally spend less than double a single person because rent and utilities are shared.

Romania: some of the lowest prices in the European Union

Romania ranks 45th for peace, the lowest rank on this list, but prices are low. One guide gives a nationwide single budget of 650 to 1,200 euros (about $730 to $1,350), with Bucharest near 1,108 euros (about $1,250) and smaller cities such as Iasi and Timisoara near 716 euros (about $810). A second guide, which assumes private health insurance and a one-bedroom flat in a reasonable district, puts Bucharest at 1,400 to 1,800 euros (about $1,580 to $2,030) and says a couple can live well on about 2,000 euros (about $2,250), though that couple figure comes from one source only.

Mauritius: a very safe island at a moderate price

Mauritius ranks 18th for peace. One cost index lists about $1,418 a month for one person including rent ($888 without rent) and about $2,026 for a couple; another guide gives about 1,149 euros (roughly $1,295) for a comfortable single lifestyle. Rent is the biggest lever: a local guide lists 15,000 to 40,000 Mauritian rupees a month for homes on the outskirts of Port Louis or in less touristy villages. The couple figure comes from a single index, so treat it as a rough guide.

Malaysia: the best balance of safety and cost

Malaysia ranks 12th for peace, the best score on this list, and its costs start low. One guide gives a single budget of 4,500 to 8,000 ringgit a month including rent (about $1,010 to $1,800), and a payments company lists about $1,296 a month for one person in Kuala Lumpur including average rent. For couples, a regional magazine reports 9,000 to 12,000 ringgit in Kuala Lumpur (about $1,910 to $2,550) and 6,500 to 9,500 ringgit in Penang (about $1,380 to $2,020), while a second guide gives 6,500 to 11,000 ringgit (about $1,465 to $2,480). That mix of a top-12 safety rank and a flexible budget is why Malaysia takes the top spot.

Frequently asked questions

What is the safest cheap country to live in?

Using the 2026 Global Peace Index and published monthly costs, Malaysia offers the best balance: it ranks 12th of 163 for peace, and a single person can live on roughly $1,010 to $1,800 a month including rent. Hungary (15th) and Mauritius (18th) are close behind on safety.

Which of these countries is cheapest to live in?

It depends on where you live. The lowest budgets in our sources are Vietnam (about $700 to $1,200 for a lean single budget), smaller Hungarian cities (about $730 to $1,115) and Romania’s smaller cities (about $810). Taiwan, Mauritius and Latvia cost more.

What is the Global Peace Index?

It is an annual ranking of 163 countries and territories published by the Institute for Economics and Peace. Rank 1 is the most peaceful, and a lower score means a more peaceful country; in 2026 Latvia scored 1.589, Hungary 1.538 and Malaysia 1.513.

These figures are estimates for planning, not financial or legal advice, and they do not cover visas, residency rules, taxes or healthcare. Check current requirements with each government before moving. For more guides like this, see our best cities to visit in Italy in winter and our ranking of the best places in California to visit, browse our Travel section, and subscribe to Mr Global Rankss on YouTube for more data driven countdowns.