Most retirement advice assumes two people: two Social Security checks, two sets of savings and one shared house. But more than one in four Americans 65 and older live alone, and many more will at some point, after a divorce or the death of a spouse.
Living alone in retirement is not simply half the cost of living as a couple. Rent, property taxes, the internet bill and the car cost about the same whether one person or two share them. That makes planning a solo retirement its own exercise.
Here is what the numbers say, a sample monthly budget, and how it stacks up against Social Security.
The short answer
A single retiree in reasonable health typically needs somewhere between $2,800 and $4,000 a month, depending mostly on housing:
- Own your home outright: about $2,800 to $3,000 a month
- Renting: about $3,500 to $3,800 a month
- Still paying a mortgage: often $4,000 or more
Two independent measures point to the same range:
- The Elder Index, built by the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, estimates that a single older adult needs about $34,000 a year, or roughly $2,830 a month, on average nationally just to cover basic needs. The figure ranges from about $2,169 a month in Wayne County, West Virginia, to $3,733 in Orange County, California.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that one-person households of all ages spent an average of $48,794 in 2024, about $4,066 a month. That includes working-age singles with commuting and work costs, so it runs higher than most retirees need.
A sample budget for a single retiree
This example is for a 70-year-old living alone who owns a paid-off home, drives one car and is on Original Medicare with a supplement. Figures marked as estimates are typical amounts; swap in your own.
| Expense | Monthly amount | Where the number comes from |
| Property tax, home insurance and upkeep | $600 | Estimate; varies widely by state |
| Utilities (electric, gas, water, trash) | $300 | Estimate based on national averages |
| Groceries | $396 | USDA moderate-cost food plan, woman 71+, August 2026, plus the 20% adjustment USDA recommends for one-person households |
| Eating out | $100 | Estimate |
| Car insurance, gas and maintenance | $400 | Estimate; car insurance for a 70-year-old averages about $200 a month (Insure.com) |
| Medicare Part B | $203 | 2026 standard premium, $202.90 |
| Medigap Plan G and Part D drug plan | $199 | Estimate; Plan G averaged about $159 a month for a 65-year-old woman in 2026, plus about $40 for a drug plan |
| Out-of-pocket health, dental, vision | $100 | Estimate |
| Phone and internet | $120 | Estimate |
| Clothing and personal care | $100 | Estimate |
| Gifts, hobbies, entertainment | $150 | Estimate |
| Buffer for irregular costs | $200 | Recommended cushion |
| Total | about $2,870 |
Change one line and the total moves fast. Replace the $600 housing line with $1,400 in rent and renters’ insurance, and the budget climbs to about $3,670 a month. Add a $1,200 mortgage payment instead, and it passes $4,000.
Why living alone costs more per person
A couple does not spend twice what a single person spends. Several things explain the gap:
- Housing is the same size bill. Rent, property tax, home insurance and repairs do not shrink because one person lives there.
- Fixed monthly bills. Internet, streaming, trash pickup and the base charge on your utilities cost the same for one or two.
- Groceries cost more per person. USDA suggests adding 20% to its food plan costs for one-person households because smaller packages and more waste raise the price per serving.
- Only one car, but it still has to be insured and maintained. Giving it up often isn’t practical outside cities.
- Help costs money. When something goes wrong, there is no spouse to drive you to appointments or help after a surgery. Paid help, even a few hours, adds up.
How it compares with Social Security
The average Social Security retirement benefit was about $2,071 a month in January 2026. For a single homeowner on the budget above, that leaves a gap of roughly $800 a month. For a renter, the gap is about $1,600 a month.
In yearly terms:
| Situation | Monthly budget | Average Social Security | Monthly gap | Yearly gap |
| Own home outright | $2,870 | $2,071 | $799 | $9,588 |
| Renting | $3,670 | $2,071 | $1,599 | $19,188 |
| Paying a mortgage | $4,070 | $2,071 | $1,999 | $23,988 |
That gap has to come from somewhere: a pension, withdrawals from savings, part-time work, or cutting costs. Using the common guideline of withdrawing about 4% of savings a year, closing a $9,600 yearly gap would take roughly $240,000 in savings. Closing a $19,000 gap would take about $480,000.
Research from the Elder Index team has found that more than half of older adults living alone do not have enough income to cover their basic costs, so if the numbers feel tight, that is common, and there are levers you can pull.
Ways to make a solo retirement budget work
Tackle housing first. It is the biggest line and the one with the most room to change. Options include paying off the mortgage before retiring, moving to a smaller or less expensive home, renting out a room, or sharing a home with a friend or relative. Some areas have home-sharing programs that match older homeowners with renters.
Claim every property tax break. Most states offer senior homestead exemptions, freezes or credits, and nearly all require an application. See our state-by-state guide to senior property tax exemptions.
Check your Social Security timing. For a single person, each year you delay claiming past full retirement age, up to age 70, raises your benefit by 8%. If you were married for 10 years or more, or your spouse has died, you may also qualify for divorced spouse or survivor benefits that are higher than your own.
Review Medicare choices every fall. Plan premiums and drug coverage change each year. During open enrollment, from October 15 to December 7, compare plans on Medicare.gov. If your income is limited, check whether you qualify for a Medicare Savings Program or Extra Help with drug costs.
Keep one car, or none. If you drive little, a low-mileage or pay-per-mile policy and a mature driver course discount can lower insurance costs. In some towns, rideshare and senior transportation services cost less than keeping a car.
Build a support plan, not just a budget. Decide who you would call if you needed help for a few weeks. Know what a home care agency charges near you. Put your wishes in writing with a power of attorney and health care proxy, so decisions do not fall to someone guessing.
If you are in your 40s or 50s and expect to retire single
The earlier you plan for a one-income retirement, the more options you have. A few steps make the biggest difference:
- Aim to have the house paid off by retirement. For single retirees, a mortgage-free home is often the difference between a comfortable budget and a stretched one.
- Max out catch-up contributions. From age 50, you can put extra money into a 401(k) and an IRA each year.
- Check your Social Security record at ssa.gov and make sure every year of earnings is there. Your benefit is based on your highest 35 years.
- Price long-term care insurance while premiums are lower. Without a spouse to help at home, paid care is more likely.
- Keep an emergency fund of six to twelve months of expenses. With one income, there is no second paycheck to fall back on.
Things single retirees should know about taxes and benefits
- Tax brackets are narrower for single filers. In 2026, the 22% federal bracket starts above $50,400 of taxable income for a single filer, compared with $100,800 for a married couple filing jointly.
- The new senior deduction helps. From 2025 through 2028, people 65 and older can deduct up to $6,000 on top of the standard deduction, phasing out above $75,000 of modified adjusted gross income for single filers.
- Medicare surcharges start sooner. In 2026, higher Medicare premiums (IRMAA) apply above $109,000 of income for a single person, half the $218,000 threshold for couples.
Frequently asked questions
Can a single person live on Social Security alone? In some low-cost areas, a homeowner with no mortgage can come close, especially with a benefit above the average. For most people, Social Security alone does not cover a typical budget, so savings or other income are needed.
How much should a single person have saved for retirement? It depends on the gap between your expected spending and your guaranteed income. As a rough guide, multiply the yearly gap by 25. A $10,000 yearly gap suggests about $250,000 in savings.
How much does a single senior spend on groceries? USDA’s moderate-cost food plan for a woman 71 or older works out to about $396 a month once the one-person adjustment is added. For a man 71 or older, it is about $436.
Sources
- Gerontology Institute, University of Massachusetts Boston, Elder Index (2025 update), as reported by the Deseret News in April 2026
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, one-person consumer units (via FRED)
- USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, Official Food Plans, August 2026
- Social Security Administration, 2026 COLA fact sheet
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 2026 Part B premium and IRMAA thresholds
- Internal Revenue Service, 2026 tax brackets and the enhanced deduction for seniors
- Insure.com, car insurance for seniors, 2026
Sample figures are estimates for illustration. Your costs will differ. This article is general information, not financial advice.
