El Paso vs Duncan
Single · Comfortable · $3,000/mo
El Paso is approximately 33% less expensive than Duncan based on cost of living including rent. This makes El Paso a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
El Paso has a FIRE Score of 75/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 70, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: El Paso is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
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Best in rowUnited States
El Paso
Canada
Duncan
Estimates from published local prices. N/A means no figure is published for that city.
About these cities
About El Paso
El Paso is the rare American city where a single adult can live on $1,550/mo and a three-bedroom in the center still costs $1,150/mo, all while the cost of living index sits at 49/100 and a monthly transit pass runs $29/mo. The trade-offs are real: the expat community is small, English proficiency is mostly common in tourist areas, and the retiree score of 62/100 lags well behind the 75/100 marks for overall expat life and FIRE. Safety is a genuine strength at a 70/100 index with crime at 30/100, and the subtropical climate keeps winters mild at 1,133 m of elevation. If you want cheap rent, clean air at 35 AQI, and a low-key border city rather than a built-in social scene, El Paso delivers; if you need a ready-made expat crowd, look elsewhere.
About United States
Best for families seeking high English proficiency and excellent air travel access, with no retiree or digital nomad visa available. Internet speed of 390.28 Mbps and a large expat community support remote work, but the cost of living index is 100 (global baseline). Key trade-off: no retirement or digital nomad visa, and a complex pathway to residency or citizenship limits long-term stays.
Duncan costs roughly 73% less than El Paso. El Paso leads on digital nomad infrastructure. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
El Paso is approximately 33% less expensive than Duncan based on cost of living including rent. This makes El Paso a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
El Paso has a FIRE Score of 75/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 70, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: El Paso is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
El Paso
United StatesAbout El Paso
El Paso is the rare American city where a single adult can live on $1,550/mo and a three-bedroom in the center still costs $1,150/mo, all while the cost of living index sits at 49/100 and a monthly transit pass runs $29/mo. The trade-offs are real: the expat community is small, English proficiency is mostly common in tourist areas, and the retiree score of 62/100 lags well behind the 75/100 marks for overall expat life and FIRE. Safety is a genuine strength at a 70/100 index with crime at 30/100, and the subtropical climate keeps winters mild at 1,133 m of elevation. If you want cheap rent, clean air at 35 AQI, and a low-key border city rather than a built-in social scene, El Paso delivers; if you need a ready-made expat crowd, look elsewhere.
About United States
Best for families seeking high English proficiency and excellent air travel access, with no retiree or digital nomad visa available. Internet speed of 390.28 Mbps and a large expat community support remote work, but the cost of living index is 100 (global baseline). Key trade-off: no retirement or digital nomad visa, and a complex pathway to residency or citizenship limits long-term stays.
$1,367/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
About Duncan
Duncan is a tiny town of 5 thousand people where a single adult can live on $1,100/mo, and a 1-bedroom outside the centre runs $1,035/mo. The tradeoff is a small expat community and a local net salary of $3,074/mo, so remote work matters more than local wages. With an 86/100 expat score, 85/100 safety index, and 2 km to YGG, it suits quiet savers who do not need big-city noise.
About Canada
Canada taxes hard: expect 33% federal plus up to 21.8% provincial, a real drag on FIRE math. A retirement visa exists, so retirees do have a potential entry path, though it's not always straightforward. But remote workers and digital nomads should look past this, given a 9/10 expat friendliness score and 379.96 Mbps average internet. A 1BR apartment averaging $1,304.56/mo confirms the tax hit is the real cost center here, not rent.
$1,159/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
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| Metric | El Paso | Duncan |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $912.76 | $1209.87 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $684.57 | $1034.53 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $1150 | $2267.78 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $950 | $2080.75 |
| Safety Index | 70 | 85 |
| Internet Speed | 85Mbps | 90Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | El Paso | Duncan |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | N/A | $1,841/mo |
| Excluding rent | N/A | $806/mo |
| Rent | N/A | $1,035/mo |
| Groceries | N/A | $269/mo |
| Dining out | N/A | $175/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | N/A | $132/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | N/A | $170/mo |
| Transport | N/A | $60.00/mo |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
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