How long can your 2 million retirement savings last? It depends on which state you retire in.

The most extreme is West Virginia—$2 million can last 71.93 years, with an annual expenditure of only $27.8k. In comparison, Hawaii, with the same $2 million, can only last 22.79 years, with an annual expenditure of up to $87.7k, a difference of three times.

Cheapest in the Central Plains: Kansas at 69 years, Mississippi at 68 years, and Alabama at 66 years, all calculated based on an annual expenditure of around 30,000. California and New York are in a tough spot, with 31 years and 39 years respectively, costing between 50,000 to 100,000 a year.

If you want to save money, a few southern states are the best choice—Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma have ridiculously low living costs. Northern cities and coastal states are generally expensive, with Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut all falling in the range of $40,000 to $60,000 in annual expenses.

Data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2023 Consumer Expenditure Survey and the Social Security Administration's 2025 Pension Data, adjusted for the cost of living index in each state. Simply put: with the same $2 million, choosing the right place can extend your life by 50 years, while choosing the wrong place could deplete it in 10 years.