The 4% rule is a good one as it's (as you mention) much more likely. Also, if your withdrawal rate is 4%, the likelihood of you seeing that income until you die

The 4% rule is a good one as it's (as you mention) much more likely. Also, if your withdrawal rate is 4%, the likelihood of you seeing that income until you die is much, much higher. As stated elsewhere, getting yourself down to spending 37k a year is going to be the hardest part, no matter where you live. The problem I see, time and time again as a bystander to the financial industry is that people simple aren't saving enough, or what they have saved is overspent at a rate that's unsustainable. If one needs to live off of 24k/80k/200k a year in retirement; then their investments should reflect that.