When you retire, you will have some major expenses. Do you know what they are?
Food, groceries and utilities will probably take their fair share of your budget, as they did during your working years. But what are you missing?
Following are some retirement costs that people often underestimate, if not entirely forget to figure into their financial calculations — along with an idea of how much they might cost you during your golden years.
1. Health insurance
You’ll have Medicare in retirement so you don’t need to worry about health insurance, right? Not exactly.
First, if you retire early, you’ll need to buy your own healthcare coverage for a few years. Unless you qualify for Medicare early because of a disability, you won’t be eligible for the federal health insurance program until you’re 65.
Next, Medicare does not mean totally free healthcare. In fact, for many Medicare recipients, recurring costs like premiums and deductibles tend to rise each year.
Some seniors have the option to buy a supplemental insurance plan, also known as a Medigap policy, to cover some costs Medicare doesn’t cover. But even if it saves you more money than it costs you, a Medigap policy is still an expense in itself.
How much this retirement expense costs: U.S. households led by someone who is age 65 or older spent $7,799 on healthcare in 2024, on average, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
2. Long-term care
Long-term care is among the expenses that Medicare generally does not cover.
Another government health insurance program, Medicaid, does cover long-term care, but you must have a low income to be eligible for Medicaid.
So, unless you had the foresight to purchase a long-term care insurance policy — not cheap in and of itself — you might have to cover the cost of long-term care yourself if you need it.
How much this retirement expense costs: In 2025, national median costs ranged from $2,058 per month for adult day healthcare at a community or assisted living facility to $10,798 per month for a private room at a nursing home, according to the Genworth Cost of Care Survey.
3. Home renovations to age in place
Around 75% of seniors would stay in their current home for the rest of their lives if they could, according to a 2024 survey by AARP.
Known as “aging in place,” this practice brings its own set of costs. Doorways may need to be widened for wheelchair passage, a bedroom added to the main floor or a bathroom renovated to accommodate the limited mobility that often comes with advanced age.
How much this retirement expense costs: Costs vary widely, depending on the project and its extent. We examine the price of some projects in “5 Home Improvements That Help You ‘Age in Place’.”
4. Federal income taxes
Federal income taxes are not necessarily an expense that stops when your working years end.
If your income drops when you retire, your taxes likely will drop too. But that doesn’t mean your federal income tax bill will fall to $0.
There are some types of retirement income that Uncle Sam generally cannot touch. But other types of retirement income — including withdrawals from traditional retirement plans — often are taxable.
Even Social Security retirement benefits are taxable in certain situations. About half of retiree households do owe taxes on a portion of their Social Security benefits, according to the Senior Citizens League.
How much this retirement expense costs: On average, according to the BLS, U.S. households led by someone age 65 or older paid $4,343 in federal income taxes in 2023, the last year the agency provided the estimate.
5. State income taxes
As with federal income taxes, state income taxes don’t necessarily end when you stop working. And if you live in an area that levies local income taxes, those won’t necessarily stop either.
For example, some states tax Social Security benefits, and many states tax certain other types of retirement income to some extent.
How much this retirement expense costs: According to the BLS, U.S. households led by someone age 65 or older paid $929 in state and local income taxes in 2023, which is the last year the agency estimated tax liabilities for households.
6. Transportation
If you’re not driving to work anymore, you may not even get in your car for days at a time. This is good if you have a paid-off car that is in good condition and has minimal wear and tear. But if you drive an older model or you’re still making payments on your car, owning a car can become an expensive investment for a retiree.
If you have been a two-car family, it might be time to sell one and pocket the cash. Even if the car is paid off, you’ll save on insurance and other ongoing costs. Or, depending on where you live, you could start using public transportation and ditch driving altogether.
If nothing else, consider whether a car warranty is right for you if you aren’t ready to let go of your vehicle.
How much this retirement expense costs: U.S. households led by someone age 65 or older spent $9,538 on transportation costs in 2024, on average, according to the BLS. That amount includes $3,510 for vehicle purchases, $1,623 for gas, $814 for maintenance and repairs, and $1,558 for insurance.
7. Travel
While having the free time to travel is one of the best retirement perks, that travel can come at a cost — even after taking advantage of senior discounts.
How much this retirement expense costs: On average, a four-night domestic vacation costs $581, and a 12-day international vacation costs $3,251, according to ValuePenguin.
8. Needy adult children
Beware the dreaded boomerang kids! Much has been written about adult children returning home to roost, but that shouldn’t be your only concern.
No, you also have to worry about children who might ask you to co-sign loans before they bail on the payments, leaving you to hold the bill. Or they may need your money to pay their rent, student loans, phone bills or any of dozens of other possible expenses.
How much this retirement expense costs: Costs can vary widely, depending on how many children you have, their financial situations and your willingness to say “no.”
The good news is that you can avoid this expense entirely by saying no or choosing cost-free ways to help children who are struggling financially — see “6 Ways to Help Adult Children Without Going Broke.”
9. Entertainment
The more free time you have, the more you’ll be able to indulge in entertainment.
Shows like musicals, plays and other live performances don’t come cheap, though. Consider buying a theater season pass or buying tickets to small, local theaters rather than larger ones. You’ll not only support the local arts community, but also likely save some money.
If you’re into watching more live sports in retirement, consider watching local, regional or school teams, rather than professional sports teams.
How much this retirement expense costs: U.S. households led by someone age 65 or older spent $602 on entertainment-related fees and admissions in 2024, on average, according to the BLS.
10. Inflation
This isn’t something you can pencil into your budget as a line item, but as we all have learned recently, inflation can’t be ignored. You have to plan for what the next 10, 20 or 30 years will bring.
Clearly, the widespread belief that we could never return to the age of double-digit inflation rates — which were last seen in the early 1980s — has been challenged since the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the annual inflation rate peaked at 9.1%.
Inflation has the potential to erode your money’s purchasing power and push up the cost of everything you buy — from food to rent to travel.
How much this retirement expense costs: Again, no one knows for sure where inflation will go in the future. But prices might remain elevated for a while.
11. A long life
People are living much longer than they used to. A long life means extended opportunities to enjoy friends, family and hobbies, but it also compounds all the expenses detailed in this story.
Perhaps most notably, it gives inflation more time to eat away at the value of retirement savings and means more years covering healthcare expenses.
There is no way to eliminate most of these expenses in retirement, but there also is no reason to get blindsided. Work these costs into your financial plan so you’ll be ready for whatever may come.
How much this retirement expense costs: The cost of living a long life is even more difficult to predict than inflation. It is directly tied to how long you live, which depends on various aspects of your health.
To give you an idea, though, the Social Security Administration provides these averages:
- A man turning 65 today can expect to live to about age 84.
- A woman turning 65 today can expect to live to about 87.
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