FIRE Number for Pittsburgh, United States

A one-bedroom in Brookline or Beechview, where rents are well below most Northeastern cities. Pittsburgh's bus and light rail system covers enough of the city that you can avoid owning a car if you choose the right neighborhood. Free Carnegie Museum days, the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, and neighborhood pierogi shops keep costs low. Healthcare on an ACA plan gives you access to UPMC, one of the country's top hospital systems. Winters are cold and gray, but the overall cost of living makes this budget workable.

A spacious home in Squirrel Hill or Mt. Lebanon, regular dinners at restaurants like Altius and Morcilla, and Steelers season tickets. Premium health insurance through UPMC provides strong coverage. You can keep a late-model AWD vehicle for the hills and winters, join a golf club, and travel several times a year. Pittsburgh's moderate costs mean this budget leaves real margin each month -- something that would not happen in most Northeastern metros at this spending level.

A large estate in Fox Chapel or a penthouse overlooking the three rivers, top-tier concierge medicine at UPMC, a cook who comes in several times a week, and full-time domestic help. You travel first class, keep multiple cars, and eat at the city's best restaurants without checking the bill. Pittsburgh's low cost of living at this budget level means enormous margin -- enough for a second home in the Laurel Highlands, regular charitable giving, and investments, all while living at a level that would cost far more in Boston or New York.