They Gave Up Their Home and Budget $5,000 a Month for Airbnbs: Here's Their Retirement Trade-Off

Jamie and Keith Ochoa have given up a permanent home. The money that once covered their mortgage, homeowners association (HOA) fees, taxes, utilities, and yard work now pays for long-term Airbnb rentals, about $5,000 (£3,750) a month.

The empty nesters now move to a different part of the United States roughly every six weeks. Jamie, 59, retired after 20 years as a French teacher and plans every stop. Keith, 60, still works remotely. The couple told People they 'downsized everything' to make the change, which began four years ago.

So far in 2026, they have visited Wisconsin, Louisiana, Florida, Iowa, and South Dakota. Jamie features several of those trips in a social media series called 'Living Like a Local.'

How the $5,000 Airbnb Budget Works

Jamie said the couple totalled every monthly cost tied to their old house and made that sum their rental budget.

The US Census Bureau put the median monthly cost for American homeowners with a mortgage at $2,035 (£1,526) in 2024, a figure covering mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance, and utilities. The Ochoas' budget is nearly two and a half times that.

They choose each rental on affordability and location. For Jamie, that means staying near the sea rather than on it.

'A lot of people are thinking of their vacation Airbnb, a beachfront Airbnb that is $10,000 per week,' she said. 'We're not booking beachfront houses... I want to be at the beach, but I can't afford beachfronts, so I'm going several blocks off the beach.'

A week at that rate, about £7,500, equals two months of their budget.

Six-week stays also help them get the best price, and Airbnb advertises special rates for bookings of a month or longer.

'We've found that six weeks is enough time in any given place [so] that you can do all the things you want to do, and you're not getting too bored wishing you were on to the next thing,' Jamie said.

How the Budget Compares in the UK

Over a year, $5,000 a month comes to $60,000 (£45,000). Pensions UK estimates a couple needs £45,400 ($60,530) a year for a 'moderate' retirement and £62,700 ($83,590) for a 'comfortable' one under its 2026 Retirement Living Standards. Those figures assume retirees own their homes outright and exclude rent and mortgage costs. The Ochoas' accommodation spending alone roughly matches the full moderate budget.

Office for National Statistics data put average UK private rent at £1,400 ($1,870) a month in August 2026. The priciest local area, Kensington and Chelsea, averaged £3,690 ($4,920), slightly below the couple's monthly allowance.

What the Couple Gave Up

Heirlooms and clothes for other seasons are kept in a storage unit the couple returns to twice a year. Those visits are also when they see their doctors and dentists.

Jamie books destinations about six to eight months or more ahead and said the arrangement would not be possible if it were not her 'full-time job'.

'My husband is really great about giving me the kudos because we couldn't do it if I didn't work at it,' she said. 'It's a lot of research just to know the place. Then you've got to research the neighborhoods and the city and where you want to live. So that takes a lot of time.'

The couple has four grown children, and with relatives living in seven states, about 40% of their schedule is built around seeing them. The rest of the year goes on new places. Their stops have included Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Four Years From Empty Nest to Full-Time Travel

The move began when their youngest daughter left for college. The Ochoas first planned to travel in an RV before switching to long-term rentals.

For two years they kept a 30-year-old house as a base, travelling for three months at a time and returning for one. Once comfortable, they downsized again and later left the base behind.

Jamie's advice to others is 'Start small'.

'We loved the fact that we did it as a transition,' she said. 'You have to make it your own. My particular version of this lifestyle might not be your version. Some people might want to go out four months a year... Everybody has different needs and wants, so try it out.'