Retirement in Lewes
Work out if you're on track - we'll help you understand where you stand
Lewes offers a 15% above average cost of living compared to the UK average. With average house prices at £364,996 and annual living costs of £43,700, here's what you need to know about retiring comfortably in Lewes.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do I need to retire in Lewes?
It depends on your annual living costs. The standard method: take what you'll spend each year in retirement, subtract your State Pension, and multiply the gap by 25. The calculator on this page does this using Lewes's average living costs, and you can adjust the figures to match your own lifestyle.
What is the 4% rule?
The 4% rule says you can withdraw 4% of your retirement pot in your first year of retirement, adjusting for inflation each year after, with a low historical risk of running out over 30 years. It's the basis of the 25× multiplier: a pot of 25 times your annual spending gap supports a 4% withdrawal rate.
Does the State Pension count towards my retirement number?
Yes, and it makes a big difference. The full new State Pension is £12,548 per year (2026/27), paid from age 67. You only need your savings and pensions to cover the gap between your annual living costs and that amount, which is why the calculation subtracts it before applying the 25× multiplier.
How much do I need to retire early, before the State Pension starts?
Retiring before 67 means your pot has to cover your full living costs for the bridge years until the State Pension begins, with nothing subtracted. Each bridge year adds roughly one year of full living costs to your target, so retiring at 60 in Lewes needs a meaningfully bigger pot than retiring at 67.
About Retirement Planning in Lewes
Lewes has an average house price of £364,996, which is 24% higher than the UK average of £295,000 (ONS UK House Price Index, March 2026).
Annual living costs in Lewes are estimated at £43,700, above the UK average of £38,000, reflecting the local cost of living in South East.
The local property market offers a range of options for retirees, from flats to family homes, at prices reflecting local demand and supply.
Data sources: ONS UK House Price Index, ONS Family Spending Survey, Land Registry.
Your Lewes Retirement Number
per year
£12,548
£12,548/yr at age 67
£31,152
Annual costs − State Pension
£778,800
25× gap (4% rule)
This does not include your primary residence
Based on 4% withdrawal rate · Assuming retirement at state pension age · Lewes cost of living data · UK State Pension 2026/27
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Explore Other Locations in South East
| Location | Region | Avg House Price | Living Costs | Avg retirement number @ 4% SWR | Avg total net worth required |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| How much do you need to retire in Adur | South East | £368,910 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,147,710 |
| How much do you need to retire in Arun | South East | £320,350 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,099,150 |
| How much do you need to retire in Ashford | South East | £341,710 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,120,510 |
| How much do you need to retire in Basingstoke and Deane | South East | £372,276 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,151,076 |
| How much do you need to retire in Bracknell Forest | South East | £390,219 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,169,019 |
| How much do you need to retire in Brighton and Hove | South East | £403,808 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,182,608 |
| How much do you need to retire in Buckinghamshire | South East | £478,219 | £35,340 | £569,800 | £1,048,019 |
| How much do you need to retire in Canterbury | South East | £341,331 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,120,131 |
| How much do you need to retire in Cherwell | South East | £351,051 | £34,580 | £550,800 | £901,851 |
| How much do you need to retire in Chichester | South East | £426,958 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,205,758 |
| How much do you need to retire in Crawley | South East | £330,955 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,109,755 |
| How much do you need to retire in Dartford | South East | £341,447 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,120,247 |
| How much do you need to retire in Dover | South East | £276,156 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,054,956 |
| How much do you need to retire in East Hampshire | South East | £437,074 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,215,874 |
| How much do you need to retire in Eastbourne | South East | £255,473 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,034,273 |
| How much do you need to retire in Eastleigh | South East | £308,958 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,087,758 |
| How much do you need to retire in Elmbridge | South East | £759,229 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,538,029 |
| How much do you need to retire in Epsom and Ewell | South East | £552,902 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,331,702 |
| How much do you need to retire in Fareham | South East | £333,822 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,112,622 |
| How much do you need to retire in Folkestone and Hythe | South East | £312,914 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,091,714 |
| How much do you need to retire in Gosport | South East | £237,267 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,016,067 |
| How much do you need to retire in Gravesham | South East | £340,305 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,119,105 |
| How much do you need to retire in Guildford | South East | £525,805 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,304,605 |
| How much do you need to retire in Hart | South East | £478,996 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,257,796 |
| How much do you need to retire in Hastings | South East | £236,670 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,015,470 |
| How much do you need to retire in Havant | South East | £316,718 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,095,518 |
| How much do you need to retire in Horsham | South East | £440,938 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,219,738 |
| How much do you need to retire in Isle of Wight | South East | £240,291 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,019,091 |
| How much do you need to retire in Maidstone | South East | £365,560 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,144,360 |
| How much do you need to retire in Medway | South East | £297,435 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,076,235 |
| How much do you need to retire in Mid Sussex | South East | £436,223 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,215,023 |
| How much do you need to retire in Milton Keynes | South East | £323,611 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,102,411 |
| How much do you need to retire in Mole Valley | South East | £562,284 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,341,084 |
| How much do you need to retire in New Forest | South East | £374,236 | £34,580 | £550,800 | £925,036 |
| How much do you need to retire in Oxford | South East | £473,994 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,252,794 |
| How much do you need to retire in Portsmouth | South East | £249,557 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,028,357 |
| How much do you need to retire in Reading | South East | £349,144 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,127,944 |
| How much do you need to retire in Reigate and Banstead | South East | £485,962 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,264,762 |
| How much do you need to retire in Rother | South East | £339,171 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,117,971 |
| How much do you need to retire in Runnymede | South East | £475,272 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,254,072 |
| How much do you need to retire in Rushmoor | South East | £312,761 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,091,561 |
| How much do you need to retire in Sevenoaks | South East | £533,529 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,312,329 |
| How much do you need to retire in Slough | South East | £343,618 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,122,418 |
| How much do you need to retire in South Oxfordshire | South East | £473,716 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,252,516 |
| How much do you need to retire in Southampton | South East | £232,883 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,011,683 |
| How much do you need to retire in Spelthorne | South East | £434,775 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,213,575 |
| How much do you need to retire in Surrey Heath | South East | £444,970 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,223,770 |
| How much do you need to retire in Swale | South East | £287,990 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,066,790 |
| How much do you need to retire in Tandridge | South East | £498,314 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,277,114 |
| How much do you need to retire in Test Valley | South East | £373,389 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,152,189 |
| How much do you need to retire in Thanet | South East | £260,951 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,039,751 |
| How much do you need to retire in Tonbridge and Malling | South East | £402,779 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,181,579 |
| How much do you need to retire in Tunbridge Wells | South East | £449,883 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,228,683 |
| How much do you need to retire in Vale of White Horse | South East | £413,205 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,192,005 |
| How much do you need to retire in Waverley | South East | £546,965 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,325,765 |
| How much do you need to retire in Wealden | South East | £385,544 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,164,344 |
| How much do you need to retire in West Berkshire | South East | £403,498 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,182,298 |
| How much do you need to retire in West Oxfordshire | South East | £422,096 | £34,580 | £550,800 | £972,896 |
| How much do you need to retire in Winchester | South East | £471,136 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,249,936 |
| How much do you need to retire in Windsor and Maidenhead | South East | £572,790 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,351,590 |
| How much do you need to retire in Woking | South East | £445,943 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,224,743 |
| How much do you need to retire in Wokingham | South East | £486,556 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,265,356 |
| How much do you need to retire in Worthing | South East | £301,540 | £43,700 | £778,800 | £1,080,340 |