You need more than $100,000 a year to retire comfortably in 3 US states—none of which are New York

Knowing where you will live in retirement is as important as how much you will save.

In three US states, you'll need to spend six figures a year to live comfortably in retirement — more than most others, according to a recent GOBankingRates analysis.

In Hawaii, California and Massachusetts, average annual retirement spending exceeds $100,000, with Hawaii topping the list at $129,296. By contrast, retirees in West Virginia need just $58,190 a year — the lowest of any state.

At 30 years of retirement, the difference in required savings between Hawaii and West Virginia would be more than $1.25 million.

Estimates are based on average annual retirement costs for Americans age 65 and older in each state, using Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates for food, shelter, transportation, health care and utility costs. A 20% cash buffer was added to this total to ensure retirees could live “comfortably”, according to the survey.

Here's a breakdown of the three states where living comfortably will cost more than six figures, according to GOBankingRates' calculations:

• Total annual expenditure: $107,746
• 20% comfort buffer: $21,549
• A comfortable retirement annuity costy: $129,296

• Total annual expenditure: $83,906
• 20% comfort buffer: $16,781
• A comfortable retirement expense per annum: $100,687

• Total annual expenditure: $83,501
• 20% comfort buffer: $16,700
• A comfortable retirement expense per annum: $100,201

The reason retirement costs are so expensive in these states is largely because of housing, which is typically the largest expense in an American's household budget. All three states have some of the worst housing shortages in the country, driving up prices.

Food costs also play a role, especially in Hawaii, an island nation where the cost of importing goods is passed on to consumers.

Based on the data, the average annual cost to retire comfortably for the United States as a whole is $66,870 The states where you can still retire on less than $65,000 a year are mostly rural states in the South, where the cost of living tends to be lower.

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