I wasn't suggesting that it was safe ("more to reduce risk"). For example in Russia, there is additionally the issue of high inflation (in USD) while the prices catch up with US/UK levels, so even a 3% rule should only apply to cost of living that's about 2 times higher (adjusted for US inflation) than at present, which turns it into a 1.5% rule, or up to 15 years at 80% saving rate. Of course, if optimizing primarily for smaller working time, one should earn at a high-costs place, like Silicon Valley, and then move to a low-cost place, with possibly moving again if that place catches up.