The Cost of Living in Florida: A Breakdown of 4 Major Cities
No matter the state you live in, you’ve surely heard this line on your local news station: “The cost of living is rising.” The bad news for Floridians? The cost of living in Florida is 3.81 points higher than the national average.
Many Floridians aren’t financially breezing by on their salaried jobs, though some cities are more affordable than others. Apartment List shares where some of Florida’s biggest cities fall on the cost of living scale as of early 2025. The list is ordered according to the most to least populous cities, not their cost of living numbers.
Jacksonville
- Median home price: $280,200
- Median 1-bedroom rent: $1,097
- Median 2-bedroom rent: $1,291
- Mean electricity: $175.19
- Mean gas: $7.90
- Mean water: $39.80
Miami
- Median home price: $524,600
- Median 1-bedroom rent: $1,600
- Median 2-bedroom rent: $2,119
- Mean electricity: $158.44
- Mean gas: $5.36
- Mean water: $50.89
Tampa
- Median home price: $381,000
- Median 1-bedroom rent: $1,326
- Median 2-bedroom rent: $1,655
- Mean electricity: $160.40
- Mean gas: $7.57
- Mean water: $48.87
Orlando
- Median home price: $369,400
- Median 1-bedroom rent: $1,319
- Median 2-bedroom rent: $1,639
- Mean electricity: $183.09
- Mean gas: $4.94
- Mean water: $43.62
Cheapest City
Bartow, a city located in Polk County near Lakeland and not too far of a drive from Tampa, ranks as Florida’s big city with the lowest cost of living. According to Apartment List, it’s 11.2% cheaper to live in Bartow compared to the rest of the Sunshine State. It also has an 8.4% lower cost of living compared to the national average.
In December 2024, Bartow apartments were starting at $1,050 a month on Apartment List. The city also has a median home cost of $245,600. In contrast, the national median home cost is $338,100 and that of Florida is $362,400.
Most Expensive City
Key West takes the cake as the biggest Florida city with the highest cost of living. It’s a whopping 43.7% more expensive to live in Key West compared to the rest of Florida, and the southern island is 48.2% more expensive than the national cost of living average.
The average cost of a Key West apartment on Apartment List is $2,648. Couple that with a median home cost of $1,015,000, and Key West residents need to make good money in order to get by.
Homeowners Insurance Issues
Ramsey Solutions predicts fewer people will be inclined to purchase a Florida home in the future. The reason? Homeowners insurance premiums are incredibly expensive; in the past five years alone, premiums have risen as much as 400%.
Severe weather like hurricanes, tropical storms, and heavy rain are the culprits of such high premiums. These storms can cause a lot of damage to homes, leading to more insurance claims and higher costs for insurance companies. Additionally, Florida has high property values in many areas, which means repairing or rebuilding homes can be very costly. The state also faces issues with flooding, which often requires extra coverage that adds to the insurance price.
For those who want to be a Florida homeowner, getting insurance coverage is becoming increasingly difficult. Big-name insurance companies like Farmers, Progressive, and AAA have either left Florida entirely or reduced the homeowners insurance they offer.
Wondering If Your Florida Salary Is Fair? See How It Compares to the Nation
Are you finding it hard to keep up with the Joneses? If so, you might be earning a lower-than-average salary for Floridians. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we’ll shed light on whether your income is on par with the average for Florida and the nation.
Wondering If Your Florida Salary Is Fair? See How It Compares to the Nation
Most to Least Expensive States To Retire
Are you hoping to settle down in a cheaper state during retirement? These are the states to consider and, equally important, those you’re better off avoiding.
Most to Least Expensive States to Retire Ranked From 1 to 50
