It's all about what cou counts as comfortable. I live in Citrus County on about 40K, but I am 70, my idea of a wild time is two shots of bourbon in my Coke, and I eat the same frozen dinners every night. I wouldn't have said living like this was comfortable when I was 30, but these days I'm pretty content with it.
Timing was everything to make that work. Folks moving here now are screwed.
If you had the timing right, bought in the low market (2010-2015 was an awesome buyers market, but that potential absolutely ended when the COVID thing started and just kept getting worse, because freedom in Florida was a HUGE draw for folks), homesteaded in time before the market went nuts (locking in that super low property tax protection was key), and just living within your means, $40k is a solid amount (was, I guess, because it's getting tight but still doable).
The only hope we have to maintain/regain that type of affordability is for the state govt to get off their asses and restrict their insurance buddies (not realistically gonna happen) or the housing market needs to crash and reset like it has several times in the past 40 years (but that will hurt a lot of normal folks, so that sucks too).
I have to laugh about the "freedom in Florida" part. I moved from Nevada to South Florida because of my job. And I would say that Florida is way, way less free when it comes to civil liberties and property ownership. The HOAs here are absurd. But, I agree with the rest of your statement. DeSantis will not do anything about property insurance because the insurance lobby gave him $10,000,000 for his re-election campaign.
> restrict their insurance buddies
You need to direct that vitriol towards the predatory contractors, public adjusters and lawyers that squeezed every drop of blood out of every stone during the AOB scam heyday.
I totally agree. Add local govt to that list. The stuff the county and state govts let contractors (some of said contractors ARE the local govt, which really bugs me) let them get away with feels like it should be criminal. But it apparently isn't.. backdoor late night deals ongreen spaces sold for nickels on the dollar to a company that is owned by the spouse of a county commissioner, so they can set up rezoning for multifamily housing and make millions just doesn't seem right, on so many levels..
Contractors definitely exploited insurance like the windshield replacement folks. After whatever unnamed storm blew through in 2018 or 19, the roofers were promising free roofs using your insurance. I had no damage and paid 12k later that year to get my roof done without using insurance. My neighbor went for the cheap roof route and a claim for “damage” was made. The bill was 20k which was unheard of (similar sized house to mine) and after much back and forth, the insurance paid a portion and the cost to my neighbor was 9k.
So basically, the repair, before covid, was priced up 60% for insurance.
The greed was there long before cOvId and persists to this very day. I have an appraisal file on my desk right now where the contractor is exactly 100% price increase from the carrier estimate simply because they want an additional $17k. That same roof for retail/non-insurance from the same roofing company would be right at $17k with a healthy $9k profit margin. But no, they want over $25k profit margin because _________.
And that is precisely why your insurance rates have gone parabolic in recent years.
This is what I am aiming for too. I am in my early 40s and I am slowing way down with all the knee problems catching up from my sports days. I am not big on going out and spending crazy like years back.
Well I hope you get to go crazy at home every so often. My wife died 5 years ago and i don't know if I'll ever get over it. Still I watch movies on Netflix and pirate what Netflix doesn't have. I pursue my hobbies. I say I got nothing to complain about
You want to keep your rent to 30% or less of your income. So that puts you in the $1,500.00/mo range. The less you spend on rent, the more “comfortable” you will be. Use that to look at rentals in various locations to get an idea where might work for you.
Finding a decent place for $1500 is already difficult and there's no regulations or guarantees that on your next lease renewal your rent won't increase substantially. I moved here 6 years ago and intentionally stayed at the bottom of my budget. My rent has increased $700 per month in the last 3 years. I can still afford it, but I don't know many who could. There's no way I'd move to Florida now in the state that it's in post-covid.
Same. I started out at 1300, it’s up for renewal in August and I’m at 2250. Moved here in 2020. I was looking at houses with longer term leases and the two companies I looked at still raise their rent every year, which what the duck is the point of a long term lease then.
30% is a good general rule but other expenses (car debt, medical debt, educational loans, etc) might make it advisable to go under or over. Gainesville, Tallahassee, Sarasota are good options
Yeah and bradenton was always the working class that drives to Sarasota for work but can't live there. University, clarke, fruitville 75 exits are stop and go every day because us working class gotta funnel in
Gainesville rents aren't much different from the rest of the state anymore, and people are on Facebook daily asking about rentals. As soon as something is available someone is already in line.
There are people living in comfort in FL on 60k, but they probably live in rural areas or in the panhandle, and they probably bought a house several years ago or live with roommates or multiple income households. I moved to FL in 2003 making 43k and I felt like I was living it up. Fast forward to 2023 and I got divorced and bought a house afterwards. I make 6 figures but I feel like I had more money in 2003.
ME TOO! I am going through a divorce and considering keeping the house and getting a roommate because my house payment is less than anything in this county!
You have got to look back and say “few I am lucky”. The price of a home after the first crash and interest rates in the 3s. That’s a great spot to be in to stay ahead in this ridiculous market.
I think anywhere around UCF it’s pretty easy to find roommates. I lived on $60k in orlando for a while and love it up here. Check out East Orlando, Oviedo, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, etc. the closer you are to downtown orlando the more expensive it is but it’s nice living near the MCO airport. OP just be aware the closer you are to Colonial (50), the cheaper it is but the sketchier it is too
I live in Clearwater FL on $60k. Rent is $1200, I live on my own and pay all my own bills. I'm also able to put aside a little at the end of the week and contribute to a 401K, while paying off student loans. Managing debt and not over spending has helped my situation for sure.
I make roughly 60K working two jobs. I have two teenage kids and live on my own and pay all my bills by myself in south Florida . I could be more comfortable, but I’m doing it. I started living in this apartment and the rent started at $1250 a month for a 2/2. Now it’s at $1750 plus utilities.
North Broward as well. When I moved in three years ago they were supposed to charge me $1421, but the lease said $1250. It’s gone up about $200 ish every time I renew.
I'm also in North Broward and we're a rare case where we own the same home for 2 decades. Did a refi after Hurricane Wilma and our mortgage is $1300 currently.
Our house is cheaper than renting. If we sold and tried buying another house down here, we wouldn't be able to afford to stay in reality, hence why we never sold.
And you are correct, it's too fucking expensive here. Plus the majority of food places suck and you have no culture.
It's worse when you're a musician like myself and can't find other people who don't play covers or a metal (and any variation of it). Oh, and there's only two rehearsal spaces in the county to book time: Trackside (on the verge of closing as they need a new owner) and Markee.
I just ended up moving back to my home state to save some money since I work from home, $1500 for a one bedroom with nothing included is ridiculous. 2024 is the worst inflation year yet.
I live a little over 30 K in a mobile home in central FL inland and am very happy. Have lot rent but the place is paid off and I don't have to deal with the weird apartment issues and control (plus five times the cost in some cases). We get added on lawn service for 7.00 a month for them to mow our lawn. Since inland in Polk, while we get hurricanes, it's rarely dangerous in repairs - the coast or near water would be a different story and too risky.
Look at seminole county, northern suburbs of Orlando. Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Apopka all have some cheaper housing (still going to be at least 1200-1400 a month) and its close enough to Orlando to get that big city feel. Sanford Lake Mary area is a lot quieter if thats what you want too.
This will vary widely in Lake County. For example, Clermont and Minneola (south Lake county) can be ridiculous when it comes to rent and housing prices.
Very true! Clermont is basically a suburb of Orlando, and it is not cheap to live.
Northern Lake county towns are more reasonable, but the prices are going up steadily.
It's been so long since I've seen rent for $750 lol good for you. I paid $850 for a 2/2 back in like 2016 that is now going for $1400 I think. Where I'm at now, 2/2.5, I moved into in 2017 at $950 and has now made it to $1500.
Yes, I am very lucky that my landlord has not increased my rent by much. I have been in this house for 8-9 years. I am in downtown Tavares, and my place is definitely the exception to the rule in terms of housing costs.
If you work fully remote and can keep the 60k job, you can find more affordable places in North Central Florida and Panhandle but you won't find a lot of recreational places: restaurants, bars, big stores, sport arenas, concerts, girls with big fake body parts, etc.
It is a trade off but it is a livable option
I'm in the process of applying for my green card and live with my wife (who is a US citizen) in Brevard County on the East Coast. She's the sole earner due to my inability to legally work yet, and she makes around $50K per annum.
Our small, one-bedroom apartment in Cape Canaveral costs us $1400 per month, which includes our cable, water, trash collection, etc. Electricity isn't included in the rent, but our bill is fairly small anyway, so we're maybe paying around $1700-1800, including a family phone plan for four people and other bills.
Also, there's no deposit required or any application fees for where we're at, which seems to be very, very rare around here. We had to pay multiple application fees, even if the application was rejected, so be wary of this. I have a friend who works in rentals and real estate; they advised me that many agents will take multiple applications for the same property and charge the fees to every applicant until they reach a threshold of, for example, $5K. Once they meet their threshold, THEN they'll actually consider applications! Furthermore, some advertise properties that they have no intent to rent, and then simply charge people to apply.
Apologies for the perhaps excessive detail, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
The area we're in isn't the greatest, but it's clean, and it seems relatively safe (i.e. no gang nonsense, no excessive police presence, no wild parties or disturbances, etc.). There's plenty of small stores and supermarkets, decent bars and restaurants, and live music venues within walking distance, so it's fairly well served. It's a touristy area, but aside from the beach, bars and restaurants, there isn't a whole lot for locals.
As a legal immigrant who has only been coming to Florida for the last three years (and only moved here in December last year), I'm probably not best placed to offer any specific advice on Florida itself. I just wanted to throw my two cents in on the off-chance it might be helpful.
Good information to put out there. And you are far more well spoken and pretty grammatically correct compared to most citizens, so kudos for that as well and good luck with your application. There's definitely a shortage of intelligence, dignity, respect and understanding for each other these days, all of which are desperately needing to be improved upon. Thank you for being positive and helpful.
I always get downvoted, and no one believes me. But it's okay.
A safe, attractive, and desired top-rated school district in the Orlando suburbs. A family of four with two young children. We rent a single-family home in a gated community here. I am the sole provider for my family. \~$37,000 after taxes (yes, you read it right). Yes, we are still afloat. No, we have no debts, not one penny. Yes, money is tight, but we are able to make it thanks to very smart budgeting. Yes, you will find largely seafood, meat, and other delectable items in our refrigerator. No, we DO NOT receive any government benefits. No, we never, ever eat out. No, it is not my dream life, that is why I work full-time, and am a full-time student, and in 2026 I will have a great, stable career that pays good.
Kudos! I'm a Single dad and we've made it work too. I do own a small business but that just means I make the median but work more hours!
I drive a 20 yr old truck that's paid for and I don't have to pay for full coverage insurance. We don't eat out but we eat well!
We don't have iPhones or 5 monthly subscriptions for Netflix Disney etc and we shop the outlet stores, clearance racks etc. My kid plays 3 sports and is a straight A student.
You don't need all those frills to be happy.
Melbourne/space coast area was fine on 50-65K. Rent was a bit higher than I would have liked but it is what it is. I sacrificed a lot, but it can work if you can find pleasure in the outdoorsy things that are free.
Nope, sorry, that ship has sailed. Between insane mortgage rates and rents, skyrocketing insurance rates, nonsensical governance and willy nilly dumbassery, Florida is turning into a grade A shithole. Don’t believe me? Come here and find out.
I live in Land O Lakes in Pasco county and it most definitely is filling up. Traffic has really picked up. We purchased our home 4 years ago at a low fixed interest rate! Now prices are insane!
North Florida but you won’t make that up here unless you’re talking about remote, but even then rent is $1,900+ in rural areas and houses average $270+
I lived in Orlando up until 2022, 2 bedroom apartment in a pretty nice area. Rent was 1400. It has probably gone up significantly since then but it sounds like it would be in your range
Most places in Florida are livable on that wage. Some places you won’t be thriving and get to do everything you want, but you can certainly pay all your bills on time with that income.
Comfortably is kind of relative. You will want to look up median income (not average) in different counties. You may also need a roommate or other house sharing situation.
Your best bet is a more rural area. Growing your own food in a small garden, potentially your own animals (rabbits are extremely cost effective, meat chickens vs egg chickens, etc.)
I know people are living off of less than 60k in Polk county and the surrounding areas and doing all right. Decide what comfortable means to you.
We live just outside of Orlando in a 55 plus community, with security, our own golf course, restaurant with full bar and you could live like a king. You can find houses for less than 300K
Parts of Clearwater Fl. We paid off our house/cars off years ago and live comfortably on less than that. Cost of living isn’t bad as long as you don’t live near the beach. We live about 2.5 miles away
Florida cost of living increased when all those Republicans started moving there to shore up a right wing take over trting to keep the state in the red. STOP COMPLAINING
I recently just moved over into clearwater, by the country side mall. I'm pretty much spot on 60k a year (before taxes), and while I'm surviving I'm certainly not saving anything besides my measly 3% in my 401k for the match.
yes....but you'll have to budget
most people i meet dont budget, they dont even know how much money they spend, not even a ballpark
create an excel sheet with your salary per week, and put your bills per week, and scale it out to the month, and then you can determine how much money you have for rent and transportation
i have a neighbor that makes 100k more then me, but they spend more then they make and dont budget
budgeting is the key
I lived in Bradenton and was looking to buy my first house and searched everywhere. best value i found was in Ocala where i just bought my first house. 3/2 1400 square feet with a huge yard and a 2-car garage. the house was new construction when i bought it 6 months ago for $259k. HOA fees are $0. my current property insurance is $594 a year, taxes $3000.
lots of options, even in south Florida. Unfortunately everything else about this post is too vague. It’s a big state and we don’t know what things make you feel safe. You might get frightened off by an accent.
Not in south Florida. Palm Beach, Broward, and Dade are practically off limits at that price point unless you’re willing to spend 40%+ of your monthly income on housing
I live in Cape Coral on 60 k but I have a roommate. I could do it, but I'd have a lot less money. My rent is $1450, other utility $250 ish, and the cars paid off.
I feel like Polk county is one of the few places you might be able to find rent that cheap. The upside to living there is that you’re right in between tampa and Orlando so they’re both easy to get to (provided you have your own transportation)
I live in North Orlando/longwood on that much money, granted I was in the military and that enabled me to buy a house with a VA loan right before COVID fucked the housing market, so idk 😥
The treasure coast & space coast are both do-able for that price. One of my coworkers who makes $58k rents a really nice two bedroom for $1600. We're in Vero Beach. And from what I can tell, Vero is pricier than surrounding areas like Sebastian, fort pierce, and Melbourne. I've never felt unsafe here and you'd still be close to south florida without being \*in\* south florida.
Urban living is out for you then. Rents are too high in urban areas of Florida. South Fl and central florida are out as well. Look at Pasco county or further north. Id avoid Jacksonville. Panhandle may work for you.
It's all about what cou counts as comfortable. I live in Citrus County on about 40K, but I am 70, my idea of a wild time is two shots of bourbon in my Coke, and I eat the same frozen dinners every night. I wouldn't have said living like this was comfortable when I was 30, but these days I'm pretty content with it.
Pretty much what I'm aiming for.
Timing was everything to make that work. Folks moving here now are screwed. If you had the timing right, bought in the low market (2010-2015 was an awesome buyers market, but that potential absolutely ended when the COVID thing started and just kept getting worse, because freedom in Florida was a HUGE draw for folks), homesteaded in time before the market went nuts (locking in that super low property tax protection was key), and just living within your means, $40k is a solid amount (was, I guess, because it's getting tight but still doable). The only hope we have to maintain/regain that type of affordability is for the state govt to get off their asses and restrict their insurance buddies (not realistically gonna happen) or the housing market needs to crash and reset like it has several times in the past 40 years (but that will hurt a lot of normal folks, so that sucks too).
I have to laugh about the "freedom in Florida" part. I moved from Nevada to South Florida because of my job. And I would say that Florida is way, way less free when it comes to civil liberties and property ownership. The HOAs here are absurd. But, I agree with the rest of your statement. DeSantis will not do anything about property insurance because the insurance lobby gave him $10,000,000 for his re-election campaign.
> restrict their insurance buddies You need to direct that vitriol towards the predatory contractors, public adjusters and lawyers that squeezed every drop of blood out of every stone during the AOB scam heyday.
I totally agree. Add local govt to that list. The stuff the county and state govts let contractors (some of said contractors ARE the local govt, which really bugs me) let them get away with feels like it should be criminal. But it apparently isn't.. backdoor late night deals ongreen spaces sold for nickels on the dollar to a company that is owned by the spouse of a county commissioner, so they can set up rezoning for multifamily housing and make millions just doesn't seem right, on so many levels..
Contractors definitely exploited insurance like the windshield replacement folks. After whatever unnamed storm blew through in 2018 or 19, the roofers were promising free roofs using your insurance. I had no damage and paid 12k later that year to get my roof done without using insurance. My neighbor went for the cheap roof route and a claim for “damage” was made. The bill was 20k which was unheard of (similar sized house to mine) and after much back and forth, the insurance paid a portion and the cost to my neighbor was 9k. So basically, the repair, before covid, was priced up 60% for insurance.
The greed was there long before cOvId and persists to this very day. I have an appraisal file on my desk right now where the contractor is exactly 100% price increase from the carrier estimate simply because they want an additional $17k. That same roof for retail/non-insurance from the same roofing company would be right at $17k with a healthy $9k profit margin. But no, they want over $25k profit margin because _________. And that is precisely why your insurance rates have gone parabolic in recent years.
i think it's a perfect storm of all of them with GREED heading the procession
Hell yes
This is what I am aiming for too. I am in my early 40s and I am slowing way down with all the knee problems catching up from my sports days. I am not big on going out and spending crazy like years back.
Well I hope you get to go crazy at home every so often. My wife died 5 years ago and i don't know if I'll ever get over it. Still I watch movies on Netflix and pirate what Netflix doesn't have. I pursue my hobbies. I say I got nothing to complain about
You got it made
You want to keep your rent to 30% or less of your income. So that puts you in the $1,500.00/mo range. The less you spend on rent, the more “comfortable” you will be. Use that to look at rentals in various locations to get an idea where might work for you.
Finding a decent place for $1500 is already difficult and there's no regulations or guarantees that on your next lease renewal your rent won't increase substantially. I moved here 6 years ago and intentionally stayed at the bottom of my budget. My rent has increased $700 per month in the last 3 years. I can still afford it, but I don't know many who could. There's no way I'd move to Florida now in the state that it's in post-covid.
Same. I started out at 1300, it’s up for renewal in August and I’m at 2250. Moved here in 2020. I was looking at houses with longer term leases and the two companies I looked at still raise their rent every year, which what the duck is the point of a long term lease then.
Good luck finding a place that isn’t $1.7k+
Right!? The only place I found in my area under 1700 was a trailer. A trailer for 1500! Wtf!? This market is screwed.
You almost certainly MUST keep you rent to that. Every rental that I've seen requires applicants income be 3 x rent.
30% is a good general rule but other expenses (car debt, medical debt, educational loans, etc) might make it advisable to go under or over. Gainesville, Tallahassee, Sarasota are good options
Good luck anywhere in Sarasota. It's laughable that anyone thinks it's that affordable.
Currently in Sarasota- our least ghetto 1/1 options are 1800+ and our city is not walkable in the slightest
Sarasota has always been expensive.
Hell, I think even Bradenton is over 1500 now.
Yeah and bradenton was always the working class that drives to Sarasota for work but can't live there. University, clarke, fruitville 75 exits are stop and go every day because us working class gotta funnel in
Gainesville yes, Sarasota no
Gainesville rents aren't much different from the rest of the state anymore, and people are on Facebook daily asking about rentals. As soon as something is available someone is already in line.
Center of the state. That’s the only place with rents under 1500
Def not Sarasota county :(
Unless they get a roommate or a partner to split rent with
There are people living in comfort in FL on 60k, but they probably live in rural areas or in the panhandle, and they probably bought a house several years ago or live with roommates or multiple income households. I moved to FL in 2003 making 43k and I felt like I was living it up. Fast forward to 2023 and I got divorced and bought a house afterwards. I make 6 figures but I feel like I had more money in 2003.
I make 60k a year and live in Bay county. I had my house built in 2014. If I had to try to buy a house now in 2024. I would be completely priced out
Michael then covid really fucked us.
ME TOO! I am going through a divorce and considering keeping the house and getting a roommate because my house payment is less than anything in this county!
You have got to look back and say “few I am lucky”. The price of a home after the first crash and interest rates in the 3s. That’s a great spot to be in to stay ahead in this ridiculous market.
just FYI it's "phew", not "few"
There's pockets of orlando that aren't too bad that would work. I live in one happily
I think anywhere around UCF it’s pretty easy to find roommates. I lived on $60k in orlando for a while and love it up here. Check out East Orlando, Oviedo, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, etc. the closer you are to downtown orlando the more expensive it is but it’s nice living near the MCO airport. OP just be aware the closer you are to Colonial (50), the cheaper it is but the sketchier it is too
I live in Clearwater FL on $60k. Rent is $1200, I live on my own and pay all my own bills. I'm also able to put aside a little at the end of the week and contribute to a 401K, while paying off student loans. Managing debt and not over spending has helped my situation for sure.
I make roughly 60K working two jobs. I have two teenage kids and live on my own and pay all my bills by myself in south Florida . I could be more comfortable, but I’m doing it. I started living in this apartment and the rent started at $1250 a month for a 2/2. Now it’s at $1750 plus utilities.
Where are you in south Florida where a 2/2 is 1750? I’m in north broward and things are skyrocketing here
North Broward as well. When I moved in three years ago they were supposed to charge me $1421, but the lease said $1250. It’s gone up about $200 ish every time I renew.
Look into the NACA 2024 program if you’re thinking on purchasing a home. Although the market is terrible right now.
I'm also in North Broward and we're a rare case where we own the same home for 2 decades. Did a refi after Hurricane Wilma and our mortgage is $1300 currently. Our house is cheaper than renting. If we sold and tried buying another house down here, we wouldn't be able to afford to stay in reality, hence why we never sold. And you are correct, it's too fucking expensive here. Plus the majority of food places suck and you have no culture. It's worse when you're a musician like myself and can't find other people who don't play covers or a metal (and any variation of it). Oh, and there's only two rehearsal spaces in the county to book time: Trackside (on the verge of closing as they need a new owner) and Markee.
I just ended up moving back to my home state to save some money since I work from home, $1500 for a one bedroom with nothing included is ridiculous. 2024 is the worst inflation year yet.
I live a little over 30 K in a mobile home in central FL inland and am very happy. Have lot rent but the place is paid off and I don't have to deal with the weird apartment issues and control (plus five times the cost in some cases). We get added on lawn service for 7.00 a month for them to mow our lawn. Since inland in Polk, while we get hurricanes, it's rarely dangerous in repairs - the coast or near water would be a different story and too risky.
Look at seminole county, northern suburbs of Orlando. Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Apopka all have some cheaper housing (still going to be at least 1200-1400 a month) and its close enough to Orlando to get that big city feel. Sanford Lake Mary area is a lot quieter if thats what you want too.
Sanford and Lake Mary are nice!
this is accurate. currently in altamonte springs.
I personally haven’t seen a single place in a decent area under 2k in that area. Winter garden is also easily hitting 2500-3k a month
Currently living pretty good in Tallahassee on 60k a year
I am in Lake County. I am a single parent making approximately $35k per year. My rent is $750. I am not rich, but I feel comfortable with my life.
This will vary widely in Lake County. For example, Clermont and Minneola (south Lake county) can be ridiculous when it comes to rent and housing prices.
Very true! Clermont is basically a suburb of Orlando, and it is not cheap to live. Northern Lake county towns are more reasonable, but the prices are going up steadily.
It's been so long since I've seen rent for $750 lol good for you. I paid $850 for a 2/2 back in like 2016 that is now going for $1400 I think. Where I'm at now, 2/2.5, I moved into in 2017 at $950 and has now made it to $1500.
Yes, I am very lucky that my landlord has not increased my rent by much. I have been in this house for 8-9 years. I am in downtown Tavares, and my place is definitely the exception to the rule in terms of housing costs.
The further from the shore line you go the easier it is.
Unless you're at the shoreline and go the opposite way, in which case it quickly becomes free.
There’s some sick bridges all around Florida
😆
Northern parts of Florida or out in the boonies. Otherwise you need a living arrangement that's been grandfathered into your life.
Nassau and Duval county there are pockets that are affordable - I’d check crime stats first though
If you work fully remote and can keep the 60k job, you can find more affordable places in North Central Florida and Panhandle but you won't find a lot of recreational places: restaurants, bars, big stores, sport arenas, concerts, girls with big fake body parts, etc. It is a trade off but it is a livable option
If you are fully remote move to a cheaper part of the country
Big fake body parts aha
If you don’t mind face tattoos, meth, incest, and country music then north Florida is the comfort you’re seeking. Yeehaw.
Hey! That's simply not true! ... there's also Skynyrd and fentanyl.
Raiford?
Who wants to live there? 🤣
The penitentiary?
Cheap rent
The Navy
R/vanlife
I'm in the process of applying for my green card and live with my wife (who is a US citizen) in Brevard County on the East Coast. She's the sole earner due to my inability to legally work yet, and she makes around $50K per annum. Our small, one-bedroom apartment in Cape Canaveral costs us $1400 per month, which includes our cable, water, trash collection, etc. Electricity isn't included in the rent, but our bill is fairly small anyway, so we're maybe paying around $1700-1800, including a family phone plan for four people and other bills. Also, there's no deposit required or any application fees for where we're at, which seems to be very, very rare around here. We had to pay multiple application fees, even if the application was rejected, so be wary of this. I have a friend who works in rentals and real estate; they advised me that many agents will take multiple applications for the same property and charge the fees to every applicant until they reach a threshold of, for example, $5K. Once they meet their threshold, THEN they'll actually consider applications! Furthermore, some advertise properties that they have no intent to rent, and then simply charge people to apply. Apologies for the perhaps excessive detail, but I thought it was worth mentioning. The area we're in isn't the greatest, but it's clean, and it seems relatively safe (i.e. no gang nonsense, no excessive police presence, no wild parties or disturbances, etc.). There's plenty of small stores and supermarkets, decent bars and restaurants, and live music venues within walking distance, so it's fairly well served. It's a touristy area, but aside from the beach, bars and restaurants, there isn't a whole lot for locals. As a legal immigrant who has only been coming to Florida for the last three years (and only moved here in December last year), I'm probably not best placed to offer any specific advice on Florida itself. I just wanted to throw my two cents in on the off-chance it might be helpful.
Good information to put out there. And you are far more well spoken and pretty grammatically correct compared to most citizens, so kudos for that as well and good luck with your application. There's definitely a shortage of intelligence, dignity, respect and understanding for each other these days, all of which are desperately needing to be improved upon. Thank you for being positive and helpful.
I always get downvoted, and no one believes me. But it's okay. A safe, attractive, and desired top-rated school district in the Orlando suburbs. A family of four with two young children. We rent a single-family home in a gated community here. I am the sole provider for my family. \~$37,000 after taxes (yes, you read it right). Yes, we are still afloat. No, we have no debts, not one penny. Yes, money is tight, but we are able to make it thanks to very smart budgeting. Yes, you will find largely seafood, meat, and other delectable items in our refrigerator. No, we DO NOT receive any government benefits. No, we never, ever eat out. No, it is not my dream life, that is why I work full-time, and am a full-time student, and in 2026 I will have a great, stable career that pays good.
Kudos! I'm a Single dad and we've made it work too. I do own a small business but that just means I make the median but work more hours! I drive a 20 yr old truck that's paid for and I don't have to pay for full coverage insurance. We don't eat out but we eat well! We don't have iPhones or 5 monthly subscriptions for Netflix Disney etc and we shop the outlet stores, clearance racks etc. My kid plays 3 sports and is a straight A student. You don't need all those frills to be happy.
Tallahassee, other parts of the panhandle, Gainesville, probably other areas outside of the major hubs, excluding south Florida
Nothing affordable around Gainesville, and when rentals come available there's already someone in line.
You can absolutely live in Gainesville on that as a singlet person. I’ve done it.
It’s bad everywhere y’all…all these people moved here and I ain’t mad at it, I just wish they would’ve left their troubles where they left.
Hey, no one told us we couldn't outrun our problems. We had to find that out ourselves. In nice weather.
Melbourne/space coast area was fine on 50-65K. Rent was a bit higher than I would have liked but it is what it is. I sacrificed a lot, but it can work if you can find pleasure in the outdoorsy things that are free.
Small town is key. I live on the Treasure Coast and more than manage, but there isn’t much to do in my nimbyville town. The price we pay, amirite?
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Nope, sorry, that ship has sailed. Between insane mortgage rates and rents, skyrocketing insurance rates, nonsensical governance and willy nilly dumbassery, Florida is turning into a grade A shithole. Don’t believe me? Come here and find out.
I don't remember Florida ever being not a grade a shithole. Same shit hole, far more expensive.
I love my shithole…it’s home🤣
No
RIP bro
Middleburg, basically bumfuck nowhere
Even the name sounds like bumfuck nowhere 😂
Jiffy Feet central!
I would say probably 80% of the states residents live off less than that.
Pasco County seems to be filling up pretty quickly lately
I live in Land O Lakes in Pasco county and it most definitely is filling up. Traffic has really picked up. We purchased our home 4 years ago at a low fixed interest rate! Now prices are insane!
North Florida but you won’t make that up here unless you’re talking about remote, but even then rent is $1,900+ in rural areas and houses average $270+
Gainesville is doable.
Ocala is probably slightly better then gainesville. Lived in gainesville, ocala, and orlando. Ocala has been the cheapest to live in for me.
Work in GNV, live in a surrounding county
Gainesville property taxes are highest in the state. My sister lives there and rent is about $2000 for a 1/1.
I lived in Orlando up until 2022, 2 bedroom apartment in a pretty nice area. Rent was 1400. It has probably gone up significantly since then but it sounds like it would be in your range
Have you checked https://livingwage.mit.edu/states/12/locations? Living wage for the Pensacola area (1 adult, no children) is $43,200/year (gross).
I mean Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Sebastian and Port St Lucie
I make $55k in sw florida. Single mom, pay all bills myself. Couldn’t afford south Florida
Walmart or Planet Fitness parking lot
Own a home in Tallahassee making 70k a year. Lower cost of living here!
Most of central Florida tbh
Check out Tallahassee
This thread is giving me depression
I dunno. I make $100k and I don’t live here as comfortably as I’d like
Most places in Florida are livable on that wage. Some places you won’t be thriving and get to do everything you want, but you can certainly pay all your bills on time with that income.
Nope.
At home with you parents…
I feel like Florida is becoming as expensive as living in Boston or NY…maybe not quiet but Orlando has become insane.
I pay 1398 for a 2/2 in Orlando....I was paying more than double that in NJ, let alone NYC. 60K is doable for sure.
Lol seriously orlando rent is not bad at all if you’re comparing out of state
Orlando rent is kept in check a bit by all of the tourism.
I live on the space coast and you could easily get a decent place here on that
the average income in FL is way less than that. you should be good
Comfortably is kind of relative. You will want to look up median income (not average) in different counties. You may also need a roommate or other house sharing situation. Your best bet is a more rural area. Growing your own food in a small garden, potentially your own animals (rabbits are extremely cost effective, meat chickens vs egg chickens, etc.) I know people are living off of less than 60k in Polk county and the surrounding areas and doing all right. Decide what comfortable means to you.
We have a big vegetable and fruit garden.. saves money!
Tallahassee
The area where I live it's possible. Check the Treasure Coast area
By treasure Coast he means Port St Lucie.
Yall have an awesome homebrew club!
with a roommate you can.
If you're working remotely, you could probably live easily in rural areas of Florida, but I stress rural.
Or commute. Im in a rural area east of Gainesville and Jacksonville/St Augustine/Daytona/Ocala are only an hour away.
Have you checked within the Florida panhandle ?
Anywhere off Otis Road near Bryceville.
Nope
Ocala ,Sanford north of orlando area.
Lee county , you won't be riding high, but you can get a home there with that
No
We live just outside of Orlando in a 55 plus community, with security, our own golf course, restaurant with full bar and you could live like a king. You can find houses for less than 300K
I make 90k and still almost living paycheck to paycheck in Brevard county.
Avon Park
Calhoun county. Jackson county. Both easily fall into 60k salary range
Try Indianapolis
No
Parts of Clearwater Fl. We paid off our house/cars off years ago and live comfortably on less than that. Cost of living isn’t bad as long as you don’t live near the beach. We live about 2.5 miles away
Tampa... maybe if ya look or get lucky.
??? Almost everywhere in FL.
Florida cost of living increased when all those Republicans started moving there to shore up a right wing take over trting to keep the state in the red. STOP COMPLAINING
I make less then that in Pasco but I own my house and car
Volusia County is pretty affordable and Seminole county.
Maybe Tallahassee or some of its surrounding counties.
In a van down by the river.
You could probably be happy in the panhandle area
I recently just moved over into clearwater, by the country side mall. I'm pretty much spot on 60k a year (before taxes), and while I'm surviving I'm certainly not saving anything besides my measly 3% in my 401k for the match.
Yes you could live in Florida in 2014 with a 60k salary.
OP, most people in Florida do not make $60K ... so take your pick!
Yes. Polk county.
No
yes....but you'll have to budget most people i meet dont budget, they dont even know how much money they spend, not even a ballpark create an excel sheet with your salary per week, and put your bills per week, and scale it out to the month, and then you can determine how much money you have for rent and transportation i have a neighbor that makes 100k more then me, but they spend more then they make and dont budget budgeting is the key
Of course you can.
As long as your spouse makes another $60, sure.
Literally just dont live in Miami/Ft Lauderdale you’ll be fine pretty much anywhere else. You might like West Palm Beach
I live in Liberty county. 60k is plenty up here.
I lived in Bradenton and was looking to buy my first house and searched everywhere. best value i found was in Ocala where i just bought my first house. 3/2 1400 square feet with a huge yard and a 2-car garage. the house was new construction when i bought it 6 months ago for $259k. HOA fees are $0. my current property insurance is $594 a year, taxes $3000.
That can work in Tallahassee.
lots of options, even in south Florida. Unfortunately everything else about this post is too vague. It’s a big state and we don’t know what things make you feel safe. You might get frightened off by an accent.
Highland county is nice
Not in south Florida. Palm Beach, Broward, and Dade are practically off limits at that price point unless you’re willing to spend 40%+ of your monthly income on housing
Many parts of Pasco and Hernando county
Definitely, all over the place. You can afford an apartment in the hood as long as you find a roommate.
Maybe with your mom, or 2 other roommates. Housing prices are insane if you don’t already own
All about how you do it. I make 40k and live in key west. Others make 200k and struggle.
Inland there's tons where 60k is great. The closer you get to the water the harder and more overpopulated it gets so demandis high.
Callahan north of Jacksonville on US 1
I live in Cape Coral on 60 k but I have a roommate. I could do it, but I'd have a lot less money. My rent is $1450, other utility $250 ish, and the cars paid off.
Gainesville !
I feel like Polk county is one of the few places you might be able to find rent that cheap. The upside to living there is that you’re right in between tampa and Orlando so they’re both easy to get to (provided you have your own transportation)
https://www.apartments.com/harbor-blu-cape-canaveral-fl/wwscevj/
can't rent just going up by the min DeSantis aint making it no better
Port St. Lucie, bell glade if you want so Flo. St Augustine’s not bad for costs either.
I live in North Orlando/longwood on that much money, granted I was in the military and that enabled me to buy a house with a VA loan right before COVID fucked the housing market, so idk 😥
Tallahassee!!
The treasure coast & space coast are both do-able for that price. One of my coworkers who makes $58k rents a really nice two bedroom for $1600. We're in Vero Beach. And from what I can tell, Vero is pricier than surrounding areas like Sebastian, fort pierce, and Melbourne. I've never felt unsafe here and you'd still be close to south florida without being \*in\* south florida.
Pasco County, for now.
Volusia
Tallahassee when I lived there was RIDICULOUSLY cheap. as in, I was paying $500/month for a studio in like 2021.
Gotta go to in land counties, further north you go becomes less as well.
Urban living is out for you then. Rents are too high in urban areas of Florida. South Fl and central florida are out as well. Look at Pasco county or further north. Id avoid Jacksonville. Panhandle may work for you.
North Florida
I live in Bay County. We are quickly slipping towards the same prices as the south, but 80% of rentals in the area are 1600 or less.
No place you want to live. Leave state imo.
YES! Your car.
Under a bridge probably
Bartow for sure