Insights » Florida cities with highest and lowest household expenses in 2023

2023 Report: Cities in Florida where Household Expenses are Highest and Lowest

Florida skyline

How does living in the Sunshine State affect your wallet? doxo breaks down key insights about Florida’s household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities. On average, Florida’s household expenses, doxo’s data reveals, are $2,112 per month.

doxo’s data also has infographics for 200 cities and towns across Florida, breaking down localized bill pay data figures as well. The state-wide rankings for most and least expensive cities provide insight into cost of living in Florida and how it changes according to location.

The data sheds light on Florida’s cost of living through other metrics, too. For example, the “percent of household income” data point shows what percentage of household income local residents spend on bills. doxo’s data also indicates how much more or less expensive specific cities are than the national and state average.

Florida residents pay $2,112 in household bills a month

The average Florida household pays $2,112 a month for the 10 most common household bills. This figure takes into account the 10 most common household bills, which are: Mortgage; Rent; Auto Loan; Utilities (electric, gas, water & sewer, and waste & recycling); Auto Insurance; Cable & Internet & Phone, Health Insurance (consumer paid portion); Mobile Phone; Alarm & Security; and Life Insurance.

Florida residents, overall, pay average household bill expenses: the state ranks 17th out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending, and its monthly bill basket is only $66 higher than the national average: $2,046. Slightly more expensive than Florida is Illinois, where residents pay $2,121 a month on average; slightly more affordable is Texas, where residents pay $2,110.

The most expensive state for household expenses is Hawaii, where residents pay $3,070 per month. The most affordable state, meanwhile, is West Virginia, where residents pay $1,530 per month.

Florida’s household expenses, on average, are 3.2% higher than the national average of $2,046.

Absolute dollar amounts don’t tell the full story, however. The “percentage of household income” metric provides a more proportional look at bill spending in a particular location. Florida households spend 42% of their income on household costs, which is a higher share than many states where households pay more expensive bills. For example, New Jersey residents, though they live in the third most expensive state for bills, spend just 35% of household income on them.

Annually, Florida residents pay $188 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in Florida by clicking on the infographic link below.

Data: doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about Florida

  • Average Bill Cost per HH: $2,112 per month
  • State Bill Pay Market Size: $188 billion
  • doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 17 out of 50
  • Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 42%
  • Difference from the National Average: 3.2% higher

Rent in Florida is higher than the national average

The average Florida household pays $2,112 in the 10 most common household bills per month. Most bills hover around the national average, including mortgage, which, at $1,463 in Florida, is $142 higher than the national average of $1,321. Rent in the Sunshine State is $140 higher than the national average: at $1,331 compared to $1,191.

Utilities is the area where Florida residents spend most relative to the US average. The average Florida household spends $335 on utilities compared to the national average of $351.

Health insurance is also an area in which Florida’s residents spend less than the national average. The average household in the state pays $110 a month for health insurance bills, compared to the national average of $120, making the costs 8% lower than the national average.

Note: Health Insurance and Life Insurance expenses do not account for payments made by employers on behalf of employees. These just include out-of-pocket expenses. Also, the state and national bill totals take into account the percentage of households that pay a bill.

Average Florida Household Bill Spending

Bill CategoryAverage Florida Monthly BillNational Average Monthly BillFlorida Percent +/- National Average ($2,046)
Mortgage$1,463$1,32111% higher
Rent$1,331$1,19112% higher
Auto Loan$491$4675% higher
Utilities$335$3515% lower
Auto Insurance$238$20715% higher
Cable & Internet$113$1184% lower
Health Insurance$110$1208% lower
Mobile Phone$107$11910% lower
Alarm & Security$77$848% lower
Life Insurance$105$8918% higher
Total$2,112$2,0463.2% higher

Pembroke Pines is the most expensive area for Florida’s household bills

Residents of Pembroke Pines pay the highest household bills in the state of Florida, at an average of $3,035 per month. Saint Johns comes in second in the rankings, with residents paying an average of $2,782 on household expenses.

Unsurprisingly, the popular tourist destination Key West is on the list of the most expensive areas to live in the state, at number 8, and $2,709 a month. However, residents who live there seem to pay an even steeper price than those in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd spots on the list: while residents of Pembroke Pines, Saint Johns and Windermere spend 36%, 27%, and 32% of their income on household bills, respectively, Key West residents spend a whopping 44% on them.

Access detailed infographics about each city or town by clicking on the hyperlinks in the “City” column in the tables below. You can also browse doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to see infographics about more than 4,200 cities and towns across all 50 states in the US.

10 Most Expensive Florida Cities for Household Bills

Rank
(1-10 out of 200)
CityMonthly Bill Expenses Per HouseholdPercent of Household Income Used for Bills
1Pembroke Pines$3,03536%
2Saint Johns$2,78227%
3Windermere$2,77332%
4Wellington$2,75538%
5Oviedo$2,75136%
6Lithia$2,72131%
7Jacksonville Beach$2,71535%
8Key West$2,70944%
9Miami$2,66753%
10Pompano Beach$2,65049%

*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).

Monticello is the most affordable place in Florida for household bills

Out of 200 cities and towns, Monticello is the most affordable place in Florida, with residents paying $1,346 on average for household bills. They spend a lower share of their income on household bills than the Florida average, too, at 35%.

Avon Park is second most affordable area on the list, with residents paying an average of $1,385 on household bills.

Also on the list of most affordable cities and towns in Florida are Marianna ($1,404 a month), Bonifay ($1,421 a month), and North Fort Myers ($1,424 a month).

10 Most Affordable Florida Cities for Household Bills

Rank
(191-200 out of 200)
CityMonthly Bill Expenses Per HouseholdPercent of Household Income Used for Bills
191Quincy$1,50947%
192Brooksville$1,45534%
193Live Oak$1,45438%
194Sebring$1,44237%
195Zephyrhills$1,42945%
196North Fort Myers$1,42436%
197Bonifay$1,42146%
198Marianna$1,40443%
199Avon Park$1,38542%
200Monticello$1,34635%

Some individuals may be deciding whether to move from a more expensive city to a less expensive one. doxoINSIGHTS can be a valuable resource for consumers seeking to make key decisions like this, allowing them to compare Florida’s household expenses against average bills in different cities and states across the country. They can also use doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to compare average costs for over 900 towns and cities across the country.