50 Most Expensive Places To Retire by the Beach

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Retiring by the beach can be extremely expensive, depending on the location. A new GOBankingRates study analyzing the nation’s most expensive beachside retirement hotspots revealed the cost of living in all 50 cities is more than $5,700 every month. And the most expensive city, a popular Florida enclave, stunned with nearly $60,000 in monthly expenses.

GOBankingRates utilized media outlets such as Travel + Leisure and U.S. News & World Report to find these cities. We studied each city’s age 65+ population, median household income and cost-of-living indexes. The average expenditure costs were calculated for each city using the national average expenditure costs for retired households. The total cost of living for a retiree was then determined using the average expenditure and mortgage costs.

Key Findings

• The three most expensive cities to retire by the beach cost more than $25,000 every month. The cities and their monthly cost of living are Palm Beach, Florida ($59,821); Montecito, California ($34,380); and Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina ($26,110).
• Fourteen California cities appeared in the ranking, including five in the top 10. They are Montecito (#2), Malibu (#4), Santa Monica (#6), Carmel-by-the-Sea (#7), Solana Beach (#8), Santa Barbara (#11), San Clemente (#12), Half Moon Bay (#16), Capitola (#17), Cayucos (#19), San Diego (#23), Pismo Beach (#24), Los Angeles (#26) and Morro Bay (#32).
• More beachside cities ranked among the priciest in Massachusetts than in Florida. Massachusetts had a strong turnout with six beachside towns, including Nantucket (#5), Provincetown (#15), Chatham (#21), Newburyport (#27), Brewster (#39) and Gloucester (#43). Comparatively, the only four Florida beach cities in the ranking were Palm Beach (#1), Sanibel (#31), Jupiter (#40) and Miami (#50).

Here are the 50 most expensive places to retire by the beach. And if you’re on the hunt for affordable beach locales for your retirement, consider retiring in one of these 50 cities.

1. Palm Beach, Florida

• % of population 65+: 63.5%
• Median household income: $168,403
• Monthly cost of living: $59,821
• Livability: 69

2. Montecito, California

• % of population 65+: 33.5%
• Median household income: $231,005
• Monthly cost of living: $34,380
• Livability: 68

3. Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina

• % of population 65+: 28.2%
• Median household income: $192,813
• Monthly cost of living: $26,110
• Livability: 67

4. Malibu, California

• % of population 65+: 31.8%
• Median household income: $194,421
• Monthly cost of living: $22,941
• Livability: 53

5. Nantucket, Massachusetts

• % of population 65+: 16.1%
• Median household income: $148,017
• Monthly cost of living: $20,828
• Livability: 72

6. Santa Monica, California

• % of population 65+: 19.5%
• Median household income: $114,885
• Monthly cost of living: $16,733
• Livability: 73

7. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

• % of population 65+: 58%
• Median household income: $129,250
• Monthly cost of living: $16,485
• Livability: 78

8. Solana Beach, California

• % of population 65+: 26.7%
• Median household income: $152,167
• Monthly cost of living: $16,300
• Livability: 76

9. Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

• % of population 65+: 32.1%
• Median household income: $151,563
• Monthly cost of living: $15,512
• Livability: 60

10. Montauk, New York

• % of population 65+: 20%
• Median household income: $142,961
• Monthly cost of living: $13,789
• Livability: 69

11. Santa Barbara, California

• % of population 65+: 20.6%
• Median household income: $106,182
• Monthly cost of living: $12,988
• Livability: 73

12. San Clemente, California

• % of population 65+: 21.4%
• Median household income: $140,062
• Monthly cost of living: $12,196
• Livability: 63

13. Haleiwa, Hawaii

• % of population 65+: 23.7%
• Median household income: $97,780
• Monthly cost of living: $12,057
• Livability: 68

14. Shelter Island, New York

• % of population 65+: 18.7%
• Median household income: $165,734
• Monthly cost of living: $12,018
• Livability: 59

15. Provincetown, Massachusetts

• % of population 65+: 23.9%
• Median household income: $158,125
• Monthly cost of living: $11,567
• Livability: 82

16. Half Moon Bay, California

• % of population 65+: 23.1%
• Median household income: $157,884
• Monthly cost of living: $11,050
• Livability: 77

17. Capitola, California

• % of population 65+: 24.8%
• Median household income: $102,976
• Monthly cost of living: $10,392
• Livability: 80

18. Paia, Hawaii

• % of population 65+: 10.3%
• Median household income: $100,559
• Monthly cost of living: $9,778
• Livability: 64

19. Cayucos, California

• % of population 65+: 35.4%
• Median household income: $87,235
• Monthly cost of living: $9,715
• Livability: 61

20. Honolulu

• % of population 65+: 22%
• Median household income: $86,504
• Monthly cost of living: $9,554
• Livability: 78

21. Chatham, Massachusetts

• % of population 65+: 53.5%
• Median household income: $83,750
• Monthly cost of living: $9,526
• Livability: 65

22. Folly Beach, South Carolina

• % of population 65+: 38.8%
• Median household income: $102,279
• Monthly cost of living: $8,632
• Livability: 57

23. San Diego

• % of population 65+: 14.6%
• Median household income: $108,077
• Monthly cost of living: $8,359
• Livability: 75

24. Pismo Beach, California

• % of population 65+: 32.7%
• Median household income: $118,072
• Monthly cost of living: $8,299
• Livability: 65

25. Kennebunkport, Maine

• % of population 65+: 45.3%
• Median household income: $121,189
• Monthly cost of living: $8,110
• Livability: 68

26. Los Angeles

• % of population 65+: 14.2%
• Median household income: $81,939
• Monthly cost of living: $7,824
• Livability: 67

27. Newburyport, Massachusetts

• % of population 65+: 24.4%
• Median household income: $139,625
• Monthly cost of living: $7,690
• Livability: 80

28. New York City

• % of population 65+: 16.6%
• Median household income: $80,483
• Monthly cost of living: $7,533
• Livability: 75

29. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

• % of population 65+: 39.2%
• Median household income: $94,657
• Monthly cost of living: $7,515
• Livability: 63

30. Newport, Rhode Island

• % of population 65+: 22.2%
• Median household income: $86,313
• Monthly cost of living: $7,514
• Livability: 78

31. Sanibel, Florida

• % of population 65+: 54.9%
• Median household income: $108,644
• Monthly cost of living: $7,355
• Livability: 67

32. Morro Bay, California

• % of population 65+: 32.6%
• Median household income: $95,843
• Monthly cost of living: $7,347
• Livability: 56

33. Long Beach, New York

• % of population 65+: 21.8%
• Median household income: $140,739
• Monthly cost of living: $7,300
• Livability: 81

34. Seattle

• % of population 65+: 13%
• Median household income: $123,860
• Monthly cost of living: $7,143
• Livability: 75

35. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

• % of population 65+: 43.6%
• Median household income: $137,500
• Monthly cost of living: $6,996
• Livability: 69

36. Cannon Beach, Oregon

• % of population 65+: 36.7%
• Median household income: $69,375
• Monthly cost of living: $6,986
• Livability: 80

37. Emerald Isle, North Carolina

• % of population 65+: 36.8%
• Median household income: $89,773
• Monthly cost of living: $6,802
• Livability: 61

38. Friday Harbor, Washington

• % of population 65+: 19.7%
• Median household income: $80,378
• Monthly cost of living: $6,707
• Livability: 77

39. Brewster, Massachusetts

• % of population 65+: 37.6%
• Median household income: $113,214
• Monthly cost of living: $6,648
• Livability: 61

40. Jupiter, Florida

• % of population 65+: 24.4%
• Median household income: $110,240
• Monthly cost of living: $6,402
• Livability: 70

41. Edisto Beach, South Carolina

• % of population 65+: 48.3%
• Median household income: $85,521
• Monthly cost of living: $6,398
• Livability: 57

42. St. Simons Island, Georgia

• % of population 65+: 37.8%
• Median household income: $108,771
• Monthly cost of living: $6,235
• Livability: 70

43. Gloucester, Massachusetts

• % of population 65+: 27.9%
• Median household income: $83,883
• Monthly cost of living: $6,231
• Livability: 71

44. Nags Head, North Carolina

• % of population 65+: 40%
• Median household income: $91,264
• Monthly cost of living: $6,089
• Livability: 62

45. Douglas, Michigan

• % of population 65+: 37.4%
• Median household income: $81,627
• Monthly cost of living: $5,979
• Livability: 69

46. Port Aransas, Texas

• % of population 65+: 32.9%
• Median household income: $88,947
• Monthly cost of living: $5,964
• Livability: 68

47. Asbury Park, New Jersey

• % of population 65+: 12.5%
• Median household income: $75,544
• Monthly cost of living: $5,934
• Livability: 67

48. Cape May, New Jersey

• % of population 65+: 33.3%
• Median household income: $62,576
• Monthly cost of living: $5,786
• Livability: 63

49. Tybee Island, Georgia

• % of population 65+: 41.6%
• Median household income: $120,479
• Monthly cost of living: $5,780
• Livability: 59

50. Miami

• % of population 65+: 15.9%
• Median household income: $62,462
• Monthly cost of living: $5,771
• Livability: 81

View more original studies and surveys in the GOBankingRates original research center.

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities along the beach to find the most expensive places to retire. First GOBankingRates found beach cities sourced from Travel + Leisure, Thrillist, USA Today, and U.S. News & World Report. For each city several factors were found including the total population, population ages 65 and over, total households, and median household income all sourced from the U.S. Census 2024 ACS. The average single family home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index for February 2026. Assuming a 10% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate of 6.37%, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data on April 15, 2026. The cost-of-living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces and using the national average expenditure costs for retired households, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for retired consumer units, the average expenditure costs can be calculated for each city. Using the average expenditure and mortgage costs, the total cost of living for a retiree was calculated.  The cities were sorted to show the most expensive places to live by the beach for a retiree. All data is up to date as of April 15, 2026.

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