4 Cheap Florida Beach Towns Where You Can Live Like You’re on a Luxury Vacation

Living in a beautiful beach town might seem like something you can do only if you’re wealthy, but the reality is that not all oceanfront communities are all that pricey. In fact, several parts of Florida have below-average home prices, where you can live like you’re on a luxury vacation without breaking the bank.

Below are four of these places, as recommended by Brian Durham, vice president of risk management and managing broker at Realty Group LLC and Realty Group Premier. See which Florida beach towns are cheap but feel luxurious below.

On average, a home in Daytona Beach goes for around $300,000, which is significantly less than the statewide average of $419,500, according to Redfin.

“Its relatively low cost of living and affordable housing make it an attractive choice,” Durham said.

The city is located along the central part of Florida’s Atlantic coastline and has “recreational opportunities, sporting events and numerous award-winning restaurants,” he added.

Another place along the Atlantic to consider is Fort Pierce, which is located roughly halfway between Daytona Beach and Miami in a region known as the Treasure Coast. Here, you can find a home for an average price of $260,000, according to Redfin.

“It has a very affordable cost of living, many beautiful beaches and The National Navy SEAL museum,” Durham said.

If you’d prefer to live on the Gulf Coast side of Florida rather than the Atlantic, Cape Coral is a good place to look into, according to Durham.

Granted, Cape Coral itself isn’t very beachy, but it offers easy access to beautiful areas like Sanibel Island.

The city is located next to Fort Myers in the southwestern part of the state, and while it’s fairly sizable with a population of over 200,000, it doesn’t necessarily feel like a big city, especially if you’re taking a short drive to nearby secluded beaches.

Plus, Cape Coral has “an extensive canal system with numerous boating and fishing opportunities,” Durham said. “It also offers amenities similar to some of the larger cities in Florida while still offering a slower pace of life.”

Here, the average home sells for $385,000, according to Redfin, so it’s not necessarily as cheap as some other options, but it’s still below the state average.

Lastly, another Gulf Coast option to consider is Clearwater, Durham recommended, especially if you’re looking for beachy living while being close to a major city — in this case, Tampa, the third-largest city in the state.

“So if you want to be near a larger airport, Clearwater is a great choice. Clearwater is also renowned for its beautiful beaches and clear water, hence the name. Along with its affordable cost of living, nightlife and food scene, this is a hard-to-beat place to live,” Durham said.

In Clearwater, the average home sells for $375,000, which is less than the state average and significantly less than the $499,900 average in Tampa itself, according to Redfin.

While these are all relatively affordable options to consider if you want to live near the beach, the good news is that there are many more towns and cities throughout Florida that don’t break the bank. You just might have to do some digging.

As a whole, Florida has been getting more expensive, but there are many parts of the state that are more affordable, especially if you look outside of southeastern Florida, where pricey places like Miami and Palm Beach are located.