4 Florida Cities Where You Can Live on $2,500 a Month
Written by
Nicole Spector
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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A number of studies rank Florida as one of the top five U.S. states to live. It’s got top-rated beaches, warm weather, tons of fun stuff to do (including world-famous amusement parks) and no state income tax. But Florida isn’t a “cheap” state. The overall cost of living there is 2% higher than the national average, according to RentCafe.
How would Floridians get by on about $30,000 a year (after taxes), or $2,500 a month? It largely comes down to location. In a new study, GOBankingRates found the cities in Florida where single renters can live on $2,500 a month. Below are the four places (yes, in a state with 267 cities, there are only four where this is possible) based on average monthly costs of rent, groceries, healthcare and utilities.
4. South Daytona
- Average monthly rent: $1,477
- Average monthly groceries cost: $346
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $377
- Average monthly utilities cost: $290
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,490
3. Springfield
- Average monthly rent: $1,439
- Average monthly groceries cost: $338
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $364
- Average monthly utilities cost: $320
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,461
2. Palatka
- Average monthly rent: $1,417
- Average monthly groceries cost: $336
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $398
- Average monthly utilities cost: $301
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,452
1. Eustis
- Average monthly rent: $1,421
- Average monthly groceries cost: $347
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $371
- Average monthly utilities cost: $312
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,452
Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the cities in Florida where one can live on $2,500 a month. GOBankingRates first isolated all cities in Florida with a 2025 average monthly rent under $1,800. GOBankingRates then used Sperling’s Best to find the cost of living index for each listed city, looking at grocery, utilities and healthcare index scores. Next, GOBankingRates used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2023 Consumer Expenditure Survey to find the annual expenditure amount for both grocery (“food at home”), utilities (utilities and public services) and healthcare costs in order to find how much one would spend on groceries, utilities and healthcare in each city on a monthly basis. GOBankingRates then added up monthly housing, grocery, utilities and healthcare costs to find where one can live on $2,500 a month in Florida. All data was collected and is up to date as of June 23, 2025.
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