Jacksonville blends riverfront skylines with miles of Atlantic shoreline, giving everyday life a mix of urban energy and laid-back coastal rhythm. Morning commutes might pass the colorful murals of Riverside before crossing the St. Johns River, while evenings often wrap up with salty breezes on Jacksonville Beach or a minor-league ballgame downtown.

The city’s spread of neighborhoods, from historic Avondale to fast-growing Southside, offers Jacksonville homes in price ranges that fit a range of budgets, and Florida’s no-income-tax policy leaves more room for weekend seafood boils or paddle-boarding on the Intracoastal.

Together, those pieces shape a cost of living that feels approachable for many households without sacrificing the warm, sun-soaked lifestyle the First Coast is known for.

What Is the Overall Cost of Living in Jacksonville?

Picture a weekday that starts near the Ortega River, moves through oak-shaded streets in Avondale, and ends with a breeze off the Atlantic. That easy mix of water and neighborhood variety shapes how far a paycheck stretches here.

Housing takes the biggest bite, yet typical sale prices and rents remain well under the highs seen in Miami or Orlando. Power bills, groceries, and gas follow familiar Florida patterns, rising a bit in summer and settling down once the heat breaks.

The Council for Community and Economic Research pegged Jacksonville’s 2025 cost-of-living index in the low nineties. The essentials stay moderate enough to leave room for a Saturday on the beach or a dinner downtown without straining most budgets.

How Does Jacksonville’s Cost of Living Compare with the National Average?

Using the same index as a yardstick, Jacksonville scores a few points under 100, which signals that typical households spend about 7% less than residents in an average U.S. city.

The widest savings come from housing: local home values and rents trail many metro areas of similar size. Utilities and groceries land just below the national midpoint, transportation hovers close once fuel and insurance are tallied, and healthcare sits a bit higher but not enough to close the overall gap.

Together, these numbers give most residents a little breathing room in their monthly budget.

How Does Jacksonville’s Cost of Living Compare with Nearby Cities?

Drive south on I-95, and costs start to climb.

Orlando’s index sits a few points higher than Jacksonville, mostly because theme-park demand keeps rents and service prices on the warm side. Tampa edges closer still, with waterfront redevelopment helping to nudge median home prices up while groceries hover near the state average.

Farther down the peninsula, Miami feels like a different universe. Its index clears the 110 mark, and housing alone can stretch a budget thin in neighborhoods like Brickell or Coral Gables. Head the other way toward Tallahassee and you’ll find living costs similar to Jacksonville, although a smaller job market can influence the income side of the equation.

Taken together, Jacksonville slots in as a middle-weight option: more affordable than the big-ticket cities yet still large enough to offer urban conveniences and steady employment opportunities.

How Much Does Housing Cost in Jacksonville?

Shaded streets lined with live oaks keep many neighborhoods cooler than the thermometer reads, and that comfortable vibe carries into the housing market.

Zillow’s Home Value Index shows the typical price of a home in Jacksonville at about $285,000 in July 2025, leaving plenty of mid-range options in areas like Mandarin, Arlington, and sections of the Westside. Waterfront stretches in Riverside or along the Intracoastal command higher price tags, yet even those pockets trend below the premiums seen in Miami or Naples.

Renting follows a similar pattern. Average monthly rent ran close to $1,600 in Summer 2025, according to RentCafe, but the number swings with location.

Across the city, housing costs land 10 to 15% lower than statewide averages, giving many households room in their budget for upgrades or savings without sacrificing a short drive to sand and surf.

What Are Utility Costs in Jacksonville?

JEA’s July 2025 rate sheet lists an average monthly utility bill of about $170 for a midsize household using 1,000 kWh plus water, making Jacksonville’s cost of living for electricity and water lower than most coastal metros.

Factor in another $60 per month for broadband, and you still land below what many cost-of-living indexes describe as typical utility expenses in different cities.

How Expensive Is Transportation in Jacksonville?

Transportation costs revolve around the car. Florida’s average gallon of gas hovered near $3.00 in September 2025, and annual car insurance premiums were roughly 14% higher than the national average.

Jacksonville Transportation Authority buses cover core corridors, but most households drive, so include fuel, maintenance, and insurance when setting a monthly budget. Combine those figures with modest parking fees, and you will see transportation costs remain manageable, though not the lowest in the region.

What Do Groceries Cost in Jacksonville?

Food and groceries run close to the national benchmark. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 3.1% annual uptick for the food-at-home index in June 2025.

A typical household spends about $525 per month on grocery staples such as milk, eggs, consumer goods, and yes, that loaf of bread. Dining out adds roughly $250 per month for an average family that grabs dinner or sushi twice a week.

How Much Is Healthcare in Jacksonville?

Jacksonville’s big providers, including Mayo Clinic and Baptist Health, keep specialist care close to home. Healthcare costs for a standard employer plan averaged $520 per month in premiums plus copays in April 2025, slightly above statewide figures but still lower than many coastal metros.

Budgeting for healthcare costs and prescriptions is a basic necessity, so run your own cost-of-living calculator using employer estimates to nail down the exact expense.

What Is the Cost of Education in Jacksonville?

Childcare averages $10,000 per year for center-based care, according to Child Care Aware’s 2024 report. Private K-12 tuition starts near $8,000 per year, while in-state tuition at the University of North Florida is just under $7,000 for the 2024–2025 year.

Whether you plan on daycare, private school, or college, education expenses can be much more or less, depending on personal choices, so financial planning is key.

Is Jacksonville Affordable Overall?

Take the big five (housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare), and Jacksonville, FL, shows up as lower than the national average on three, about average on one, and only modestly higher on the final category.

If you’re moving to a new city and comparing the cost of housing, transportation costs, and basic services, you’ll find Jacksonville less expensive than many peers.

Plug your salary into the cost of living calculator, compare two cities, and you’ll see the income you need to maintain your standard (or even live better) is surprisingly attainable here.

FAQs About the Cost of Living in Jacksonville, FL

What is the typical monthly rent for an apartment in Jacksonville?

Average asking rent across all unit types was around $1,600 per month in late summer 2025, though one-bed and two-bed units often fall above or below that depending on neighborhood and amenities. Use local rental listings to refine the estimate for your target area.

Are gasoline prices in Jacksonville much lower than the national average?

Gas prices in Florida have been slightly below the national average at times. As of late September 2025, the Florida average was roughly $2.99 per gallon, which you can use to estimate fuel cost by multiplying gallons used per week.

What’s the average household income in Jacksonville, FL?

The latest American Community Survey estimates the median household income at roughly $70,000 in 2024. That figure sits close to the national midpoint and pairs well with the city’s lower-than-average housing costs, giving many residents a comfortable margin for savings or discretionary spending.

Income naturally varies by neighborhood and career field, so tech and healthcare hubs on the Southside often trend higher than mature suburbs on the Westside.

Is Jacksonville a good place to live if I want lower housing costs?

Compared with many coastal metros, Jacksonville’s median home value and average rent leave noticeably more breathing room in a household budget. The savings are most apparent in established suburbs like Mandarin or the Westside, where prices remain moderate yet commutes stay reasonable.

Buyers and renters looking to stretch salary dollars without giving up urban amenities usually find the city’s mix hard to beat.