City Comparison

Cambridge vs Port St Lucie

Cost of Living Comparison · 2026

Cambridge

Massachusetts
178
Very Expensive
$890,000
Median Home
$3,100/mo
Median Rent
$103,154
Median Income

Port St Lucie

Florida
99
Average
$384,000
Median Home
$1,800/mo
Median Rent
$81,100
Median Income

The Verdict

79.8%

Living in Port St Lucie costs 79.8% less than Cambridge. To match the purchasing power of a $75,000 salary in Cambridge, you would need $41,713 in Port St Lucie.

Category-by-Category Breakdown

Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable

Housing
280
Cambridge
103
Port St Lucie
Groceries
110
Cambridge
102
Port St Lucie
Utilities
126
Cambridge
93
Port St Lucie
Transportation
105
Cambridge
102
Port St Lucie
Healthcare
118
Cambridge
96
Port St Lucie

Salary Equivalence

A $75,000 salary in Cambridge has the same purchasing power as $41,713 in Port St Lucie.

Conversely, $75,000 in Port St Lucie equals $134,848 in Cambridge.

Living in Cambridge vs Port St Lucie

Housing Costs

Cambridge's housing index of 280 is higher Port St Lucie's 103, translating to median home prices of $890,000 vs $384,000. The $506,000 difference in home prices means roughly $32,892 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $3,100/mo in Cambridge compared to $1,800/mo in Port St Lucie, a monthly difference of $1,300.

Grocery & Food Costs

Grocery expenses index at 110 in Cambridge and 102 in Port St Lucie. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $523/month in Cambridge vs $485/month in Port St Lucie. Port St Lucie offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $456/year.

Utility Expenses

Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 126 in Cambridge and 93 in Port St Lucie. Monthly utility bills average approximately $504 in Cambridge vs $372 in Port St Lucie. Climate differences between the two cities drive much of this gap, with heating and cooling costs varying substantially by region.

Healthcare

Healthcare costs index at 118 in Cambridge and 96 in Port St Lucie. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. The 22-point gap reflects real differences in provider costs, insurance market competition, and regional healthcare infrastructure.

Income & Purchasing Power

Median household income is $103,154 in Cambridge and $81,100 in Port St Lucie. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $57,952 and $81,919 respectively. Port St Lucie residents come out ahead in real purchasing power.

Relocation Considerations

Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $2,407/month to housing in Cambridge vs $1,892/month in Port St Lucie. In Cambridge, median rent of $3,100/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In Port St Lucie, median rent of $1,800/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 177 index points — focus your budget analysis there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Port St Lucie is 79.8% more affordable overall with an index of 99 vs 178.
A $75,000 salary in Cambridge has equivalent purchasing power to approximately $41,713 in Port St Lucie, based on the cost of living difference.
Cambridge's housing index is 280 with median homes at $890,000, while Port St Lucie's is 103 with median homes at $384,000.

Moving & Relocation Resources

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