Daytona Beach vs Fort Lauderdale
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Daytona Beach
Fort Lauderdale
The Verdict
Daytona Beach is 22.1% less expensive than Fort Lauderdale overall. A household earning $75,000 in Daytona Beach would need approximately $96,316 in Fort Lauderdale to maintain the same standard of living.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable
Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Daytona Beach has the same purchasing power as $96,316 in Fort Lauderdale.
Conversely, $75,000 in Fort Lauderdale equals $58,402 in Daytona Beach.
Living in Daytona Beach vs Fort Lauderdale
Housing Costs
Daytona Beach's housing index of 93 is lower Fort Lauderdale's 155, translating to median home prices of $288,000 vs $380,000. The $92,000 difference in home prices means roughly $5,976 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,350/mo in Daytona Beach compared to $2,000/mo in Fort Lauderdale, a monthly difference of $650.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 104 in Daytona Beach and 106 in Fort Lauderdale. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $494/month in Daytona Beach vs $504/month in Fort Lauderdale. The difference in grocery costs between these cities is relatively minor and unlikely to be a deciding factor in relocation.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 101 in Daytona Beach and 96 in Fort Lauderdale. Monthly utility bills average approximately $404 in Daytona Beach vs $384 in Fort Lauderdale. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 99 in Daytona Beach and 99 in Fort Lauderdale. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $52,100 in Daytona Beach and $54,468 in Fort Lauderdale. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $54,842 and $44,646 respectively. Daytona Beach residents enjoy stronger real purchasing power despite lower nominal wages.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,216/month to housing in Daytona Beach vs $1,271/month in Fort Lauderdale. In Daytona Beach, median rent of $1,350/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In Fort Lauderdale, median rent of $2,000/mo pushes past the recommended limit. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 62 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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