Fort Lauderdale vs Roswell
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Fort Lauderdale
Roswell
The Verdict
Roswell is 8.0% less expensive than Fort Lauderdale overall. A household earning $75,000 in Fort Lauderdale would need approximately $69,467 in Roswell 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 Fort Lauderdale has the same purchasing power as $69,467 in Roswell.
Conversely, $75,000 in Roswell equals $80,973 in Fort Lauderdale.
Living in Fort Lauderdale vs Roswell
Housing Costs
Fort Lauderdale's housing index of 155 is lower Roswell's 187, translating to median home prices of $380,000 vs $647,000. The $267,000 difference in home prices means roughly $17,352 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $2,000/mo in Fort Lauderdale compared to $1,700/mo in Roswell, a monthly difference of $300.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 106 in Fort Lauderdale and 101 in Roswell. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $504/month in Fort Lauderdale vs $480/month in Roswell. 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 96 in Fort Lauderdale and 98 in Roswell. Monthly utility bills average approximately $384 in Fort Lauderdale vs $392 in Roswell. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 99 in Fort Lauderdale and 103 in Roswell. 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 $54,468 in Fort Lauderdale and $108,800 in Roswell. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $44,646 and $96,283 respectively. Roswell residents come out ahead in real purchasing power.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,271/month to housing in Fort Lauderdale vs $2,539/month in Roswell. In Fort Lauderdale, median rent of $2,000/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In Roswell, median rent of $1,700/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 32 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases