Hattiesburg vs Port St Lucie
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Hattiesburg
Port St Lucie
The Verdict
Hattiesburg is 22.2% less expensive than Port St Lucie overall. A household earning $75,000 in Hattiesburg would need approximately $96,429 in Port St Lucie 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 Hattiesburg has the same purchasing power as $96,429 in Port St Lucie.
Conversely, $75,000 in Port St Lucie equals $58,333 in Hattiesburg.
Living in Hattiesburg vs Port St Lucie
Housing Costs
Hattiesburg's housing index of 52 is lower Port St Lucie's 103, translating to median home prices of $170,000 vs $384,000. The $214,000 difference in home prices means roughly $13,908 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $875/mo in Hattiesburg compared to $1,800/mo in Port St Lucie, a monthly difference of $925.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 97 in Hattiesburg and 102 in Port St Lucie. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $461/month in Hattiesburg vs $485/month in Port St Lucie. 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 93 in Hattiesburg and 93 in Port St Lucie. Monthly utility bills average approximately $372 in Hattiesburg vs $372 in Port St Lucie. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 106 in Hattiesburg and 96 in Port St Lucie. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. The 10-point gap reflects real differences in provider costs, insurance market competition, and regional healthcare infrastructure.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $44,100 in Hattiesburg and $81,100 in Port St Lucie. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $57,273 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 $1,029/month to housing in Hattiesburg vs $1,892/month in Port St Lucie. In Hattiesburg, median rent of $875/mo fits within this budget. 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 51 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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