Pembroke Pines vs Port St Lucie
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Pembroke Pines
Port St Lucie
The Verdict
Port St Lucie is 12.1% less expensive than Pembroke Pines overall. A household earning $75,000 in Pembroke Pines would need approximately $66,892 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 Pembroke Pines has the same purchasing power as $66,892 in Port St Lucie.
Conversely, $75,000 in Port St Lucie equals $84,091 in Pembroke Pines.
Living in Pembroke Pines vs Port St Lucie
Housing Costs
Pembroke Pines's housing index of 140 is higher Port St Lucie's 103, translating to median home prices of $440,000 vs $384,000. The $56,000 difference in home prices means roughly $3,636 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,900/mo in Pembroke Pines compared to $1,800/mo in Port St Lucie, a monthly difference of $100.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 105 in Pembroke Pines and 102 in Port St Lucie. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $499/month in Pembroke Pines 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 105 in Pembroke Pines and 93 in Port St Lucie. Monthly utility bills average approximately $420 in Pembroke Pines 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 91 in Pembroke Pines and 96 in Port St Lucie. 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 $85,900 in Pembroke Pines and $81,100 in Port St Lucie. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $77,387 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 $2,004/month to housing in Pembroke Pines vs $1,892/month in Port St Lucie. In Pembroke Pines, median rent of $1,900/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 37 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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