Cost of living in Fort Lauderdale: rent, homes and salary
The cost of living in Fort Lauderdale is 14.2% higher than the US average. In 2024, BEA's regional price parity (RPP) put the Miami, FL metro area at 114.2, with the US at 100, and housing alone at 155.6.
- Level of prices
- 114.2US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 155.6 for rents, US = 100.
Cost of living index for Fort Lauderdale
A regional price parity compares the cost of the same basket of goods and services in one place with the US average. That average is set at 100. Fort Lauderdale lies in the metro area that BEA prices as a whole: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL. Housing (rents) sits furthest from the US average, at 155.6, or 55.6% above the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Miami, FL metro | Florida | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 114.2 | 103.4 | +14.2% |
| Goods | 103.6 | 98.1 | +3.6% |
| Housing (rents) | 155.6 | 122.1 | +55.6% |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 90.1 | −2.8% |
| Other services | 109.1 | 101.3 | +9.1% |
Regional price parities for 2024, split by metro area and state, come from the Bureau of Economic Analysis in the U.S. BEA regional price parities
Rent costs in Fort Lauderdale
The Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) measures the rent on homes listed now. It puts the typical asking rent in Fort Lauderdale at $2,697 a month, +2.0% on a year. In the US, the figure is $1,932. Census median gross rent is $1,953; it counts every renting household, not only new leases. Twelve months of asking rent equals 36% of the median household income.
| Rent | Fort Lauderdale | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $2,697 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +2.0% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,953 | $1,487 |
| Share of median income for a year of asking rent | 36% | 28% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index; one-year estimates from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024.
Prices for homes in Fort Lauderdale
By Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), a typical Fort Lauderdale home was worth $509,743 in September 2026. That index gives the value of a typical home at the midpoint of the market. That figure is −0.6% on a year, compared with $366,157 for the US. You need 5.6 years of median household income to cover that price, against 4.5 for the US.
| Home prices | Fort Lauderdale | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $509,743 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | −0.6% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +70.4% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 5.6 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 15.8 | 15.8 |
Days on market, a forecast, and the price chart since 2000: Fort Lauderdale housing market.
The salary needed to live in Fort Lauderdale
The salary you would need in Fort Lauderdale to buy what your pay buys today comes down to two things: your location and your earnings.
- Moving away from
- Salary
See every city side by side and the method: city cost of living comparison.
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Fort Lauderdale cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Rent, typical | Value of a typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | 114.2 | 155.6 | $2,697 | $509,743 |
| Jacksonville | 99.5 | 109.8 | $1,589 | $284,832 |
| Miami | 114.2 | 155.6 | $2,965 | $583,705 |
| Tampa | 100.9 | 125.8 | $1,930 | $375,619 |
| Orlando | 101.4 | 123.4 | $1,889 | $372,775 |
| St. Petersburg | 100.9 | 125.8 | $2,039 | $351,862 |
| West Palm Beach | 114.2 | 155.6 | $2,365 | $404,711 |
| Boca Raton | 114.2 | 155.6 | $2,967 | $580,267 |
| Fort Myers | 102.3 | 125.1 | $1,719 | $304,566 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities (2024); the US index is 100. Rent comes from Zillow ZORI. Home values: Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: cost of living comparison. Every state: state cost of living.