What is the cost of living in Alachua, FL?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Alachua has an overall cost of living index of 108, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Florida, Alachua has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Florida's index of 104.
The standard of living in Alachua ranks as #195 most affordable out of the 462 places we measured in Florida. By definition, that implies Alachua ranks as the #267 most expensive place in the Sunshine State.
For more reading on life in Alachua, check out:
Alachua Cost Of Living Vs. Florida
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Alachua. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Alachua is 99.
The Groceries index in Alachua is 103.
The Health index in Alachua is 113.
The Housing index in Alachua is 101.
The Transportation index in Alachua is 114.
The Utilities index in Alachua is 111.
| Living Expense | Alachua | Florida | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 108 | 104 | 100 |
| Services | 99 | 101 | 100 |
| Groceries | 103 | 105 | 100 |
| Health | 113 | 99 | 100 |
| Housing | 101 | 104 | 100 |
| Transportation | 114 | 109 | 100 |
| Utilities | 111 | 105 | 100 |
Alachua Cost Of Living Compared To Florida Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Florida, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Alachua Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Alachua, FL Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Florida, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Alachua is $331,489.
The Median Rent in Alachua is $1,284.
The Median Income in Alachua is $83,464.
The Home Value To Income in Alachua is 4.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Alachua is 0.18x.
Alachua, FL Costs By Category
Detailed Alachua Services costs vs. Florida
Detailed Alachua Groceries costs vs. Florida
Detailed Alachua Health costs vs. Florida
Detailed Alachua Transportation costs vs. Florida
Alachua SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Alachua
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Alachua. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Gainesville, FL has a cost of living index of 104, 1.0x Alachua.
Ocala, FL has a cost of living index of 100, 0.9x Alachua.
Lakeside, FL has a cost of living index of 102, 0.9x Alachua.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Alachua |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville, FL | 145,702 | 104 | 1.0x |
| Ocala, FL | 66,584 | 100 | 0.9x |
| Lakeside, FL | 32,105 | 102 | 0.9x |
| Oakleaf Plantation, FL | 32,070 | 115 | 1.1x |
| Middleburg, FL | 11,644 | 102 | 0.9x |
| Palatka, FL | 10,650 | 88 | 0.8x |
| Newberry, FL | 7,865 | 107 | 1.0x |
| High Springs, FL | 6,544 | 104 | 1.0x |








