Cost of living in Brownsville research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Brownsville is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Florida, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Brownsville is 106, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Brownsville is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Brownsville ranks as the #217 cheapest in Florida out of 459.
Brownsville ranks as the #3,278 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Brownsville is $420,433.
The median income in Brownsville is $38,460.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Brownsville has an overall cost of living index of 106, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Florida, Brownsville has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Florida's index of 97.
The standard of living in Brownsville ranks as #217 most affordable out of the 459 places we measured in Florida. By definition, that implies Brownsville ranks as the #242 most expensive place in the Sunshine State.
For more reading on life in Brownsville, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Brownsville. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Brownsville is 106.
The Groceries index in Brownsville is 104.
The Health index in Brownsville is 94.
The Housing index in Brownsville is 106.
The Transportation index in Brownsville is 101.
The Utilities index in Brownsville is 104.
| Living Expense | Brownsville | Florida | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 106 | 97 | 100 | |
| Services | 106 | 96 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 104 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 94 | 98 | 100 | |
| Housing | 106 | 96 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 101 | 97 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 104 | 95 | 100 | |
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 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Brownsville is $420,433.
The Median Rent in Brownsville is $1,157.
The Median Income in Brownsville is $38,460.
The Home Value To Income in Brownsville is 10.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Brownsville is 0.36x.
| Statistic | Brownsville | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $420,433 | $377,066 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,157 | $1,564 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $38,460 | $71,711 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 10.9x | 5.3x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.36x | 0.26x | 0.21x |
| Item | Brownsville | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.53 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $14.35 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $23.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $20.53 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $88.07 | $45.56 |
| Item | Brownsville | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.11 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.4 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.6 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.24 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.13 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.44 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.51 | $3.7 |
| Item | Brownsville | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $98.49 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $127.08 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $107.83 | $113.29 |
| Item | Brownsville | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.49 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.09 | $59.92 |
| Item | Brownsville | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $200.94 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $194.37 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Brownsville. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Miami, FL has a cost of living index of 125, 1.2x Brownsville.
Hialeah, FL has a cost of living index of 115, 1.1x Brownsville.
Pembroke Pines, FL has a cost of living index of 122, 1.2x Brownsville.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Brownsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami, FL | 446,663 | 125 | 1.2x |
| Hialeah, FL | 221,901 | 115 | 1.1x |
| Pembroke Pines, FL | 170,557 | 122 | 1.2x |
| Kendale Lakes, FL | 52,141 | 118 | 1.1x |
| Coral Gables, FL | 49,243 | 188 | 1.8x |
| Richmond West, FL | 35,988 | 132 | 1.2x |
| West Little River, FL | 33,147 | 105 | 1.0x |
| Miami Lakes, FL | 30,731 | 136 | 1.3x |
| Coral Terrace, FL | 24,051 | 128 | 1.2x |
| The Crossings, FL | 22,359 | 125 | 1.2x |