Palm Bay, FL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Palm Bay, FL Summary

Cost of living in Palm Bay 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 Palm Bay 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 Palm Bay is 98, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Palm Bay is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Palm Bay ranks as the #128 cheapest in Florida out of 459.

  • Palm Bay ranks as the #2,372 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Palm Bay is $304,452.

  • The median income in Palm Bay is $67,521.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
98
Palm Bay's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Palm Bay, FL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Palm Bay has an overall cost of living index of 98, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Florida, Palm Bay has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Florida's index of 97.

The standard of living in Palm Bay ranks as #128 most affordable out of the 459 places we measured in Florida. By definition, that implies Palm Bay ranks as the #331 most expensive place in the Sunshine State.

For more reading on life in Palm Bay, check out:

128 out of 459
In Florida
2,372 out of 6,489
In America

Palm Bay Cost Of Living Vs. Florida

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Palm Bay. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Palm Bay is 95.

  • The Groceries index in Palm Bay is 101.

  • The Health index in Palm Bay is 99.

  • The Housing index in Palm Bay is 102.

  • The Transportation index in Palm Bay is 97.

  • The Utilities index in Palm Bay is 108.

Living Expense Palm Bay Florida National Average
Overall 98 97 100
Services 95 96 100
Groceries 101 99 100
Health 99 98 100
Housing 102 96 100
Transportation 97 97 100
Utilities 108 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Florida, check out:
Palm Bay Cost of Living Vs. FL

Palm Bay, 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 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Palm Bay is $304,452.

  • The Median Rent in Palm Bay is $1,487.

  • The Median Income in Palm Bay is $67,521.

  • The Home Value To Income in Palm Bay is 4.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Palm Bay is 0.26x.

Statistic Palm Bay Florida United States
Median Home Value $304,452 $377,066 $303,400
Median Rent $1,487 $1,564 $1,348
Median Income $67,521 $71,711 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.5x 5.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.26x 0.21x
$304,452
Median Home Value
$1,487
Median Rent
$67,521
Median Income

Palm Bay, FL Costs By Category

Detailed Palm Bay Services Costs Vs. Florida

Item Palm Bay Florida
Shampoo $1.32 $1.28
Movie $13.1 $12.13
Bowling $14.75 $18
Haircut $21.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $56.83 $45.56

Detailed Palm Bay Groceries Costs Vs. Florida

Item Palm Bay Florida
Ground Beef $5.85 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.45 $1.57
Milk $4.52 $4.67
Potatoes $5.38 $4.93
Pizza $12.62 $12.09
Beer $10.69 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.68 $3.7

Detailed Palm Bay Health Costs Vs. Florida

Item Palm Bay Florida
Optometrist $78.2 $125.68
Doctor $139.8 $135.78
Dentist $132.83 $113.29

Detailed Palm Bay Transportation Costs Vs. Florida

Item Palm Bay Florida
Gasoline $3.45 $3.46
Tire Balancing $54.85 $59.92

Detailed Palm Bay Utilities Costs Vs. Florida

Item Palm Bay Florida
All Electricity $144.67 $193.99
Phone $196.14 $192.25

Palm Bay SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8
Affordability
5
Diversity
9
Safety
6
Amenities
8.5
Education
6
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Palm Bay

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Palm Bay. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Melbourne, FL has a cost of living index of 102, 1.0x Palm Bay.

  • West Melbourne, FL has a cost of living index of 110, 1.1x Palm Bay.

  • Sebastian, FL has a cost of living index of 102, 1.0x Palm Bay.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Palm Bay
Melbourne, FL 85,718 102 1.0x
West Melbourne, FL 27,643 110 1.1x
Sebastian, FL 25,759 102 1.0x
Viera East, FL 13,082 114 1.2x
Satellite Beach, FL 11,250 118 1.2x
Micco, FL 9,053 89 0.9x
Indian Harbour Beach, FL 8,991 115 1.2x

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