Sanibel, FL Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Sanibel, FL Summary

Cost of living in Sanibel 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 Sanibel 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 Sanibel is 161, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Sanibel is 1.6x higher than the national average.

  • Sanibel ranks as the #446 cheapest in Florida out of 459.

  • Sanibel ranks as the #5,919 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Sanibel is $807,736.

  • The median income in Sanibel is $122,730.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
161
Sanibel's Overall Cost Of Living
1.6x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Sanibel, FL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Sanibel has an overall cost of living index of 161, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Florida, Sanibel has a cost of living index that's 1.7x higher than Florida's index of 97.

The standard of living in Sanibel ranks as #446 most affordable out of the 459 places we measured in Florida. By definition, that implies Sanibel ranks as the #13 most expensive place in the Sunshine State.

For more reading on life in Sanibel, check out:

446 out of 459
In Florida
5,919 out of 6,489
In America

Sanibel Cost Of Living Vs. Florida

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

  • The Services index in Sanibel is 103.

  • The Groceries index in Sanibel is 99.

  • The Health index in Sanibel is 109.

  • The Housing index in Sanibel is 301.

  • The Transportation index in Sanibel is 106.

  • The Utilities index in Sanibel is 97.

Living Expense Sanibel Florida National Average
Overall 161 97 100
Services 103 96 100
Groceries 99 99 100
Health 109 98 100
Housing 301 96 100
Transportation 106 97 100
Utilities 97 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Florida, check out:
Sanibel Cost of Living Vs. FL

Sanibel, 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 Sanibel is $807,736.

  • The Median Rent in Sanibel is $747.

  • The Median Income in Sanibel is $122,730.

  • The Home Value To Income in Sanibel is 6.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Sanibel is 0.07x.

Statistic Sanibel Florida United States
Median Home Value $807,736 $377,066 $303,400
Median Rent $747 $1,564 $1,348
Median Income $122,730 $71,711 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.6x 5.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.07x 0.26x 0.21x
$807,736
Median Home Value
$747
Median Rent
$122,730
Median Income

Sanibel, FL Costs By Category

Detailed Sanibel Services Costs Vs. Florida

Item Sanibel Florida
Shampoo $1.45 $1.28
Movie $13.05 $12.13
Bowling $21.2 $18
Haircut $28.2 $24.26
Beauty Salon $54.05 $45.56

Detailed Sanibel Groceries Costs Vs. Florida

Item Sanibel Florida
Ground Beef $6.06 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.57 $4.67
Potatoes $5.24 $4.93
Pizza $11.72 $12.09
Beer $11.06 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.63 $3.7

Detailed Sanibel Health Costs Vs. Florida

Item Sanibel Florida
Optometrist $101.67 $125.68
Doctor $153.94 $135.78
Dentist $122.09 $113.29

Detailed Sanibel Transportation Costs Vs. Florida

Item Sanibel Florida
Gasoline $3.47 $3.46
Tire Balancing $74.92 $59.92

Detailed Sanibel Utilities Costs Vs. Florida

Item Sanibel Florida
All Electricity $179.36 $193.99
Phone $194.07 $192.25

Sanibel SnackAbility

9.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
9
Affordability
7
Diversity
3
Safety
9
Amenities
6
Education
9.5
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Sanibel

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

  • Cape Coral, FL has a cost of living index of 113, 0.7x Sanibel.

  • San Carlos Park, FL has a cost of living index of 110, 0.7x Sanibel.

  • Iona, FL has a cost of living index of 111, 0.7x Sanibel.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Sanibel
Cape Coral, FL 206,387 113 0.7x
San Carlos Park, FL 18,252 110 0.7x
Iona, FL 14,290 111 0.7x
Villas, FL 13,578 106 0.7x
Cypress Lake, FL 13,145 104 0.6x
Fort Myers Beach, FL 5,548 139 0.9x

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