Sarasota, FL Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Sarasota. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Sarasota compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Sarasota, Florida

Cost of living in Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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:

120 Cost of living index 1.2x higher vs US
#335 Cheapest in Florida (of 462)
#4,344 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$412,112 Median home value
$1,684 Median rent
$72,105 Median income
Not sure Sarasota fits your budget? Try our place-match quiz →

What is the cost of living in Sarasota, FL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Sarasota has an overall cost of living index of 120, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Florida, Sarasota has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Florida's index of 104.

The standard of living in Sarasota ranks as #335 most affordable out of the 462 places we measured in Florida. By definition, that implies Sarasota ranks as the #127 most expensive place in the Sunshine State.

For more reading on life in Sarasota, check out:

Sarasota Cost Of Living Vs. Florida

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

  • The Services index in Sarasota is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Sarasota is 105.

  • The Health index in Sarasota is 152.

  • The Housing index in Sarasota is 100.

  • The Transportation index in Sarasota is 112.

  • The Utilities index in Sarasota is 109.

Living Expense Sarasota Florida National Average
Overall 120 104 100
Services 102 101 100
Groceries 105 105 100
Health 152 99 100
Housing 100 104 100
Transportation 112 109 100
Utilities 109 105 100

Sarasota Cost Of Living Compared To Florida Averages

Services
Sarasota 102
Florida avg 101
Groceries
Sarasota 105
Florida avg 105
Health
Sarasota 152
Florida avg 99
Housing
Sarasota 100
Florida avg 104
Transportation
Sarasota 112
Florida avg 109
Utilities
Sarasota 109
Florida avg 105

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 Sarasota Get matched →

Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Sarasota, FL Housing Cost Breakdown

$412,112Median Home Value
$1,684Median Rent
$72,105Median Income

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 Sarasota is $412,112.

  • The Median Rent in Sarasota is $1,684.

  • The Median Income in Sarasota is $72,105.

  • The Home Value To Income in Sarasota is 5.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Sarasota is 0.28x.

Statistic Sarasota Florida United States
Median Home Value $412,112 $375,661 $332,700
Median Rent $1,684 $1,669 $1,413
Median Income $72,105 $74,568 $80,734
Home Value To Income 5.7x 5.0x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.28x 0.27x 0.21x

Sarasota, FL Costs By Category

Detailed Sarasota Services costs vs. Florida
Item Sarasota Florida
Shampoo $1.36 $1.28
Movie $13.08 $12.13
Bowling $16.72 $18
Haircut $26.28 $24.26
Beauty Salon $41.57 $45.56
Detailed Sarasota Groceries costs vs. Florida
Item Sarasota Florida
Ground Beef $5.02 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.48 $1.57
Milk $4.54 $4.67
Potatoes $5.47 $4.93
Pizza $10.96 $12.09
Beer $10.58 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.67 $3.7
Detailed Sarasota Health costs vs. Florida
Item Sarasota Florida
Optometrist $104.04 $125.68
Doctor $122.85 $135.78
Dentist $112.75 $113.29
Detailed Sarasota Transportation costs vs. Florida
Item Sarasota Florida
Gasoline $3.56 $3.46
Tire Balancing $63.29 $59.92
Detailed Sarasota Utilities costs vs. Florida
Item Sarasota Florida
All Electricity $149.04 $193.99
Phone $193.01 $192.25

Sarasota SnackAbility

7Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 8/10
Housing 8.5/10
Affordability 4/10
Diversity 8.5/10
Safety 4/10
Amenities 9.5/10
Education 8/10
Commute 8/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Sarasota

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

  • Bradenton, FL has a cost of living index of 106, 0.9x Sarasota.

  • Venice, FL has a cost of living index of 118, 1.0x Sarasota.

  • South Bradenton, FL has a cost of living index of 93, 0.8x Sarasota.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Sarasota
Bradenton, FL 57,014 106 0.9x
Venice, FL 27,479 118 1.0x
South Bradenton, FL 25,990 93 0.8x
Bayshore Gardens, FL 18,131 97 0.8x
Fruitville, FL 15,172 121 1.0x
Palmetto, FL 13,588 100 0.8x
Sarasota Springs, FL 12,611 114 0.9x
Southgate, FL 5,772 119 1.0x
Siesta Key, FL 5,525 172 1.4x
The Meadows, FL 5,492 118 1.0x