Sarasota, FL Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Sarasota, FL Summary

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:

  • The cost of living index in Sarasota is 115, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Sarasota is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Sarasota ranks as the #325 cheapest in Florida out of 459.

  • Sarasota ranks as the #4,090 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Sarasota is $411,473.

  • The median income in Sarasota is $70,065.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
115
Sarasota's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

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 115, which is 1.1x 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 97.

The standard of living in Sarasota ranks as #325 most affordable out of the 459 places we measured in Florida. By definition, that implies Sarasota ranks as the #134 most expensive place in the Sunshine State.

For more reading on life in Sarasota, check out:

325 out of 459
In Florida
4,090 out of 6,489
In America

Sarasota Cost Of Living Vs. Florida

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

  • The Services index in Sarasota is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Sarasota is 101.

  • The Health index in Sarasota is 102.

  • The Housing index in Sarasota is 150.

  • The Transportation index in Sarasota is 99.

  • The Utilities index in Sarasota is 102.

Living Expense Sarasota Florida National Average
Overall 115 97 100
Services 101 96 100
Groceries 101 99 100
Health 102 98 100
Housing 150 96 100
Transportation 99 97 100
Utilities 102 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Florida, check out:
Sarasota Cost of Living Vs. FL

Sarasota, 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 Sarasota is $411,473.

  • The Median Rent in Sarasota is $1,514.

  • The Median Income in Sarasota is $70,065.

  • The Home Value To Income in Sarasota is 5.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Sarasota is 0.26x.

Statistic Sarasota Florida United States
Median Home Value $411,473 $377,066 $303,400
Median Rent $1,514 $1,564 $1,348
Median Income $70,065 $71,711 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.9x 5.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.26x 0.21x
$411,473
Median Home Value
$1,514
Median Rent
$70,065
Median Income

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

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

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 104, 0.9x Sarasota.

  • Venice, FL has a cost of living index of 114, 1.0x Sarasota.

  • South Bradenton, FL has a cost of living index of 88, 0.8x Sarasota.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Sarasota
Bradenton, FL 56,289 104 0.9x
Venice, FL 26,467 114 1.0x
South Bradenton, FL 25,585 88 0.8x
Bayshore Gardens, FL 18,324 93 0.8x
Fruitville, FL 15,828 118 1.0x
Palmetto, FL 13,449 99 0.9x
Sarasota Springs, FL 12,669 110 1.0x
Southgate, FL 6,054 116 1.0x
Siesta Key, FL 5,690 172 1.5x
The Meadows, FL 5,463 116 1.0x

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