A+
11%
Overall NAT. AVG.
4%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
28%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Lake City Florida National
Cost of living8999100
Goods & Services96100100
Groceries95105100
Health care8994100
Housing7297100
Transportation9899100
Utilities10298100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in Lake City, FL

Knowing the cost of living in Lake City allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Lake City stands at 89, marking it 11% lower than the national average.

Is Lake City Affordable?

Is Lake City an affordable place to live? It's a good question and one that you might want to ask when considering any new city, as affordability can play a huge role in the decision making process. The cost of living index (which we covered above), as well as housing costs and income levels play a vital role in determining the affordability of an area. The median home price in Lake City is 36.6% lower than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 8.8% lower than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Lake City has a median household income of $60,084, which is 26.1% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Lake City?

Utilities: Similar to the prices of any goods or services, utility expenses can fluctuate widely, contingent on variables such as climate, available energy sources, geographical location and state regulations. Costs associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can differ in magnitude, depending on the specific city or state. In Lake City, the utilities index registers at 2.3% higher than the national average.

Healthcare: The costs associated with healthcare and insurance premiums can exhibit notable disparities based on the city or state of residence. Access to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for medical appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs and specialized medical care expenses all contribute to variations in the cost of living. In Lake City, healthcare costs are 10.9% lower than the national average.

Groceries: The costs associated with groceries have witnessed substantial increases over the past 2-3 years. In select markets, food prices have escalated by more than 20% during this timeframe, whereas others have seen more restrained upticks. The variances in food expenses can exert a considerable influence on the overall cost of living in a given locale. In Lake City, the groceries index is 4.7% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Lake City cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Lake City is 10% lower than the Florida average
  • The cost of living in Lake City is 11% lower than the national average
  • Lake City housing is 28% lower than the national average
  • Florida general sales tax is 18% higher than the national average
  • Florida state income tax is 100% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Lake City

See all the best places to live around Lake City

Compare Lake City, FL Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$83,068$6,922$1,938$2,492
      Renters$41,346$3,446$965$1,241
      A good indicator of the general affordability of housing in Lake City, FL, is the percentage of monthly income that should be spent on housing expenses, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Generally speaking, no more than 28 percent of your total gross income should be spent on your housing expenses and not more than 36 percent of your gross income on total expenses, including debts. In Lake City, the median monthly income is $83,068 for those who own their own homes. Under the standard rule, that income level would allow for $1,938 to be budgeted for housing expenses each month, at the most. Renters, on the other hand, earn about $41,346, per the median income in the area. That would allow for renters to spend up to $965 on monthly rental expenses.

      Florida Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Florida 6% 7.5%

      Florida Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Florida 0% 0%

      Goods & Services

      Item Lake City National avg. Difference
      Haircut $24.22$27.6212.3%
      Beauty Salon $56.00$51.119.6%
      Toothpaste $4.11$4.090.4%
      Shampoo $1.29$1.5416.3%
      Movie $13.83$12.887.4%
      Yoga $10.00$19.6649.1%

      Groceries

      Item Lake City National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $8.16$7.705.9%
      Fried Chicken $1.52$1.668.6%
      Milk $4.69$4.730.9%
      Potatoes $5.50$5.264.6%
      Pizza $12.64$12.761.0%
      Beer $10.29$10.552.5%

      Health Care

      Item Lake City National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $95.00$140.0632.2%
      Doctor $141.75$153.827.8%
      Dentist $117.50$123.154.6%
      Ibuprofen $11.47$11.732.2%
      Lipitor $17.46$23.6126.1%

      Housing

      Item Lake City National avg. Difference
      Home Price $206,939.00$326,622.0036.6%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $1,990.89$2,480.2519.7%
      Apartment Rent $1,317.00$1,444.008.8%

      Transportation

      Item Lake City National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $2.90$3.065.0%
      Tire Balancing $69.25$65.216.2%

      Utilities

      Item Lake City National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $229.58$220.124.3%
      Phone $194.41$195.710.7%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      White Springs, FL9958218.4%
      Watertown, FL2,4308416.2%
      Five Points, FL1,324936.9%
      Lake City, FL12,6388910.9%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Cottonwood, AZ12,6401054.6%
      Ringwood, NJ12,64212929.5%
      New Kensington, PA12,6338910.8%
      Effingham, IL12,6448613.7%
      Saddlebrooke, AZ12,65013232.4%
      Lake City, FL12,6388910.9%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.