| Index | St. Augustine | Florida | National |
| Cost of living | 116 | 102 | 100 |
| Groceries | 102 | 102 | 100 |
| Health care | 102 | 104 | 100 |
| Housing | 146 | 97 | 100 |
| Transportation | 102 | 103 | 100 |
| Utilities | 110 | 110 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 109 | 104 | 100 |
| Household Items | 104 | 102 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 101 | 106 | 100 |
Getting a feel for the cost of living in St. Augustine is essential for anyone planning to relocate, as it empowers them to make informed financial decisions, secure a comfortable lifestyle and maintain financial stability in their new environment. The cost of living in St. Augustine is 116, which is 16% higher than the national average. Relocating individuals may need to adjust their savings and investment strategies based on the cost of living in the new location. It influences decisions about retirement planning, investments and financial goals.
Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in St. Augustine, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 46% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.
Is St. Augustine affordable? This is a pivotal question, especially when mulling over a move, as affordability carries substantial weight in your decision-making process. Factors such as the cost of living index (discussed earlier), housing expenses and income levels all contribute to a location's affordability. For instance, in St. Augustine, the median home price is 58% higher than the national average and monthly rent prices are 18% higher than the typical rates. Additionally, the median income levels play a role in affordability, with St. Augustine boasting a median household income of $88,736, 9.1% higher 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 St. Augustine, the groceries index is 2.3% higher than the national average.
Taxes: Areas with higher taxes, including sales taxes and income taxes, can contribute to a higher cost of living. Paying more tax for everyday household expenses like clothing and food will result in higher costs, as will paying a higher rate of income tax. The general sales tax rate in St. Augustine starts at 6% and the income tax rates start at 0%.
Subsidies: Certain cities or states may implement government subsidies or assistance programs with the goal of alleviating the cost of living pressures on their residents. These programs encompass a broad spectrum of support mechanisms, including Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and farming subsidies. Areas offering fewer subsidies may experience a rise in their cost of living.
The St. Augustine cost of living estimates above use a normalized U.S. average of 100 as the baseline for comparison. Housing values incorporate local home price and rental information from the U.S. Census, while all other estimates are AI-assisted and modeled using expected everyday expenses, local market trends, climate, and transportation-related cost pressures. The results are intended for practical city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $113,006 | $9,417 | $2,637 | $3,391 |
| Renters | $59,044 | $4,920 | $1,378 | $1,771 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Florida | 6% | 7.5% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Florida | 0% | 0% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Hastings, FL | 1,347 | 97 | 2.9% |
| St. Augustine South, FL | 5,123 | 112 | 12.3% |
| St. Augustine Shores, FL | 10,048 | 113 | 13.0% |
| World Golf Village, FL | 19,419 | 120 | 20.2% |
| Villano Beach, FL | 2,923 | 121 | 20.6% |
| St. Augustine, FL | 15,581 | 116 | 16.5% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Graham, NC | 15,581 | 93 | 7.0% |
| Elk Plain, WA | 15,587 | 122 | 22.1% |
| Hartford, WI | 15,591 | 99 | 0.6% |
| Greenwood Village, CO | 15,570 | 199 | 99.0% |
| Newton, IA | 15,563 | 88 | 11.6% |
| St. Augustine, FL | 15,581 | 116 | 16.5% |
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