Florida is a dream destination for many. Families will come to visit, and then start planning their move to the Sunshine State. Can you blame them? There are many perks of living in Florida like the no income tax, gorgeous beaches, and endless recreational activities. When looking for the cheapest places to live in Florida, you’re likely going to be directed to the smaller inland cities. But let’s be real, you’re probably making this move to be closer to the water. So we found a list of the cheapest places to live in Florida and condensed that list to focus on the places near the beach.

We found our list of the most affordable places to live in Florida from Property Club. They factored their list based on median housing prices, and other costs of living like groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare. For the housing prices, they compared average rents and median prices sold between January 2023 and January 2024. They drew their data from the U.S. Census, Zillow, Rent Café, and more.

Florida Housing Market Overview

With so many people relocating to Florida, it’s made the housing market extremely competitive. Locals who are hoping to become first-time home buyers are stuck renting because they can’t combat the cash offers from the transplants. According to Redfin, home prices were up 4.5% from 2023, with the median selling price at $404,100. In January 2024, 10.2% of homes in Florida sold above the list price.

More Affordable Beach Towns

Keep in mind when looking for cheap places to live near the beach, you won’t ever be directly on the water. Nothing about living ocean-front is cheap. Keep in mind the cost of living in Florida is 1% higher than the national average. Another realtor blog, Norada, listed more affordable beach towns including Pensacola, Port St. Lucie, Tarpon Springs, and Bradenton. You can check out their full list here.

Here Are The Top 5 Cheapest Places To Live Near The Beach In Florida

  • Jacksonville

    According to our source, the median cost of a home in Jacksonville is about $293,000, which is well below the national average. You can even find 1-bedrooom apartments for around $1,200/month. Jacksonville was also named one of the best cities to live in the south. Plus, there are plenty of job opportunities.

    jacksonville

  • Edgewater

    Edgewater is located off the east coast of Florida near Daytona Beach. Despite being so close to one of Florida’s popular beaches, the cost of living is about 7% lower than the national average. The median home price here is about $305,000-$325,999.

  • Dunedin

    This one shocked us. With Clearwater being one of the more expensive Florida beach towns, we were shocked to see Dunedin on this list. Don’t get it twisted, there is so much to love about Dunedin. It’s charming downtown area has so many great restaurants, breweries, and shops. And it’s a less than 20 minute drive to the best beach in Florida, or you can head to the less crowded Dunedin Causeway or Honeymoon Island. Despite getting facelifts over the years with new housing and luxury apartments, Property Club says the median home cost is about $349,000. But it definitely won’t stay that way forever.

  • Melbourne

    Melbourne is located off the east coast of Florida and southeast from Orlando. It has that small-town appeal with plenty of outdoor recreation like beaches, golf courses, and the Viera Wetlands. The median cost of a home in Melbourne is about $375,000, and one bedroom apartments can be found for $1,300/month.

  • Cape Coral

    Cape Coral is going to be one of the most affordable cities in southwest Florida. Bonus perk is that it has one of the lowest crime rates in the state. It’s also known for its many canals and gorgeous landscapes. According to Property Club, the median home price here is $391,000, which is just below the national average.

    Aerial photo residential neighborhoods in Cape Coral Florida USA

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