Florida worth it?

Question

What is the Florida Cost of Living like?
I really want to move to Florida, but it seems housing prices are too damn expensive. I like the cenrtal florida area, lakeland, orlando, but want to know about cost of living there.

Housing Taxes
Gas
Pest Control
Auto Insurance
Health Care
Telephone
Heating/Cooling
What is Florida homestead exemption
Jobs pay for Customer Service/Sales?Publix
Cable Tv
Water
Garbage

Thank you

Answer 1

I live in Hallandale Beach, somewhat south, but the prices are similar everywhere.

I pay 800$ for rent for a 1/1.5 roughly 1,000 sq feet.

Housing taxes vary by appraised value and what type of residence it is, such as is it a condo, a single family home, a multi family home, or a mobile home? On a 200,000$ home, expect to pay about 1,500$ in taxes.

Gas is about 2.30$ for regular unleaded.

I pay 15$ a month to the association specifically for pest control. I got a quote from Truly Nolen, and they charge 128$ for an initial visit, then 85$ for quarterly service.

I pay 122$ for car insurance, one speeding ticket, no other violations.

My boss pays for my health insurance, but my premium is roughly 300$.

Telephone service is roughly 25$ a month for basic landline.

Heating and cooling varys dramatically by individual county. When I lived in Palm Beach county, I was paying upwards of 200$ for cooling in the summer. When I moved to Broward, it dropped dramatically to about 90$, same usage and roughly same square footage.

Homestead exemption limits how much your property tax can go up per year and reduces the taxable value of the home. It is non transferrable between properties, so if you move, you lose your homestead exemption, even if you move right next door. If you've been exempt for 10 years, you're paying less taxes on the same valued property than your neighbor is if he moved in a year ago. There's alot of drama regarding homestead exemption, property tax and home insurance right now. Check www.sun-sentinel.com for some stories about it there.

You can expect to make between 8-10$ an hour max at a place like publix, unless you're a manager. It depends on what kind of sales you're doing. My boyfriend is in sales and makes 10$/hr + commission. I make 11$/hr as an administrative assistant, but I get full benefits. I normally don't take under 15$/hr but I couldn't pass up the location, people and benefits.

Basic cable is roughly 50$ a month, that's about what I remember my dad was paying.

Water for one person, expect about 15-20$ a month.

County garbage disposal, expect about a 25$ a month fee. It depends on where you live.

Answer 2

You should check out bestplaces.net - I think you might have to register but it's quick and it will give you a good comparison of most of what you requested above... but, of course, everyone has different living styles, preferences, priorites, etc. and all cities/towns have good areas and bad, expensive and cheap... Good luck! I'm looking to move South too.

Answer 3

it depends what part you are talking about me and my mom just move here and have a house in california and we live in the south west part and its cost about 280,000 and thats cheap coming from california i would totally recommend it its nice and the beach is the best and the sunsets are beautiful,good luck with finding a house there if u go.!