Cost of Living in Palm Bay, FL
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Palm Bay, FL to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Palm Bay, FL?
With a price level of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), Palm Bay, FL is close to the national average. In detail, housing costs run 12% above average; everyday goods are 4% below average; utilities are 12% below average; other services such as healthcare and dining cost about the same as the national average. The biggest difference from the national average is in utilities.
Prices in Palm Bay, FL vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 100.0 | +0.0% |
| Housing | 111.7 | +11.7% |
| Goods | 96.2 | −3.8% |
| Utilities | 88.1 | −11.9% |
| Other services | 98.9 | −1.1% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Palm Bay, FL
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,266 | $50,640/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $1,478 | $59,120/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,709 | $68,360/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,330 | $93,200/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,645 | $105,800/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Palm Bay, FL
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Palm Bay, FL | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $40,000 | $34,320 |
| $60,000 | $60,000 | $50,390 |
| $80,000 | $80,000 | $65,110 |
| $100,000 | $100,000 | $79,180 |
| $150,000 | $150,000 | $113,791 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, Florida 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Palm Bay, FL's median wage of $49,030 takes home about $3,465 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $1,478, which is 43% of take-home pay — well above the 30% guideline, so many workers here share housing or rent smaller units. That leaves about $1,987 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Palm Bay, FL
- Federal income tax$3,704
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,040
- Medicare (1.45%)$711
- Florida income tax$0
- Take-home pay$41,576
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Highest-paying jobs in Palm Bay, FL
| Job | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $131,760 | $101,324 | $101,319 |
| General and Operations Manager | $101,830 | $80,467 | $80,463 |
| Registered Nurse | $80,900 | $65,743 | $65,740 |
| First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $45,840 | $39,012 | $39,010 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | $45,400 | $38,659 | $38,657 |
| Office Clerks, General | $43,400 | $37,052 | $37,050 |
| Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $40,390 | $34,633 | $34,632 |
| Customer Service Representative | $37,760 | $32,520 | $32,519 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $37,680 | $32,456 | $32,454 |
| Nursing Assistant | $37,070 | $31,966 | $31,964 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $36,750 | $31,709 | $31,707 |
| Waiter and Waitress | $36,670 | $31,644 | $31,643 |
| Stocker and Order Filler | $35,300 | $30,544 | $30,542 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aide | $34,440 | $29,853 | $29,851 |
| Retail Salesperson | $33,430 | $29,041 | $29,040 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $32,810 | $28,543 | $28,541 |
| Cashier | $30,390 | $26,598 | $26,597 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $28,660 | $25,208 | $25,207 |
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in Florida cities
Half of Florida’s 9,929,860 workers earn less than $47,880 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $36,290–$75,410 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: Tallahassee, FL stretches a paycheck furthest, while Miami, FL is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami, FL | $48,640 | 114.2 | $1,942 | 56% | $1,497 | $36,146 |
| Tampa, FL | $48,940 | 100.9 | $1,696 | 49% | $1,763 | $41,137 |
| Orlando, FL | $46,630 | 101.4 | $1,731 | 52% | $1,573 | $39,093 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $48,830 | 99.5 | $1,374 | 40% | $2,077 | $41,630 |
| North Port, FL | $47,440 | 102.4 | $1,686 | 50% | $1,672 | $39,347 |
| Cape Coral, FL | $46,780 | 102.3 | $1,638 | 49% | $1,676 | $38,855 |
| Lakeland, FL | $46,140 | 97.1 | $1,230 | 38% | $2,041 | $40,409 |
| Palm Bay, FL | $49,030 | 100.0 | $1,478 | 43% | $1,987 | $41,574 |
| Deltona, FL | $44,940 | 99.4 | $1,393 | 44% | $1,798 | $38,533 |
| Pensacola, FL | $46,240 | 97.7 | $1,257 | 38% | $2,021 | $40,253 |
| Tallahassee, FL | $46,520 | 93.9 | $1,193 | 36% | $2,104 | $42,120 |
| Naples, FL | $47,800 | 103.2 | $1,797 | 53% | $1,585 | $39,329 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | $46,490 | 100.2 | $1,467 | 45% | $1,828 | $39,445 |
| Gainesville, FL | $47,020 | 96.7 | $1,193 | 36% | $2,137 | $41,310 |
| Crestview, FL | $47,510 | 97.0 | $1,492 | 44% | $1,871 | $41,589 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Palm Bay, FL vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Bay, FL | 100.0 | $1,478 | $49,030 | 245,170 |
| Trenton, NJ | 103.2 | $1,545 | $63,490 | 240,190 |
| Lancaster, PA | 98.3 | $1,220 | $48,210 | 252,230 |
| Scranton, PA | 93.6 | $1,028 | $46,330 | 255,620 |
| Spokane, WA | 100.3 | $1,168 | $54,660 | 255,820 |
| Augusta, GA | 91.9 | $1,110 | $45,990 | 231,930 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | 92.6 | $906 | $47,700 | 225,520 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Palm Bay, FL expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL metro area are 100.0% of the U.S. average, with housing at 111.7%. It is the #90 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Palm Bay, FL?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $60,003 in Palm Bay, FL (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $49,030.
Can you afford Palm Bay, FL on the median wage?
A single worker on the $49,030 median wage takes home about $3,465 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $1,478 would take 43% of that.
How much is rent in Palm Bay, FL?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Palm Bay, FL are $1,266 for a studio, $1,478 for one bedroom, $1,709 for two bedrooms and $2,330 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Palm Bay, FL
Management Occupations
- General and Operations Manager — $101,830
Computer and Mathematical Occupations
- Software Developer — $131,760
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $80,900
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Nursing Assistant — $37,070
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $34,440
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $45,840
- Cooks, Restaurant — $36,750
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,670
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $28,660
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
Sales and Related Occupations
- Retail Salesperson — $33,430
- Cashier — $30,390
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- Office Clerks, General — $43,400
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $40,390
- Customer Service Representative — $37,760
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $45,400
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $37,680
- Stocker and Order Filler — $35,300