Cost of Living in Palm Bay, FL
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Price level
100.0
U.S. average = 100 · #90 of 387
Median wage
$49,030
all jobs · $3,465/mo take-home
1-bedroom rent
$1,478
HUD fair market rent
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Palm Bay, FL to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
Salary needed to keep your lifestyle
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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.
Take-home pay in Palm Bay, FL
Your take-home pay
$41,576
per year · effective tax rate 15.2%
$3,465Monthly
$1,732Twice a month
$1,599Every 2 weeks
$19.99Hourly
- 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* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $239,200+ | $241,139 | $241,127 |
| Architectural and Engineering Manager | $175,490 | $131,213 | $131,207 |
| Chief Executive | $175,070 | $130,926 | $130,920 |
| Computer and Information Systems Manager | $172,020 | $128,842 | $128,835 |
| Financial Manager | $160,910 | $121,248 | $121,242 |
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $150,530 | $114,153 | $114,148 |
| Managers, All Other | $140,980 | $107,626 | $107,620 |
| Pharmacist | $134,070 | $102,903 | $102,898 |
| Sales Manager | $132,950 | $102,137 | $102,132 |
| Industrial Production Manager | $132,870 | $102,083 | $102,078 |
| Software Developer | $131,760 | $101,324 | $101,319 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $131,570 | $101,194 | $101,189 |
| Lawyer | $129,640 | $99,875 | $99,870 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $128,220 | $98,904 | $98,899 |
| Engineers, All Other | $127,400 | $98,344 | $98,339 |
| Information Security Analyst | $122,120 | $94,735 | $94,730 |
| Electrical Engineer | $122,020 | $94,667 | $94,662 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $120,870 | $93,862 | $93,857 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $115,920 | $90,380 | $90,375 |
| Computer Network Architect | $110,590 | $86,630 | $86,626 |
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
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.
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.
All salaries in Palm Bay, FL
Management Occupations
- Architectural and Engineering Manager — $175,490
- Chief Executive — $175,070
- Computer and Information Systems Manager — $172,020
- Financial Manager — $160,910
- Managers, All Other — $140,980
- Sales Manager — $132,950
- Industrial Production Manager — $132,870
- Medical and Health Services Manager — $103,230
- Construction Manager — $102,130
- General and Operations Manager — $101,830
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary — $82,210
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers — $75,980
- Food Service Manager — $62,910
Business and Financial Operations Occupations
- Project Management Specialist — $103,870
- Financial and Investment Analyst — $100,570
- Management Analyst — $99,680
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other — $92,250
- Compliance Officer — $84,230
- Buyer and Purchasing Agent — $83,360
- Logistician — $80,330
- Accountant and Auditor — $75,860
- Training and Development Specialist — $74,990
- Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist — $73,350
- Human Resources Specialist — $62,700
Computer and Mathematical Occupations
- Software Developer — $131,760
- Information Security Analyst — $122,120
- Computer Occupations, All Other — $115,920
- Computer Network Architect — $110,590
- Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester — $105,000
- Computer Systems Analyst — $101,940
- Network and Computer Systems Administrator — $99,230
- Computer Network Support Specialist — $76,630
- Computer User Support Specialist — $55,320
Architecture and Engineering Occupations
- Computer Hardware Engineer — $150,530
- Aerospace Engineer — $131,570
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer — $128,220
- Engineers, All Other — $127,400
- Electrical Engineer — $122,020
- Mechanical Engineer — $102,630
- Industrial Engineer — $101,610
- Civil Engineer — $100,640
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologist and Technician — $82,490
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologist and Technician — $68,040
Community and Social Service Occupations
- Social and Human Service Assistant — $41,650
Legal Occupations
- Lawyer — $129,640
- Paralegal and Legal Assistant — $58,250
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $62,510
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $59,950
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $58,840
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term — $37,650
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education — $35,920
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — $35,890
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Physicians, All Other — $239,200+
- Pharmacist — $134,070
- Nurse Practitioner — $120,870
- Physical Therapist — $98,990
- Registered Nurse — $80,900
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse — $61,000
- Clinical Laboratory Technologist and Technician — $59,930
- Pharmacy Technician — $44,860
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Dental Assistant — $47,400
- Medical Assistant — $38,830
- Nursing Assistant — $37,070
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $34,440
Protective Service Occupations
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer — $60,520
- Firefighter — $43,850
- Security Guard — $35,650
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
- Food Preparation Worker — $35,870
- Bartender — $34,670
- Dishwasher — $31,160
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $30,500
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $29,320
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $28,660
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker — $36,570
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners — $32,810
- Maid and Housekeeping Cleaner — $31,470
Personal Care and Service Occupations
- Recreation Worker — $35,460
- Childcare Worker — $33,460
- Animal Caretaker — $33,220
- Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists — $29,020
- Amusement and Recreation Attendant — $27,980
Sales and Related Occupations
- Real Estate Sales Agent — $79,250
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products — $63,260
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel — $60,290
- Insurance Sales Agent — $59,540
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents — $57,840
- First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers — $47,130
- Counter and Rental Clerk — $38,640
- Retail Salesperson — $33,430
- Cashier — $30,390
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $63,360
- Postal Service Mail Carrier — $62,070
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $60,770
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $46,960
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — $45,900
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks — $45,480
- Billing and Posting Clerk — $45,170
- Office Clerks, General — $43,400
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $40,390
- Customer Service Representative — $37,760
- Receptionist and Information Clerk — $36,350
Construction and Extraction Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $76,280
- Construction and Building Inspector — $64,390
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $59,780
- Electrician — $58,450
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $49,140
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance — $49,100
- Carpenter — $47,770
- Roofer — $47,770
- Construction Laborer — $44,720
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers — $73,730
- Aircraft Mechanic and Service Technician — $66,750
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers — $57,240
- Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic — $47,670
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $45,400
- Industrial Machinery Mechanic — $45,280
Production Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $78,970
- Machinist — $57,410
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $49,940
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers — $49,930
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $49,520
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers — $42,610
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $37,890
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $59,850
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $57,290
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $48,460
- Light Truck Driver — $40,520
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $37,680
- Stocker and Order Filler — $35,300
- Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment — $31,020
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $27,720