Living alone in Orlando costs about $5,100 a month, or $61,200 a year, which is 7% higher than the national average. That puts it near the top, pricewise, of GoBankingRates’ January 2025 list of the ten best college towns — ranking fourth most expensive behind Scottsdale, Tempe, and Atlanta. By comparison, nearby Gainesville, Florida comes in much lower, at $3,233 a month. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis gave the area a 101.1 price parity score for overall prices, as of 2023, meaning most goods are only slightly above the national average.
In Orlando, housing is where the price gap becomes more apparent. The rent index in Orlando was 121, as of December 2024, per the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which is 21% above the U.S. average. As of August 2025, Apartment List shows the average rent in Orlando is $1,565, depending on the unit. Studios go for about $1,579, one-bedrooms for $1,793, two-bedrooms for $2,178, and three-bedrooms for $2,492. Buying a home isn’t much cheaper either. Redfin puts the median sale price at $404,000, as of June 2025. With 20% down and a 6.75% fixed mortgage, your monthly loan payment would be around $2,096, before taxes and insurance. In fact, Orlando is one of the Florida cities where buying a house will cost you.
Other Expenses In Orlando, Florida
In addition for it’s reputation as one of the best states for retirees, Florida also boasts relatively reasonable electricity rates. As of May 2025, the Energy Information Administration puts the average residential rate at 14.94 cents per kilowatt-hour — below the U.S. average of 16.79 cents. With that said, local usage puts the monthly power bill at around $212, according to PayScale in August 2025.
Add another $100 for water, sewer, and trash through the city – $10.50 for water service, $6.30 for using 6,000 gallons, a sewer base of $24.38 plus $35.34 for actual sewer flow, and a flat $22.55 for trash pickup. Altogether, a typical resident pays around $312 on basic utilities. Meanwhile, grocery prices in Orlando are 5% higher than the U.S. average. According to PayScale, a loaf of bread costs roughly $4.14, milk is $4.93 per gallon, and a dozen eggs go for $3.73…