Gainesville cost of living index
| Index | Gainesville | Florida | National |
| Cost of living index | 96 | 101 | 100 |
| Index | Gainesville | Florida | National |
| Goods & Services index | 95 | 101 | 100 |
| Groceries index | 102 | 105 | 100 |
| Health care index | 98 | 97 | 100 |
| Housing index | 91 | 99 | 100 |
| Transportation index | 100 | 105 | 100 |
| Utilities index | 103 | 102 | 100 |
Did you know?
- The cost of living in Gainesville is 5% lower than the Florida average.
- The cost of living in Gainesville is 4% lower than the national average.
- The cost of housing in Gainesville is 9% lower than the national average.
- Florida general sales tax is 18% higher than the national average.
- Florida state income tax is 100% lower than the national average.
Florida Sales Tax
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Florida | 6% | 7.5% |
Florida Income Tax
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Florida | 0% | 0% |
Goods & Services
| Item | Gainesville | National avg. | Difference |
| Haircut | $12.67 | $14.59 | 13.2% |
| Beauty Salon | $28.98 | $34.68 | 16.4% |
| Toothpaste | $2.84 | $2.47 | 14.8% |
| Shampoo | $1.05 | $1.02 | 2.7% |
| Movie | $11.00 | $9.87 | 11.5% |
| Bowling | $5.00 | $4.39 | 13.9% |
Groceries
| Item | Gainesville | National avg. | Difference |
| Ground Beef | $4.65 | $4.48 | 3.9% |
| Fried Chicken | $1.32 | $1.46 | 9.8% |
| Milk | $2.82 | $2.36 | 19.7% |
| Potatoes | $2.98 | $3.06 | 2.7% |
| Pizza | $7.99 | $9.24 | 13.6% |
| Beer | $8.58 | $8.63 | 0.6% |
Health Care
| Item | Gainesville | National avg. | Difference |
| Optometrist | $77.73 | $99.78 | 22.1% |
| Doctor | $87.33 | $105.03 | 16.9% |
| Dentist | $94.50 | $88.70 | 6.5% |
| Ibuprofen | $9.99 | $9.41 | 6.1% |
| Lipitor | $308.57 | $298.50 | 3.4% |
Housing
| Item | Gainesville | National avg. | Difference |
| Home Price | $159,400.00 | $181,400.00 | 12.1% |
| Avg. Mortgage Payment | $960.13 | $1,081.03 | 11.2% |
| Apartment Rent | $861.00 | $889.00 | 3.1% |
Transportation
| Item | Gainesville | National avg. | Difference |
| Gasoline | $2.05 | $2.09 | 2.2% |
| Tire Balancing | $48.00 | $45.29 | 6.0% |
Utilities
| Item | Gainesville | National avg. | Difference |
| All Electricity | $170.39 | $170.80 | 0.2% |
| Phone | $30.01 | $28.26 | 6.2 |
The cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.
Nearby cities with low cost of living
| City, State | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Raleigh, FL | 122 | 80 | -20% |
| Hampton, FL | 647 | 83 | -17% |
| Waldo, FL | 990 | 88 | -12% |
| La Crosse, FL | 140 | 88 | -12% |
| Archer, FL | 1,087 | 88 | -12% |
| Gainesville, FL | 124,981 | 96 | -4% |
Cities with similar population
| City, State | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Hartford, CT | 124,879 | 114 | 14% |
| Waco, TX | 124,843 | 84 | -16% |
| Elizabeth, NJ | 124,795 | 122 | 22% |
| Olathe, KS | 125,902 | 99 | -1% |
| Simi Valley, CA | 123,942 | 145 | 45% |
| Gainesville, FL | 124,981 | 96 | -4% |