Cost of Living in Pensacola, Florida
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Pensacola, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 53,817
- Median household income
- $74,212
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 97.7
- Unemployment rate
- 6.3%
Is Pensacola a good place to live?
Pensacola sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 76 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job.
A typical worker in Pensacola keeps $6,561 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living2% below the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,302 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- TaxesNo state income tax on wages
Cost of living in Pensacola
Prices in the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL area run 2% below the US average. Utilities is the biggest difference, at 12% below the US average.
- Housing1% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)4% below the US average
- Utilities12% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)1% below the US average
- All items2% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,302 | $15,624 |
| Food | $475 | $5,700 |
| Transportation | $376 | $4,512 |
| Healthcare | $348 | $4,176 |
| Utilities | $230 | $2,760 |
| Total before taxes | $2,731 | $32,772 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Pensacola | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,113 | $1,154 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,302 | $1,359 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,488 | $1,548 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,957 | $2,034 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,353 | $2,435 |
Living in Pensacola
How Pensacola compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year).
| Measure | Pensacola | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,212 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $314,400 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,322 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 35.8% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.3% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 43% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 41.3 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 22 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 16.7% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 0.7% | 3.7% |
Home internet
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Pensacola, led by Cox Communications, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T. Fiber reaches 68.9% of homes and 87.6% can get gigabit speeds.
Pros and cons of living in Pensacola
Pros
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 22 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- No state income tax. Florida doesn't tax wages, so more of each paycheck stays with you.
- Cheaper rent. Median rent is $1,322 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
- Fast home internet. 87.6% of homes can get gigabit speeds (FCC).
Cons
- Higher unemployment. Unemployment is 6.3%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2020–2024 5-year).
What your job keeps in Pensacola
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $46,240
- Federal income tax
- −$3,369
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,537
- State income tax
- $0
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$15,624
- Everyday costs
- −$17,149
a year, or $547 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | $108,430 | $52,337 |
| Project manager | $98,670 | $45,472 |
| Registered nurse | $77,890 | $30,852 |
| Accountant | $76,410 | $29,812 |
| Teacher | $52,194 | $11,345 |
| Electrician | $50,510 | $9,992 |
| Truck driver | $47,950 | $7,935 |
| Auto mechanic | $46,290 | $6,601 |
| Medical assistant | $38,760 | $551 |
| Nursing assistant | $36,430 | −$1,322 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Pensacola on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Carpenter $7,911
- Civil engineer $42,172
- Data scientist $47,455
- Dental assistant $6,512
- Dental hygienist $33,589
- Dentist $91,263
- Diesel mechanic $16,613
- Financial analyst $24,387
- Firefighter $6,184
- HVAC technician $16,034
- Lawyer $65,154
- Licensed practical nurse $17,609
- Lineman $40,553
- Mechanical engineer $46,899
- Nurse practitioner $61,096
- Occupational therapist $44,557
- Paralegal $14,515
- Paramedic $17,689
- Pharmacist $69,098
- Pharmacy technician $2,744
- Physical therapist $45,239
- Physician assistant $60,175
- Plumber $9,317
- Police officer $14,982
- Radiologic technologist $25,956
- Respiratory therapist $33,420
- Social worker $11,509
- Speech-language pathologist $45,570
- Veterinarian $78,941
- Welder $9,076
Compare Pensacola with other cities
Compare Pensacola with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Pensacola
10 licensed interstate movers are based in Pensacola, and 2 more elsewhere in the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Pensacola, FL a good place to live?
Pensacola sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 76 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job. The typical worker here earns $46,240 and keeps $6,561 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Pensacola?
Prices in the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL area are 2% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,302 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,429 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Pensacola?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $38,100 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL area earns $46,240.
What is the average rent in Pensacola?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,113 for a studio, $1,302 for a 1-bedroom and $1,488 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Pensacola at $1,322 a month (2024).
Does Pensacola have a state or city income tax?
Florida has no state income tax on wages. Pensacola has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve Pensacola?
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Pensacola, led by Cox Communications, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T. 68.9% of homes can get fiber and 87.6% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate