Florida · Free comparisons

Find your Florida rent vs buy calculator

Choose a city, enter comparable homes, and test the cost of moving sooner or staying longer.

19 city comparisons start from 10 county datasets. Cities in the same county share reference values. These are regional housing indices, not city medians or a statewide average.

Browse all cities ↓Use my own numbers →

19 city pages. Open a location, then replace the starting values with homes you would actually rent or buy.

Start with a city

Hollywood, FLSt. Petersburg, FLClearwater, FL

Published by RentalCalcs · Content and usability reviewed .

Data periods and program effective dates are shown separately. Report a correction.

City calculators, grouped by their county reference

Home values use Zillow ZHVI; monthly rents use Zillow ZORI. Each has its own observation date. Open a city to adjust price, rent, financing and your time horizon.

Alachua County

Home value · ZHVI
$298,912
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,640

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Brevard County

Home value · ZHVI
$342,346
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,887

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Duval County

Home value · ZHVI
$294,079
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,603

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Hillsborough County

Home value · ZHVI
$375,501
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,978

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Lee County

Home value · ZHVI
$334,485
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,827

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Orange County

Home value · ZHVI
$400,964
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,933

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Turn a regional reference into your decision

  1. 1. Compare similar homes. Match bedrooms, property type, condition and location. The home-value and rent indices cover different housing stocks; their ratio alone cannot tell you which option is better.
  2. 2. Check the property's costs. Replace the illustrative tax rate, insurance and HOA assumptions. Use the Florida property appraiser and tax collector directory to request an estimate after purchase.

    The seller's bill can understate your ongoing cost. Florida's homebuyer tax guide explains reassessment after a purchase. Ask the property appraiser for your post-purchase estimate and eligibility for homestead benefits or Save Our Homes portability; the seller's benefits are not your estimate. Confirm recurring non-ad valorem charges with the tax collector.

    Enter estimated annual taxes and recurring tax-bill charges ÷ purchase price × 100. A $6,000 annual budget on a $400,000 home is 1.50%, or $500 a month. With that conversion, leave Assessed Value at 100% in the full calculator. This model does not calculate exemptions, portability, reassessment timing or assessment caps; later years use an illustrative tax-growth rate.

  3. 3. Test more than one exit date. Each city calculator compares the monthly budget, cash at closing and wealth after selling costs. Try a shorter stay and less favorable growth assumptions before opening the full calculator.

Check insurance and condo costs before comparing

Get property-specific insurance quotes

The $1,800 annual home-insurance default is an illustration, not a Florida quote. Obtain quotes for the actual property, including any separate flood or wind coverage. Florida's insurance question guide explains coverage and deductibles; typical homeowners policies do not cover flood damage. Enter your combined annual premiums in the full calculator, without duplicating coverage paid through HOA dues. Keep hurricane and other deductibles in your cash reserve.

Read the condo budget and building reports

For a condo, replace the $0 HOA starting value with current dues. Request the association budget, reserve funding plan, meeting minutes and approved or proposed special assessments.

Check applicable milestone inspection reports and the structural integrity reserve study using Florida DBPR's condo inspection guidance. Requirements depend on the building; a study does not mean repairs are fully funded.

Confirm what dues already cover, including master insurance and maintenance. Avoid counting the same cost again in the full calculator. One-time assessments and their payment dates need a separate cash budget; the monthly HOA input treats dues as an ongoing expense.

Coverage and sources

These 10 counties are the starting references for the listed cities; this is not complete coverage of Florida. City pages include the source series, county FIPS, observation month, retrieval date and download links. Read Zillow's index definitions. Download dates do not make the underlying observations newer.

County references were checked against the U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Florida place-by-county table. Check your actual address before using a county source.

There is no statewide buy-or-rent verdict here. Results depend on the properties and assumptions you enter. The comparisons are free; the full calculator also offers an optional paid report.