City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Lakeland | St. Petersburg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,217/mo | $1,410/mo | 13.7% lower in A |
| Median home value | $207,800 | $289,000 | 28.1% lower in A |
| Median household income | $58,290 | $70,333 | 17.1% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.0 | 96.4 | 0.6% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 89.3 | 90.4 | 1.3% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 99.4 | 98.5 | 0.9% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.6 | 96.7 | 0.9% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Lakeland, you'd need $110,898 in St. Petersburg to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lakeland, FL is about 9.8% cheaper overall than St. Petersburg, FL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 21% lower in Lakeland than in St. Petersburg. If you earn $80,000 in Lakeland, you'd need about $88,718 in St. Petersburg to keep the same standard of living.