Cost of LivingUpdated 2026-11-11

Pensacola, Florida

Living in Pensacola, Florida is about 8% cheaper than the national average, with a cost of living index of 92 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,735 a month, 10% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.77 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 51% of the area's $65,715 median household income.

Key Numbers

Gas (Regular)

$3.77

National: $3.98

โ†‘ 187.7%since 2000
โœ“ AAA Gas Prices

Avg Rent (All)

$1,735

National: $1,932

โ†‘ 13.3%since 2021
โœ“ Zillow ZORI Pensacola, FL metro (2026-09)

Grocery Inflation

1.77%

Year-over-year

โœ“ BLS/FRED CPI

Fast Food Avg

$13.00

Combo meal

โ†‘ 5.2%YoY

Electricity

14.99ยข

per kWh ยท ~$135/mo

โ†“ 18.7%vs US avg
โœ“ EIA Residential

Car Insurance

$265/mo

$3,183/yr

โ†‘ 48.0%vs national avg
โœ“ Bankrate/NAIC

Median Household Income

$65,715

50.8% goes to essentials

โ†“ 50.8%cost burden
โœ“ Census ACS 2023
๐Ÿš—

Car Insurance

Avg $3,183 in Pensacola. Compare rates:

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Find Apartments

Avg rent $1,735/mo in Pensacola. Browse listings:

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Grocery Prices

Grocery Prices โ€” 2000 to Present

National BLS averages ยท submit local prices below โ†“

Eggs (dozen)

Bird flu volatility

$0.97 in 2000 โ†’ $2.32 BLS avg

+137.9%

Milk (gallon)

$2.79 in 2000 โ†’ $4.10 BLS avg

+47.3%

Ground Beef (lb)

$1.48 in 2000 โ†’ $6.75 BLS avg

+355.5%

Bread (loaf)

$0.91 in 2000 โ†’ $1.86 BLS avg

+105.2%

Chicken Breast (lb)

$1.06 in 2000 โ†’ $2.03 BLS avg

+91.3%

Butter (lb)

$3.98 BLS avg

-4.2% since 2018

Bacon (lb)

$2.75 in 2000 โ†’ $6.69 BLS avg

+143.1%

Cheddar Cheese (lb)

$3.84 in 2000 โ†’ $6.13 BLS avg

+59.6%

Pasta (lb)

$0.88 in 2000 โ†’ $1.38 BLS avg

+57.1%

Rice (5 lb)

$2.50 in 2000 โ†’ $5.50 BLS avg

+120.6%

Coffee (12 oz)

$2.65 in 2000 โ†’ $6.94 BLS avg

+161.3%

Orange Juice (64 oz)

Citrus shortage

$5.42 estimate

+45.7% since 2022

Potatoes (5 lb)

$1.96 in 2000 โ†’ $4.95 BLS avg

+152.6%

Apples (3 lb)

$5.20 estimate

+15.8% since 2022

Tomatoes (lb)

$1.44 in 2000 โ†’ $2.08 BLS avg

+44.4%

Lettuce (head)

$0.75 in 2000 โ†’ $1.96 BLS avg

+162.3%

Cooking Oil (48 oz)

$7.76 estimate

+40.1% since 2022

Yogurt (32 oz)

$4.94 estimate

+19.0% since 2022

Cereal (family size)

$6.20 estimate

+29.4% since 2022

Frozen Pizza

$8.65 estimate

+37.1% since 2022

Dining & Restaurants

Fast Food Meal

$13.00

Casual Dining

$26.00

Monthly Spend

$321

+5.2% YoY

Chain Restaurant Meal Prices โ€” 2022 vs. Today

Combo meal / typical order for one

McDonald's

2022: $7.50

$12.50

+66.7%

Wendy's

2022: $8.00

$13.00

+62.5%

Chipotle

2022: $8.99

$13.50

+50.2%

Starbucks

2022: $4.20

$5.80

+38.1%

Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.

Looking for an Apartment in Pensacola?

Average 1BR: $1,423/mo ยท 2BR: $2,047/mo

Browse Pensacola Apartments โ†’

Local Workforce

2024 ยท BLS QCEW

Total Jobs

146k

Median Weekly Pay

$1,159

$60k/yr

Top Sector

Education & Health Services

Household vs Worker Pay

$66k

household median

Employment by Sector โ€” Pensacola

% of local workforce ยท avg weekly wage ยท 5-year growth trend

Education & Health Services
+7.5% 5yr$1,252/wk
18.2%

~$65k/yr

Trade, Transportation & Utilities
+4.2% 5yr$1,001/wk
17.5%

~$52k/yr

Leisure & Hospitality
+2.5% 5yr$535/wk
13.4%

~$28k/yr

Professional & Business Services
-0.6% 5yr$1,468/wk
11.8%

~$76k/yr

Financial Activities
+19.3% 5yr$1,591/wk
10.2%

~$83k/yr

Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual ยท County FIPS 12033

Highest Paying Sector

Construction

$1,618/wk ยท $84k/yr

Most Workers (lowest wage)

Leisure & Hospitality

$535/wk ยท $28k/yr

Pensacola Cost of Living FAQ

Is Pensacola, FL expensive to live in?

Pensacola has a cost of living index of 92, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 8% cheaper than average. It is the 4th most affordable of the 25 Florida cities we track.

What is the average rent in Pensacola, FL?

Typical rent in Pensacola is $1,735 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 10% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,423 and two bedrooms about $2,047. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.

Is rent going up in Pensacola?

Rent in Pensacola rose 2.5% over the past year, about in line with the 2.7% change nationally.

How much is gas in Pensacola?

Regular unleaded costs about $3.77 a gallon in Pensacola as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Florida. That is 5% below the national average of $3.98.

How much is electricity in Pensacola?

Homes in Florida pay an average of 15.0 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Pensacola is about $135.

How much is car insurance in Pensacola?

Full coverage car insurance averages $3,183 a year in Florida, or about $265 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.

How much do you need to live in Pensacola?

Median household income in the Pensacola area is $65,715 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $33,385 a year, or 51% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,502 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).

How does Pensacola compare with the rest of Florida?

Rent in Pensacola is 10% below the $1,929 average across the 25 Florida cities we track, and its cost of living index of 92 compares with a state average of 102.

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