Fort Lauderdale, FL vs West Palm Beach, FL

West Palm Beach is moderately more affordable than Fort Lauderdale, with a 7.5% lower cost of living index. Fort Lauderdale scores 130 compared to 121 for West Palm Beach, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Fort Lauderdale can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Fort Lauderdale is $1,776/month compared to $1,709/month in West Palm Beach — a 4% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: West Palm Beach is more affordable at $369,800 median vs $455,600.

Median household income in Fort Lauderdale is $79,935 compared to $69,261 in West Palm Beach (+15.4%). While Fort Lauderdale is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Fort Lauderdale spend roughly 26.7% of their income on rent, less than the 29.6% in West Palm Beach.