Florida · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Melbourne, FL

Prices around Melbourne, FL run about the same as the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $66,991 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,709 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $68,360 a year.

Melbourne, FL at a glance

Median household income

$66,991$5,583 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,709HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)100.0+0% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential FL
Population86,576Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Melbourne, FL?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,709Monthly market rent
Share of gross income30.6%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$68,360To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,675At 30% of $66,991
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Melbourne, FL? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Melbourne, FL, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,266$15,192$50,64022.7%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,478$17,736$59,12026.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,709$20,508$68,36030.6%
3-Bedroom Home$2,330$27,960$93,20041.7%
4-Bedroom Home$2,645$31,740$105,80047.4%

Rent in Melbourne, FL, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Melbourne, FL

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $66,991 a year ($5,583 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,791/moRent ($1,709 2-BR), utilities (~$136/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,675/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,117/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $66,991 leaves after Florida taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Florida tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$66,991
$25,000$135,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$66,991
Net 84%
Fed 9%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$55,958After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,663Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,152Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,908 / yr
Florida state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,125 / yr

Living in Melbourne, FL: common questions

What is the median household income in Melbourne, FL?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Melbourne, FL is $66,991 per year (approximately $5,583 per month).

What is the average rent in Melbourne, FL?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,266 for a studio, $1,478 for one bedroom, $1,709 for two, $2,330 for three and $2,645 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Melbourne, FL expensive to live in?

Prices there run about the same as the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 100.0, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Melbourne, FL?

To keep a $1,709 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $68,360 a year, or $5,697 a month. That is 102% of what the typical household in Melbourne, FL earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Melbourne, FL?

On the local median income of $66,991 ($5,583 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,791 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,675 for everything else and $1,117 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,709 takes 61% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Melbourne, FL?

Homes in Florida paid 15.1¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $136. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.