ORLANDO, Fla. — Living comfortably in Florida now requires a six-figure annual income for a single adult, according to a new analysis.
SmartAsset’s 2026 study estimates that a single adult needs to earn $100,214 annually to live comfortably in the Sunshine State.
A family of four needs a combined annual income of $223,392, according to the study.
Florida ranks No. 23 among the 50 states for the income required to live comfortably.
What does living “comfortably” mean?
The study does not suggest that every Floridian must earn $100,000 to cover basic expenses.
SmartAsset defines comfortable living using the 50/30/20 budgeting model. Under that formula:
- 50% of income covers necessities
- 30% pays for discretionary expenses
- 20% goes toward savings or debt repayment
The analysis uses basic-cost estimates from the MIT Living Wage Calculator, including housing, food, transportation, health care and taxes.
Under that formula, the $100,214 figure provides approximately $50,107 for necessities, $30,064 for discretionary spending and $20,043 for savings or debt payments each year.
The total equals approximately $8,351 per month or about $48 per hour for someone working 40 hours per week throughout the year.
Florida income requirement continues to rise
The amount a single adult needs to live comfortably in Florida increased by 2.9% compared with SmartAsset’s 2025 findings.
That represents an increase of approximately $2,800 in one year.
For families, the new estimate means two working adults raising two children would need to earn a combined $223,392 annually to follow the same budgeting formula.
How Florida compares with other states
Florida’s required income falls near the middle of the national ranking.
Hawaii was the most expensive state in the study. SmartAsset estimates a single adult there needs $129,002 annually to live comfortably, nearly $29,000 more than in Florida.
The figures are statewide estimates, meaning the actual cost of living can vary considerably between communities. Housing, transportation, insurance, child care and other expenses may be substantially different in Greater Orlando than in other parts of Florida.
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