Cost of Living in Mary Esther - Fort Walton Beach

Destin and Fort Walton Beach are often considered two of the most beautiful places on the Emerald Coast and are both highly desirable places to live. However, what is often forgotten are the other smaller cities that surround Fort Walton Beach and Destin that also host gorgeous views of the Gulf of Mexico and the white sand beaches. Plus, more often than not, they offer much more affordable housing than Destin and Fort Walton Beach. 

To help spread awareness of these amazing places to live, Stephanie Durham put together a small list of what type of costs you would expect to incure and how it stacks up agains the national average of the United States. 

• Housing

Let's get right into one of the most important aspects of costs to live in Mary Esther, housing. Compared to the surrounding areas, Mary Esther is slightly less expensive than what you would find in Fort Walton Beach and especially in Destin. The average price to purchase a home in Mary Esther $199,900. 

Now, if you don't necessarily want to purchase a home right away, but would rather rent, there are several options availabel to you. A one bedroom apartment will cost you $860 per onth while a 4 four bedroom apartment could cost you up to $1,760 per month. 

• Utilities

Moving right along, utilities is the next cost we'll discuss. From this point on, we will use teh national average index to help provide a better understanding of what you can expect to pay. Utilities include air conditioning use, heater, gas, and electricitiy. If 100 is the national average, Mary Esther falls just beyond that, coming in at 102.5. So, the amount you will pay in utilities on a monthly basis will cost you a bit more than what you woruld currently pay now (unless you live in an area that is higher than 102.5).

• Groceries

Coming in just below the national average is groceries at 99.6. With an abundant amount of options for grocery shopping, you won't be caught off guard with the cost of purchasing groceries for yourself or your family. Expect to spend about the same amount you currently do on groceries. 

• Transportation

Transportation costs in Mary Esther actually rests at 96.9, significantly below the national average. This rating accounts for the prices you would pay for any public transportation you would need, the cost of fuel, as well as the average cost it would take to maintain your vehicle. So, luckily for the residents of Mary Esther, they are saving a bit of mioney on something that could cost them a pretty penny. 

• Health Care

The cost of health care is often something that can start to pile up in the expenses, fortunately, teh cost of health care falls below the national average at 97.2. This accounts for the cost of a doctors visit, use of a hospital room, the cost of health insurance, the annual teeth cleaning apppointment, and basically everything else that can be catorgorized as part of health care. 

• Miscellaneous 

Finally, to wrap things up, miscellanous costs come in at a whopping 100.6. MMiscellaneous costs include shopping, entertainment, restaurants, and many other activites. Being that this area tends to be a tourist destination, the prices are pretty fair when all things considered. 

Overall, Mary Esther sits below the national average in costs with a 95.3. Mary Esther is aincredibly affordable area that is constantly seeing improvements and beautification. So, if you are looking to move out to paradise, but don't want to break the bank, Mary Esther may be the perfect place for you. 

If you have any questions or want to start looking for the perfect home for you and your family, feel free to reach out to us anytime. Send us a text, give us a call, or shoot us an email and we would be happy to help you find the perfect place for you!