California Vs. The Village or Fl in general
 

Hello,
I am in California and just retired. I have found this unique place called "The Villages", so it sounds and looks very interesting, but I need your knowledge!

Is it really cheaper to live in The Villages or Fl in general? From the little I have been able to glean, there seems to be really no great monetary advantage, so why move there?

Thank you so very much for your time/efforts/comments and advice!!!!!

No state income tax seems to tip the scale in Florida favor

I have lived in various places in Northern California and the prices for real estate there were a lot more than here in the Villages.

Real estate is far cheaper here. I just sold two homes in California two years ago for far more than what I paid for my new build here in The Villages.

Florida in general will be cheaper. The Villages comes with higher restaurant prices and a monthly amenities fee but you get a lot in return.

I’m a native Californian who moved here full time in Nov 2022 after my husband retired. We came with Calif equity and bought a spacious home with cash. Our cost of living here is so much less than California. For me the only downsides are humidity and missing our 3 adult kids and 2 y/o grandson. Thankfully they visit us, and we can go out there for visits anytime we want. We would never live there again unless the kids moved us back to put us in a senior home, lol. Hopefully at 71 we have a bit more time ahead of us to enjoy The Villages. Oh, and we would never have moved to FL if The Villages didn’t exist. We moved here for The Villages lifestyle, not the FL lifestyle.

If I was you I would escape while got the chance.:ohdear:

I looked at a lot of retirement places and none of them have half the stuff TV has. Having golf cart access over this entire place is amazing. Having the numbers, and complexity, of the clubs is astounding. The beauty along the corridors you have to see to believe.

Come out and rent a house - that’s what we did, but you can rent through TV for a lifestyle visit and look for self.

The OP did not say where he resides in CA. Housing costs vary widely depending on location, (Holmby Hills vs Palmdale) but taxes and the price of gasoline there are onerous. The Villages is pricier than most of the communities surrounding it but you will not be paying $5 - $7 for a gallon of gasoline here or 14.4% top state income tax bracket- yet.

Of course the nicest parts of South Florida such as Palm Beach are quite pricey.

Is it cheaper to live in the Villages? It depends on where you are living now. If you live in a small town in the south or Midwest, the Villages may be more expensive. If you live in the northeast, the Villages is cheaper.


What are your property taxes?
How much do you pay in state and local income tax?
How much do you pay for energy each month?

The only negative is that summers are hot. California has better weather than Florida.

I suggest coming out for a lifestyle visit so that you can see it for yourself. I wouldn’t move to a new state - a huge decision - based on what people say on TOTV.

In addition, the cost of homes, property taxes, gas, electricity, and just about anything highly regulated, are all significantly cheaper in the Villages. North Central Florida, in general, is much cheaper than either coastline. Insurance is very high, but so is California. The only thing I can think of that would be on Californias plus side would be better availability of quality health care.

CA is the 2nd most expensive state to live. Florida isn’t even in the top 10 most expensive states.

How much is the monthly amenities fee?

Maybe you need to look up the two most expensive states to live in

Cost of living by state
 

According to Forbes

Cost Of Living By State Statistics & Trends In 2023 – Forbes Advisor