The calculator — pick your family's state
Both sides use the same yardstick: the statewide median monthly cost of an assisted living community (private, one-bedroom) from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 — the most recent edition available. Change the state and every number updates instantly.
That's $1,345 less every month at the Florida median — about 20% less than the New York median. Over a typical stay of about two years, the gap adds up to roughly $32,280.
| State | Median / month | Median / year | Difference vs. Florida, per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $9,475 | $113,700 | $47,700 less in Florida |
| Connecticut | $8,676 | $104,106 | $38,112 less in Florida |
| New Jersey | $8,462 | $101,550 | $35,544 less in Florida |
| New York | $6,845 | $82,140 | $16,140 less in Florida |
| Pennsylvania | $6,352 | $76,218 | $10,224 less in Florida |
| Florida (Palm Bay · Brevard County) | $5,500 | $66,000 | — |
Tap any state row to load it in the calculator above. Annual savings in the calculator = monthly difference × 12, so a row's figure can differ from the source's published annual total by a few dollars due to rounding.
Why the gap exists — and what doesn't change
Why care costs less in Florida
- Lower property and operating costs than the Northeast corridor
- A deep, experienced caregiver workforce built around a large senior population
- No state income tax — and no winter heating, ice, or snow-removal costs built into rates
- Brevard County sits below Florida's big-metro price levels (Miami, Orlando, Tampa)
What your parent does not give up
- The same licensed standard: Florida homes are licensed and inspected by AHCA
- Help with bathing, dressing, medications, meals, and daily routines
- Doctors, hospitals, and specialists nearby in Palm Bay and Melbourne
- Warm weather year-round — porches and walks in January, not ice and isolation
Thinking about the move itself? Start with the full guide
The numbers are only half the decision. The other half is logistics: timing, paperwork, what to do with the house, how visits work from up north, and how families stay close from a distance. We wrote it all down, step by step.
Free guideMoving a Parent to Florida — The Complete Family Guide
Why families make the move, what it really costs, the paperwork Florida requires (including the 1823 health assessment), how to plan the trip, and the questions to ask any Florida home before you commit — including ours.
Read the guide at bellavitaplus.com/moving-parent-to-florida/ →About the home behind this page
Alejandro Cardozo — Owner and Administrator
Bella Vita is a six-resident home in Palm Bay where the same caregiver can truly know every resident — their medications, their routines, how they take their coffee. Many of our families made exactly the move this page describes. I handle admissions myself: when you call from New York or New Jersey, I answer, and care evaluations happen the same day. Every Friday, families receive a written report on their loved one's week — appetite, medications, activities, and anything that changed — which matters even more when you live a flight away.
Bella Vita Assisted Living Facility · 1405 Graves St SE, Palm Bay, FL 32909 · AHCA License #14019 · (407) 914-5350
Save this comparison — and get the full guide
Tell us where to text it. We'll send a quick 6-digit code to confirm your number; then your comparison is saved, you get the complete guide to moving a parent to Florida, and Alejandro (the owner) can walk you through what the move would look like for your family — the numbers, the timing, and the parts nobody warns you about.