F
20%
Overall NAT. AVG.
3%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
56%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Riviera Beach Maryland National
Cost of living120119100
Goods & Services103106100
Groceries105106100
Health care9897100
Housing156150100
Transportation10198100
Utilities111111100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Riviera Beach, MD

The cost of living in Riviera Beach affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Riviera Beach is 120, which is 20% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.

Housing costs are a very significant part of the Riviera Beach cost of living index and generally encompass a large percentage of take-home income. Unfortunately, in this area, the housing costs for both homes and rentals were 56.2% more than the average city. This includes things like home and rent prices, mortgage rates and insurance.

Is Riviera Beach Affordable?

Is Riviera Beach affordable? It's a key consideration when pondering a move, as affordability often shapes your choices. The cost of living index (we discussed it earlier), coupled with housing costs and income levels, serves as the cornerstone for determining a location's affordability. Take Riviera Beach, for instance, where the median home price falls 43.3% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 86.3% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Riviera Beach flaunting a median household income of $94,773, 71.3% higher than the national norm.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Riviera Beach?

Housing: A sought-after location with high housing demand often leads to increased property values and rental rates, which can significantly inflate the overall cost of living. Conversely, areas with low housing demand, particularly in less desirable locales, tend to experience the opposite effect, causing prices to drop and contributing to a more affordable cost of living. In Riviera Beach, the housing index stands at 56.2% higher than the national average.

Urbanization: Urban areas with a wealth of amenities and employment opportunities tend to come with a higher price tag for living. Why? Well, more people want to be there, which drives up home prices and rents. On the flip side, less densely populated rural areas or places where there's not as much demand usually mean fewer attractions, things to do and slower job growth. That often results in a lower cost of living.

Taxes: Cities that enforce higher taxes, covering both sales taxes and income taxes, can be a factor contributing to a higher cost of living. Paying more in taxes for everyday essentials like clothing and food inevitably leads to higher expenses. A higher income tax rate can further contribute to an overall elevated cost of living. In Riviera Beach, the baseline sales tax rate begins at 6%, and income tax rates start at 2%.

Where is the Data From?

The Riviera Beach cost of living data you see above is sourced from the C2ER cost of living index, providing a practical and accurate means of comparing living expenses in urban areas. Updated quarterly, this index gathers data from over 300 independent researchers, covering more than 60 goods and services, in 6 different categories. These selections are made meticulously to represent a wide range of consumer expenditure categories. The weightings applied to cost differences are based on government survey data that tracks spending patterns among professional and executive households. It's important to note that while the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes factors tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Riviera Beach is 1% higher than the Maryland average
  • The cost of living in Riviera Beach is 20% higher than the national average
  • Riviera Beach housing is 56% higher than the national average
  • Maryland general sales tax is 18% higher than the national average
  • Maryland state income tax is 23% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Riviera Beach

See all the best places to live around Riviera Beach

Compare Riviera Beach, MD Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$99,795$8,316$2,328$2,994
      Renters$71,442$5,954$1,667$2,143
      A good way to judge both the affordability of the housing and the cost of living in Riviera Beach is by simply calculating the maximum that should be spent on housing, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The plan is to avoid spending more than 28 percent of the gross income on costs that pertain to housing and no more than 36 percent on all expenses and debts. Riviera Beach has a median income of about $99,795 for people who own homes. Based on that number, a maximum of $2,328 should be spent on expenses related to housing. Renters have a slightly different median income, which is $71,442. Based on this average, renters should spend no more than $1,667 on all rental costs if they want to maintain a non-impoverished standard of living.

      Maryland Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Maryland 6% 6%

      Maryland Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Maryland 2% 5.75%

      Goods & Services

      Item Riviera Beach National avg. Difference
      Haircut $28.33$24.2616.8%
      Beauty Salon $58.17$45.5627.7%
      Toothpaste $3.69$3.700.3%
      Shampoo $1.44$1.2812.7%
      Movie $13.69$12.1312.9%
      Bowling $23.03$18.0027.9%

      Groceries

      Item Riviera Beach National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $6.23$5.846.7%
      Fried Chicken $1.39$1.5711.4%
      Milk $4.73$4.671.2%
      Potatoes $5.46$4.9310.7%
      Pizza $13.24$12.099.5%
      Beer $10.36$10.410.5%

      Health Care

      Item Riviera Beach National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $114.22$125.689.1%
      Doctor $133.22$135.781.9%
      Dentist $117.22$113.293.5%
      Ibuprofen $11.10$10.654.2%
      Lipitor $401.39$468.6014.3%

      Housing

      Item Riviera Beach National avg. Difference
      Home Price $264,600.00$184,700.0043.3%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $1,906.29$2,346.6918.8%
      Apartment Rent $1,768.00$949.0086.3%

      Transportation

      Item Riviera Beach National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.46$3.460.1%
      Tire Balancing $62.66$59.924.6%

      Utilities

      Item Riviera Beach National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $223.91$193.9915.4%
      Phone $199.62$192.253.8%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Dundalk, MD63,8261021.7%
      Baltimore, MD602,2741022.1%
      Lansdowne, MD8,6351022.4%
      Essex, MD39,3071055.5%
      Baltimore Highlands, MD7,8801077.1%
      Riviera Beach, MD12,78012019.6%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Verde Village, AZ12,7801088.2%
      Mercerville, NJ12,78311918.6%
      Miller Place, NY12,77514039.7%
      McComb, MS12,7888317.4%
      Amos, QC12,770n/a 
      Riviera Beach, MD12,78012019.6%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.