St. Matthews, KY vs Punta Gorda, FL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Punta Gorda, FL has a modeled overall cost index 11.7% higher than St. Matthews, KY.

St. Matthews, KY · modeled 2BR rent
$1,485 / month
Punta Gorda, FL · modeled 2BR rent
$1,505 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓
Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare St. Matthews, KY and Punta Gorda, FL using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

$
Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $793/month in Punta Gorda, FL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $159,518 in Punta Gorda, FL

Regional cost estimates: St. Matthews, KY uses Louisville, KY. Punta Gorda, FL uses Tampa, FL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↑ 11.7%
More expensive
Monthly Impact
$793
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$9.5K
Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

St. Matthews, KY

Population:17K
Cost Index:
83.0
100 = national average
Typical Home:$337K

Punta Gorda, FL

Population:20K
Cost Index:
92.7
100 = national average
Typical Home:$341K

Planning the move to Punta Gorda?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

St. Matthews, KY

The Bluegrass State

17K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Kentucky, this city has a population of 17K residents.

Punta Gorda, FL

The Sunshine State

20K
Population
State Tax
No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 20K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: St. Matthews, KY vs Punta Gorda, FL

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Housing
↑ 23.8%
St. Matthews, KY
$2,088
Punta Gorda, FL
$2,585
Difference
$497
more
Other
↑ 11.0%
St. Matthews, KY
$1,731
Punta Gorda, FL
$1,921
Difference
$190
more
All Utilities
↑ 22.0%
St. Matthews, KY
$527
Punta Gorda, FL
$643
Difference
$116
more
Transportation
↓ 4.4%
St. Matthews, KY
$1,428
Punta Gorda, FL
$1,364
Difference
$63.12
less
Groceries
↑ 5.0%
St. Matthews, KY
$1,088
Punta Gorda, FL
$1,142
Difference
$54.09
more
Healthcare
↓ 0.1%
St. Matthews, KY
$639
Punta Gorda, FL
$638
Difference
$0.74
less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio
From$1,125
To$1,185
↑ $60.00
1 Bed
From$1,220
To$1,195
↓ $25.00
2 Bed
From$1,485
To$1,505
↑ $20.00
3 Bed
From$1,900
To$2,090
↑ $190
St. Matthews, KYZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,150–$1,290/mo

Punta Gorda, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,050–$1,420/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500
Monthly in St. Matthews, KY
$8,293
Monthly in Punta Gorda, FL
$793
Difference

Home Values

St. Matthews
Punta Gorda
$337K
Median Value
$341K
↑ +2.7%
YoY Change
↓ -12.1%
↑ +23.5%
5-Year Change
↑ +22.3%
$266K - $407K
Price Range
$298K - $361K

Homes in Punta Gorda are 1% more expensive than St. Matthews

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↑ $7.5K
Per year
Monthly Difference
$625
More take-home
Effective Rate Diff
5.0%
Rate difference

St. Matthews, KY

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Kentucky State Tax
Effective: 5.0%
$7.5K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 29.7%
$44.5K
Take-Home Pay
$8,791/month
$105.5K

Punta Gorda, FL

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Florida State Tax
No state income tax
$0
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 24.7%
$37.0K
Take-Home Pay
$9,416/month
$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

St. Matthews, KY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%
Property Tax:0.9%

Punta Gorda, FL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%
Property Tax:0.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

St. Matthews
Punta Gorda
50 Good
Air Quality
50 Good
50.8%
Good Air Days
52.5%
98 High
Climate Risk
99 High
🌊🌡🌪
Top Hazards
🌊🌅🌀
▲+2.9°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.2°F
37 days
Heat Days >95°F
38 days
▲+2.9°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.2°F
37 days
Heat Days >95°F
38 days

Before moving from St. Matthews, KY to Punta Gorda, FL

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Punta Gorda, FL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in St. Matthews, KY. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
  3. Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your St. Matthews to Punta Gorda moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Punta Gorda, FL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: St. Matthews, KY vs Punta Gorda, FL

How do the cost estimates for St. Matthews, KY and Punta Gorda, FL compare?

Punta Gorda, FL has a modeled overall cost index 11.7% higher than St. Matthews, KY. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in St. Matthews, KY, the model estimates $159,518 in Punta Gorda, FL. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for St. Matthews, KY and Punta Gorda, FL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,485/month in St. Matthews, KY and $1,505/month in Punta Gorda, FL. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Kentucky and Florida on TaxTakeHome.com

Similar cost to Punta Gorda, FL

Other cities in a similar price range

Want to compare different cities?

New Comparison