Cost of Living: St. Johns County vs. California — A Real Comparison
By Josh Rogers
Quick Answer: The California-to-St. Johns County cost comparison is dramatic. California’s combination of the nation’s highest state income tax, elevated property taxes on current market values, housing costs that dwarf Florida’s, and a broader cost-of-living premium creates one of the largest financial differentials of any state-to-state relocation. The lifestyle trade-offs are equally significant — in both directions.
Why California Buyers Are Running This Number
California has been losing residents to other states for years, and the financial calculus is not subtle. Between housing costs that have made even six-figure earners feel squeezed, income taxes that top out at 13.3%, regulatory complexity, and a cost of living that compounds across every category, the appeal of starting over financially in a lower-cost state has driven a meaningful wave of relocations.
Florida — and St. Johns County specifically — has attracted a consistent share of these buyers. Let’s look at the actual numbers.
Income Tax
California: California’s top marginal state income tax rate is 13.3%, the highest of any state in the country. For a household earning $500,000 (not unusual in Bay Area tech roles), effective California state income tax can run $50,000+ per year.
Even for a more moderate household earning $250,000, California state income tax runs approximately $22,000–$28,000 per year.
Florida: No state income tax.
Annual savings for a $250K household: $22,000–$28,000 per year on state income tax alone.
For Bay Area tech workers who’ve been earning high salaries and watching a significant portion go to California taxes, this single change can feel like a significant raise without any change in their actual income.
Property Taxes
This is where the comparison is more nuanced than it first appears.
California: Proposition 13 limits annual property tax increases to 2% per year for existing homeowners. This means buyers who purchased California homes 15-20 years ago at lower prices have very low property tax bills by current standards. However, for buyers purchasing California homes at today’s prices, there is no Prop 13 cushion — they’re assessed at current market value.
A buyer purchasing a $1.5 million home in the Bay Area pays approximately $15,000–$18,000 per year in California property taxes (effective rate around 1.1%–1.25%). This is actually comparable to some Florida properties — though the difference is that the California base price is dramatically higher.
St. Johns County: Effective rates typically run 1.0%–1.4%. On a $700,000 home, that’s $7,000–$9,800. With Homestead Exemption applied, the bill reduces further.
The real comparison: for California buyers selling a $1.5M+ California home and buying a $700,000 home in St. Johns County, the property tax difference on the new home is significant, and the equity they capture from the price difference is substantial.
Housing: The Equity Story
This is where the California-to-St. Johns County comparison becomes the most dramatic.
Bay Area: A 3-bedroom home in a competitive school district in the South Bay or East Bay runs $1.4M–$2.5M+. A comparable home in Los Angeles runs $1.0M–$2.0M. In San Diego, $1.2M–$1.8M.
St. Johns County: A new construction 4-5 bedroom home in a master-planned community with resort amenities runs $500,000–$800,000, with premium options going higher.
California buyers who sell at Bay Area prices and purchase in St. Johns County can often:
- Buy their Florida home outright or with minimal mortgage
- Retain $500,000–$1,000,000+ in capital after the purchase
- Dramatically reduce or eliminate monthly mortgage payment
For buyers with significant California equity, this is often described as the most financially transformative decision of their lives.
Cost of Living: Category by Category
Groceries: California’s grocery prices — particularly in the Bay Area — run 20-40% higher than the national average. St. Johns County grocery prices are at or near national average. Real savings.
Restaurants: California restaurant prices are elevated, particularly in coastal markets. St. Johns County dining is generally more moderately priced for comparable quality.
Gas: California has some of the highest gas prices in the country due to special fuel blend requirements and state taxes. Florida gas prices run significantly lower.
Utilities: California electricity rates have risen dramatically. Florida electricity costs run high in summer (air conditioning load) but are generally comparable or lower on an annual basis. Natural gas costs are minimal in Florida — most systems run on electricity.
Auto insurance: California auto insurance rates are high and rising. Florida auto insurance is also challenging, but the comparison is nuanced and depends on driving history and coverage.
What California Has That St. Johns County Doesn’t
Being honest matters here:
California’s climate is exceptional. The Bay Area’s mild year-round temperatures, San Diego’s Mediterranean climate, and California’s general weather quality are genuinely hard to match. Florida’s summer heat and humidity is a real trade-off that California buyers find more significant than they anticipated.
Natural beauty. California’s mountains, coastline, wine country, and diverse landscapes are extraordinary. Florida’s natural beauty is different — rivers, marshes, spring-fed waterways — but the visual drama of the California landscape is not replicated.
Cultural and culinary scene. San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego have world-class restaurant and cultural scenes. St. Johns County and Jacksonville are improving but the comparison isn’t close.
Outdoor recreation diversity. California offers skiing, hiking, surfing, wine country, and desert — enormous recreational diversity within a few hours. Florida’s outdoor recreation is primarily water-based.
The Bottom Line
The financial case for California to St. Johns County can be extraordinary. Income tax savings alone can reach $30,000–$60,000 per year for high earners. Housing equity unlocks can be transformative. The ongoing cost-of-living relief compounds over time.
The lifestyle trade-offs — climate (especially summer), natural beauty, cultural density — are real and should be factored honestly.
Buyers who make this move successfully tend to be the ones who were already living somewhat suburban California lives, are motivated by financial freedom, and genuinely embrace Florida’s different lifestyle. Those who struggle most came expecting California weather and California culture at Florida prices — and discovered the trade-offs were more significant than they expected.
If you’re running this comparison for your own situation, reach out at StJohnsWithJosh.com/contact. Happy to give you an honest perspective.
