Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Key West, Florida
A $816,000 home here costs
$5,931per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $4,195. The real number is $1,736 higher every month — 41% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Key West against Monroe County and Florida
| Measure | Key West | Monroe County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $816,300 | $723,800 |
| Median property tax | $4,312 | $3,943 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.528% | 0.545% |
| Median gross rent | $2,075 | $1,959 |
| Population | 25,824 | 81,840 |
The weather behind that power bill
Key West sits in Monroe County, which averages a high of 92.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 53.1°F in its coldest, with 55.28" of precipitation a year and 48% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 4,136 cooling and 230 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Monroe County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Monroe County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Key West?
A $816,000 home in Key West, Florida costs approximately $5,931 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $4,195 principal and interest, $359 property tax, $493 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $680 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Key West?
Key West has an effective property tax rate of 0.528%, based on a median home value of $816,300 and median real estate taxes of $4,312. That is lower than the Monroe County average of 0.545%.
What is the average home price in Key West?
The median owner-occupied home value in Key West, Florida is $816,300, against $723,800 across Monroe County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Key West?
Median gross rent in Key West is $2,075 a month, against $5,931 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Key West — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Florida.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.