COST OF LIVING IN THE VILLAGES 2024 

So much work to prepare and present this! Really much appreciated!!

Jerry and Linda are great about providing the information that inquiring minds want to know! You never really retired from teaching. 🤓📚

This is very helpful, particularly for me, the AARP Supplemental Plan G, as I start Medicare in July. As I begin the research, one of my first concerns is doctor availability in the Villages on a Supplemental versus Advantage (i.e., network) basis. If you want to pass along information to your viewers about the AARP plan and doctor availability, that would be very helpful.

I think a lot of these folks were professionals making big bucks. Good for them! That's the reward for going to to school for something worthwhile. College students or even high school kid should watch this....CHOOSE WISELY, KIDS.❤

Absolutely phenomenal 😃Thanks for the look at the actual cost of living in TV. Realistically, you'll find more expenses in TV than expected. A neighbor just told me that quotes to cut down a tree were from $3,500 to over $8,000. Other expenses include golf cart insurance & maintenance, Championship golf & Country Club memberships - travel & admissions to Disney & other tourist destinations when family & friends visit. We cut the cost by buying a digital antenna. It provides us with roughly 30 local channels and with Internet connectivity we have more television to watch than we have time to watch, like Jerry & Linda!

Excellent video!!! Very informative, good thing you didn’t actually list ALL your expenses otherwise you would’ve gone over an hour, but’ we would’ve still hung in there with you guys 👍👍 Thanks…

Here is Louisiana our homeowners is $3,000.00 a year and property taxes are $1,700.00 a year. Flood insurance is about $800.00 but we are not required to have it but purchase it any ways, learned that the hard way with the flood of 2016. Thanks for another great show. Very informative. Love the roses behind you, beautiful.

Great information. It is so important for people to know what it costs for daily living. It seems like the total cost for a couple would be over $50,000 per year to live in The Villages, that is about $140 per day 7 days a week. The scary thing is many retirees are on a fixed income, and if inflation is higher than what social security goes up, they continue to lose ground.

Living rural in Indiana, my electric bill is higher but I don't have water, sewer bill and trash pick-up is cheaper, but overall about the same. I don't have car/house payment, property taxes are cheaper but you don't have state income tax, I do along with county tax. I don't think anyone can base their monthly expenses on another's, just too many variables. Always enjoy your videos.

So I’d guess with expenses & living activities, one would need about 4k a month.

This is a long overdue Thank You to you both for allowing us to share your Villages experience. You have been a wealth of information to us, your viewers. We appreciate you both so much. Enjoy your RU-vid videos sooo much. Blessings to you today and always.

Great Video and work, thanks, helps me decide not going to Florida for the costs.Keep it going folks! Cheers from Germany

Wow! Your insurance is very cheap. I live in the Florida Keys and my homeowners and windstorm and flood are around $9000 per year and I have the highest deductible and a stilt home! Central Florida is so much cheaper than South Florida.

Fantastic show. Thank you both for sharing this information. Also, you both look great and the flowers behind you are so pretty.

This was a great video for all those lucky people who are planning to move to TV! For all of the amazing things The Villages has to offer, it's very reasonable! Happy Sunday Jerry and Linda!

This is an excellent video. Thank you for the work and the friendly demeaner. I hope you are enjoying being together in The Villages.

Always great info - helpful to anyone considering a move. Most of the expenses one will have anywhere they live, such as medicare/health insurance, utilities, internet, streaming services, cell phone - they are not unique to The Villages, and depending on what plans/services you choose the costs vary. One can shop for those items and pay less/more based on choices, same as anywhere. Understanding TV amenity fee, golf fees, how water & trash are included, different tax rates (differs by county/city - TV does not impose a RE tax) what the Community District fee covers is unique to TV. One other thing to consider is if you own a golf cart, there's insurance and yearly maintenance, same as a vehicle. When I was considering a move here I compared the costs of food and utilities to my previous home. I took a list of everyday food items and price compared at Walmart, Aldi & Publix. Walmart was 1% higher than my Walmart - not a big increase. Electricty cost is a few cents less in FL and so was internet. Health insurance is by zip code - my Medicare supplement is .78 a month more in FL - yes, .78! I can live with that :) Auto insurance is higher here by $300 a year, that's the biggest increase in a single item and is not unique to TV, it's a FL issue. RE tax rate here is less. There is no personal property or income tax in FL, which is a large savings. Total COL is less in TV than some places and more than others. The amenity fee is bargain. If one is active and utilizes just a small portion of what is included in the fee living in TV is also a bargain if they would pay for those amenities separately.

Nice job…all the costs you show give a real look at the expenses one should expect. No income tax should be a real help in deferring others.

Very informative video! Thanks for putting it together. The utility companies in my area all offer a budget plan, where I am charged the same amount each month (based on the previous year's actual bills). So I pay the same amount each month for gas instead of having huge bills in the winter months when I'm heating my home. Same for electric during the summer when the AC is running. This makes it SO much easier on my budget. Each month is the same with no surprises. (Of course there is a settle-up month and a new budget amount is determined for the next year.) Do the utilities in TV offer anything like that?

Excellent breakdown! We're seriously considering buying a house next year when we are 55 and this helps me budget immensely! Great job!

Great show Jerry and Linda, I love how you two make things work!!

I've got to switch to spectrum for cell phone, we pay about $280 for 3 phones and a iPad., got spectrum internet and a house phone that we done even know the phone number. We do eat out a lot and do local stay vacations so that cost. As usual another great show.

I like what I see with new homes in The Villages, prices are going down making me look at new instead of buying used.

Also, Factor in house powerwashing and maybe an HVAC maintenance contract

Hi Jerry and Linda. You could almost also call this video"What will it cost to retire" . I did exactly what you did to show myself my monthly exspenses several years before I retired. One item, your car insurance , you didn't mention your golf carts. I have a 1999 Suburban , a 2011 HHR and a 2013 Yamaha golf cart insured for $65 a month with comp. and liability. I am the only driver, so that helps. So are your carts insured?

Thanks for your home budget review. I appreciate it. Take care and stay safe.

Our electric this time of year is only about $35 because we have solar, in the heat of summer, it’s about $100

Most expenses you talked about everyone is going to have if you own a home. It’s structured differently maybe. You have some fees yes but we have others. HOA it’s maybe called. I think the Villages looks incredible and I can’t imagine anything else that’s a nice area being less expensive. Again now I want to see ya when I get there😀

Thank you Jerry and Linda, this is my favorite show you do every year!! It really helps me to prepare for retirement costs. Very informative and thank you for sharing with us.

Absolutely loved this show. We need to hear these kinds of things before we take the plunge. You may be all caught up in the excitement of moving down there that you don't realize these things before it's to late. Thank you for sharing your expenses so we can get an idea of what to expect. We may have to cut back on going out to eat but that's not going to stop us from doing our best to get there.

I always love your cost of living videos! thanks so much. My prescriptions are killing me. I am on Farxiga and Ozempic. Each one runs from $800 to $900 each every 3 months! Yikes! Stay well.

Great show your two. Thanks for being open and up front on the costs associated with life in the TV. What a wealth of information you provided us. This video is worth watching multiple times.

Insurance on golf carts

Thanks for the information. I’ll have to get the wife to watch this one. She’s the banker of the family. Coming down in August for our life style visit. Looking forward to that. See ya when we get there. 👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼

ABSOLUTELY a great informative show...and both of you look summertime wonderful 🎉from a Indiana girl living on the Virginia Tennessee line ❤

Thank you so much for this valuble information.

dont you have wind insurance which is in addition to property insurance - I do - I thought it was mandatory in Florida

Here in Massachusetts, in a 55+ condo on 4000 square feet we don’t own, our property tax is $11,200. That is $215 a week!!! This is in a blue collar town of 55,000, close to Boston. It would be cheaper for us to live there, as we could get rid of the mortgage and high v property tax, but it seems as if other costs are quite similar.

Thank you for doing this show, it was very informative. I loved those pretty roses🌹

Jerry - I had (2) Kia Sorentos - love them - but wanted to freshen the fleet and bought a Hyundai Tucson Hybrid - I love it - try it - life is short :)

Thanks Jerry and Linda. My basic expenses are cheaper only because I have a smaller ranch type home than you and I'm single. eg: My electric bill has never been over $85.00 and usually costs around $79.00 for the 8 years I've been here. I think when it did go up to $85.00 was when I had guests stay over. Otherwise there's just me and my cat and she doesn't really need lights on to see! 😁 The only thing I have that's the same is the amenity fee. Thanks for a very informative video! I'm sure this will be a big help to those who are trying to make up their minds about moving here.❤❤

Thanks for the detailed information. It is helpful to know what the probable costs may be in your examples from your own experience. We think we pay a lot in Palm Beach County but in fact it is much lower for us due to our homestead benefit from 2010, and excellent advantage plan options here at $0 premium. Our all in utilities, condo insurance, internet, property tax and COA dues are less than 1/2 of our likely cost in the villages. We have a much smaller square footage and only have pools and a clubhouse for amenities, but lots of nearby affordable restaurants, movies, the beach (6 miles away).

We also have a gas bill with our tankless water heater, gas cooking stove, gas dryer. I think many of the new homes in the southern sections have gas. My bill averages $47. per month. That being said my electric is about $60. per month. I know you have an all electric home and Linda likes the temperature cool, so there is a price difference between our homes for electricity. The first two years you live here Spectrum offers a fantastic deal for internet, television and one cell phone. We signed up for increased internet speed and television for $49.00 each and they gave me a free year phone service, afterwards $29.99/month for phone. For those over 65 who make Florida their full time residence, you qualify for a Homestead exemption on your home taxes. You do have to go to the tax office and apply for it. thanks for all you do to keep everyone up to date on all things Villages Jerry and Linda!

Love the Thursday show Jerry and Linda! I love Mailbag Monday and Thursday shows! I also am watchin Skip Smith on you you tube! I like as much information as I can take in!

It adds up quickly. You could live for 1/3 of that south of the boarder, in Europe or Asia.

Thank you for the budget information. No matter where you live, it's important to know where the money goes. That way you can enjoy retirement with peace of mind. 😃

Very helpful information. This takes time to pull together, thank you! I'm in Ohio currently, and your expenses sound reasonable to me. I've heard a lot of people say it's super expensive there, and I know it sure can be (especially home prices), but in general, what you pay for things sounds pretty universal. Maybe slightly higher, but nothing crazy. Thank you for taking the time to inform people!

I’m really surprised at these low costs because if you read any news articles or watch the news about Florida it says that so many people are moving out because of high property taxes, insurance costs, etc. Maybe The Villages is a protected area somehow. (???)

Informative video today, I know many of your viewers will appreciate, or at least I hope they do. You two looking fabulous as always. Have a wonderful weekend ❤✨

This is a great strategy to increase the Thursday viewership. Thank you for sharing. Hey, how much does it cost to register your car each year?

I’m beyond shocked at your prices. Everything is a fraction of what I pay in a large suburb of Houston TX. In all fairness I have a 5000 plus square foot house , with a pool and giant yard. My taxes are in total about 15k a year. In summer my electric bill with my 3 ac units can be 900 total. My insurance for my home is 900 a month and I won’t tell my car insurance. Pool monthly is 300 maintenance. And repairs 😳 Yard 200. Spring and fall big landscaping and new bark in beds about 5k each time. I think I need to move to the Villages but what about my kids and grandchildren that live in Texas daughter’s family 20 minutes away. 😩 I’m depressed but loved video as always .

I thought we could afford to live here but after today's video I'm not so sure any more. Things are expensive all over but some stuff here especially so. This house is certainly more than we spend at home but with any luck we will be full timers some day soon.

Jerry and Linda, thanks for this video. Can you help end my confusion on insurance and a few other fees. Social Media has gone crazy with folks talking about exorbitant insurance costs on homes and cars in Florida. HOA fees and assessments and however various improvements, etc are financed. Yet your insurance for example seems reasonable. What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks for all the work that went into this video. You’ve inspired me to do the same. Have a great weekend Jerry & Linda😘

Gas bill in Fenney is $24.00 a month for us….

Thank you for this annual video. You could have added any expense for the golf cart, power washing, vision insurance and expenses and other things but this was a great showing of mot expenses (even if one lives outside of TV). I did get a little nervous watching it....ha ha. I'm off to add up my expenses....or maybe a nap.

Hi Jerry and Linda. I’m catching up on videos. This was a great one. I appreciate all the work you put into this. Thank you. 🙋🏻‍♀️❤️

Happy Thursday Jerry and Linda. This annual video is one of your best hands down and definitely appreciated 🤗🥰. Here in NY my car insurance is $245/month. That’s 1-vehicle. Maybe cuz still has a note. Had 3 vehicles when lived in Pa and it was less than this 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦‍♀️. $2158 plus whatever your mortgage and the other unmentionables. So probably at least $5000/month give or take. Florida is regular pricing. No longer the affordable retirement state as so many all ages are flocking there. But still more appealing than NY. Thanks soooooo much. Grand weekend to you both🤗

Thank you for the great information . It makes it so much easier for me to head to TV knowing the full financial picture. Hopefully we will be house hunting in June so we’ll see ya when we get there.

Good show,very informative

One of your best videos yet. Thanks for the information.

Very informative. Thanks for all your work putting the show together!

You didn’t include any golf cart expenses. Your amenity fee will increase to $195.

Your monthly expenses are very low compared to mine, here in Clearwater, Florida.

Great information I had a plan g but they raised my price and dropped silver sneakers so switched to an advantage plan I kind of I still haven’t spent what I would have paid in monthly fees till May and I’ve had a lot of health issues .. outside of car insurance and amenity fees and trail pass everything what is very similar. But Fl is a no fault state so that’s why it’s more expensive. We pay 158 a month for heat ejectric our water bill is 200 every three months our property taxes $3000 a year insurance 900 which just went up because big all the damages elsewhere advantage plan I don’t have part D but I get most of meds through the VA our internet is 70 and we have sling which is 50.00 car insurance full coverage is 50 a month . phones 140 so things are very comparable to what we pay we pay our nephew 60 when he snow plows for us in the winter

Thank You for your time putting that all together and very informative !! ❤❤ Love you Guys i watch every week !! 😃👍♥️

Great information i’m always learning something here. Love this ! See ya Monday

Thanks as always Jerry and Linda.

Thanks Folks…..Looking good!

Hi Jerry! I remember about a year ago, you posted a video of Linda at the urgent care and she was professing then she couldn't move her head or something likewise. I COULD NOT watch that video whatsoever!!!! What was that? What happened to Linda? Obviously, glad she is 100% now but still it was sooo scary to watch that video. Love all your videos and your input and advice and thank you for sharing your lives with us. See you when I get there someday! :)

I have to color my hair every three weeks, but I do it myself ( roots only).

Excellent! Thank you for sharing.

@2:05, It's great that they separate potable and non-potable water on the bill, many places charge you one rate for all water usage. Even better, they only charge you sewer on the potable water, which is great. My last place you paid sewer on ALL water usage, even irrigation! Other expenses are optional, but desirable, like monthly pesticide service and/or natural gas to your stove, etc.

Great jumping off point for the average, recurring monthly expenses...thank you for educating us! ❤

Great video ❤😊❤😊❤ I love your roses 🌹

It was exactly what I wanted to know about living in TV. Great job! Thanks for the info.

All you hear now is don't move to Florida the homeowners insurance is out of if control folks are selling out because of it why is the Villages still so low ? 🤔 Especially where folks are saying The villages are to blame for the insurance crisis in Florida Confusing

Gee a lot of bills there. My NEAR retirement plan is to work seasonally in Australia then base myself in vibrant Malaysia🍺I drive an extra, on-demand motorcoach service up the coast for the Great Barrier Reef foreign backpacker crowd. Accommodation provided 5 days per week. I'm currently on a 4 month extended holiday from Malaysia to Japan. Cheers from outside Johor Bahru (I'm told I could get a beer inside Chinese-Malaysian coffee shops in strict Islamic States here)👍

Comment......I think if you would just give an example of how much of an income one would need for a situation similar to you guys situation, that would solve a lot of the questions. For example...say if you pay cash for a house similar to yours......making X amount.... you should be able to live a similar life style to yours..... but you you are not paying cash for a home then that would be that much more you would need to make and maybe just give a total for everything you spend all year.....

Man I remember you guys did a similar show a few months back and totaled up $60k a year. But I want to say you were including every expense you had at the time.

Great video and very helpful information. Good to know expenses ahead of time so we’re prepared for when the time comes. We use RU-vid TV also 😁

Well done and very useful! Thank you for making this!

Thanks for the transparency! We complain about our auto insurance in the UK for a 1-year old hybrid but it is about half the cost of yours!! Good to meet you both at the Beatles tribute (Rain).

This is a little skewed. Most of these expenses are in place everywhere.

Great show! Have you considered using your son’s association with USAA insurance for your auto and home? As a long time USAA member, my dad used it and currently so do all our kids. It’s the best insurance out there!

Excellent presentation!.

can you do the same for people who live in the Lofts instead of living in a home

Well Jerry and Linda, we have each taken GEHA from our Federal Retirement Plans. My wife never smoked, never had problems that women do not usually have! She takes the standard plan! I retired in 2007 had all my specialists test me and give me there opinion on my health! Well I was good to go in July of 2007, and had my heart attack in September of 2007! So what I have found, is if you are not sure of your medical people, take another group of tests from some one else as a second opinion! Non of our great hospitals and their legal staff (Attorneys on call)! So my love of school teachers in our country is more important than the politics I see daily on the Television these days!

Long time, no comment. Love you guys.

Thank you guys!!!!

Great video. Thanks for the transparency!

Thank you for this! Puts things in perspective- not sure if I should keep northern home and pay big taxes at this point. Maybe do a cheaper summer home up here. Hmmmm

Do you pay golf cart insurance? Curious how much that runs. Thanks for sharing this info! It was very helpful!

Thanks for your willingness to share!

Another great show! We are going to order a golf cart in June. You didn’t mention golf cart insurance. We do have a bond of about $16, 000 on the home we bought in Gilchrist. Hope to see you when we are down in June!

Helpful for anyone planning their budget even before moving to TV. Money comes and goes, but hopefully comes back again.

Great video. Very informative. I live in Middle TN but everyone I know even in other states also have had big increase in auto insurance. Even if you never have accident it still goes up. Jerry if you decide on having a ponytail we need a video about it ;). Thanks for the informative video and for all your great information. Thanks to both of you for your great positivity and fun spirit!

Thanks guys, the prices seem reasonable. Cheers

Random question (off the subject): what is the brand and paint shade color on the wall in back of you on this video? It looks great!

Great information. Thank you.