You may ask, what is it like to live and work in Key West? Many times you will get the standard answer--it’s wonderful to live on a tropical island and enjoy the beaches, ocean and salt breezes. But living in any tourist area can be difficult. The local economy is usually based on the tourist trade and can be quite expensive for the locals. So once you have stripped away the glamour, what is it really like?

Fortunately, you will still have the great area with its sandy beaches, ocean breezes and wonderful sunsets. You have to remember that this is what attracted you to the area. The economic part of life in Key West can be just as appealing, if you know where to look and ways of making ends meet, just like in any part of the country.

Also there are many other people who live and work in Key West, and they may give you some insight on how to make the living just a bit easier. Suzette is just one of these people and has started a website to help others like her find less expensive ways to stretch the budget. She gives tips, ideas and shares coupons. Suzette also invites others to join her by sending in ideas for everyone to share.

But before you can stretch your budget, you need an idea of what kind of budget you might have. One way to find out if you can afford to live in Key West is to do a cost-of-living comparison. SalaryExpert is a website that calculates these comparisons for you. The site shows that the cost of living in Key West is about the same as living in Cleveland, Ohio. This site bases its calculations on a $50,000 lifestyle and compares this cost of living to four other states similar in size and wage bases. You can also use SalaryExpert to give you an idea of other areas in the country where you might like to live.

So if you do your homework, living and working in Key West, FL is not so much different than living in other areas of the country. But Key West does have the fresh ocean breezes, sunshine and sandy beaches. Things people in Cleveland, OH can only dream of, and it didn’t cost you anything extra!

Whether you’re a tourist, looking to move permanently to the Keys, or just someone who likes the beauty of nature, the great variety of amenities in the homes in our area are just more reason to want to live in beautiful Key West. If you’re interested in real estate in this attractive area, contact me, Jimmy Lane, at Key West Real Estate: 305-766-0585.