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Alex is the founder of 9Kilo Moving, which he started to help people easily find and choose the right moving company to make their move as stress-free and seamless as possible. He has spent over 20 years working in the moving industry, so he knows every aspect of the business and uses his knowledge to write about the industry and give moving advice. More on about us page

Orlando FL photo

What first comes to your mind when you hear a friend, relative, or professional peer is moving to Orlando?

Mickey Mouse

That’s right. The iconic cartoon rodent is the centerpiece of a finely laid out entertainment table set by the folks a Disney World. However, Orlando has transformed into much more than a series of theme parks that entertain the entire city.

Located on Interstate 4, which crisscrosses the state between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, Orlando is considered one of the best vacation spots in the entire United States. The seemingly countless number of outdoor recreational activities offered by being located close to two massive bodies of water is more than enough reason to consider moving to Orlando. Throw in a robust job market, a wide variety of cuisines, and cultural attractions that educate visitors of all ages, and you have found a new city in a warm climate exuding both charm and hospitality.

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This is a brief overview for anyone that is contemplating a move to Orlando.

Cost of Moving to Orlando

Based on a long distance move of 1,000 miles, you can expect to pay on average around $5,000. Local moves, which are primarily within the State of Florida, should set someone back $1,250. The estimates are based on moving to Orlando and living in a three bedroom home.

Here are the factors that will determine the cost of moving to Orlando:

  • Amount of stuff moved (in pounds)
  • Travel fees (tolls, etc.)
  • Packing and unpacking services
  • Moving supplies
  • Labor
  • Insurance
  • Time of year
  • Price of fuel

Any moving company under consideration should provide a free moving cost calculator to give you a reasonable estimate of the cost of moving to Orlando.

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Cost of Living in Orlando

Here are a few categories for you to compare the cost of living in Orlando to the national cost average for each category. The overall cost of living in Orlando is about 5% lower than the national average.

  • Housing: -11%
  • Utilities: +11%
  • Groceries: +2%
  • Transportation: -6%
  • Healthcare: -12%

Here are average housing costs for Orlando, Florida:

  • Median Home: $308,483
  • Median Rent: $966.34 per month

Other average costs:

  • Energy Bill: 186.44 per month
  • Phone Bill: 198.74 per month
  • Gasoline: $2.45 per gallon
  • Loaf of Bread: $3.40
  • Gallon of Milk: $1.98
  • Dozen Eggs: $1.85
  • Bunch of Bananas: $3.43
  • Hamburger: $4.33

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Get to know Orlando, FL

As one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, Orlando has more than 2.4 million residents living in the metropolitan area. Counties part of the Orlando metro area include Lake, Orange, Seminole, and Osceola.

Here are some popular Orlando neighborhoods:

  • Milk District
  • Audubon Park District
  • Thornton Park
  • Lake Eola Heights
  • College Park

Employment Options in Orlando

Orlando is one of the rare cities where you do not have to line up a job before moving to the city. The year-round theme park industry is constantly searching for qualified job candidates to fill a wide variety of positions. With more than 120,000 hotel rooms in Orlando, as well as dozens of world-class restaurants, the hospitality industry is also always looking for people that genuinely love serving customers.

Here is a list of the major employers operating in Orlando, Florida:

  • AAA
  • ABC Fine Wine & Spirits
  • Darden Restaurants
  • Hard Rock Café
  • Hilton Grand Vacation Club
  • JetBlue
  • Legoland
  • Lockheed Martin
  • Marriott Vacation Club International
  • Merlin Entertainment Group
  • NBC Universal
  • Oracle Corporation
  • Orange County Public Schools
  • SeaWorld Entertainment
  • Siemens
  • The Golf Channel (part of NBC Universal)
  • The Walt Disney Company
  • Tupperware Corp.
  • Wyndham Vacation Resorts

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No State Income Tax

Many residents come to Florida at least for part of the year to enjoy living in an area that does not have a state income tax. The savings gained from not having a state income tax takes most of the bite out of the Orlando cost categories that are higher than the national average. The primary reason for the lack of a state income tax is the sales tax revenue generated by the robust hospitality industry. In fact, Orlando ranks second behind Las Vegas in terms of the number of hotel rooms. Property taxes are below the national average in the Orlando metro area by nearly one percent.

Plenty of Higher Education Options

If you are moving to Orlando as a family, there are dozens of higher education options operating in the Sunshine State. However, you can send your kids to schools located near your home in Orlando.

  • University of Central Florida.
  • Rollins College
  • Stetson University
  • Valencia College
  • State College

For K-12 education systems, review the Florida Department of Education website to learn more about scholarship programs, private education, and charter school systems.

Top-Rated Orlando Colleges

  1. University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
  2. Valencia College, Orlando, FL
  3. Florida Technical College, Orlando, FL
  4. Rollins College, Winter Park, FL
  5. Advent Health University, Orlando, FL
  6. Seminole State College of Florida, Sanford, FL
  7. Full Sail University, Winter Park, FL
  8. Concorde Career Institute, Orlando, FL
  9. Johnson University Florida, Kissimmee, FL
  10. American College for Medical Careers, Orlando, FL

Top-Rated Orlando Schools

  1. Orlando Science Middle/High Charter School, Orange County, FL
  2. Winter Park High School, Orange COunty, FL
  3. Oviedo High School, Seminole County, FL
  4. Timber Creek High School, Orange County, FL
  5. Osceola County School for the Arts, Osceola County, FL
  6. Olympia High School, Orange County, FL
  7. Hagerty High School, Seminole County, FL
  8. Boone High School, Orange County, FL
  9. Lake Mary High School, Seminole County, FL
  10. Spruce Creek High School, Volusia County, FL

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How to Deal with the Tourism Traffic

Yes, the vast influx of visitors to Orlando, FL throughout the year leads to frequent traffic jams, especially in the heart of the city on Interstate 4. As a transportation savvy new member of the community, you can avoid the stress of sitting in traffic by using the Orlando public transportation system. With several different types of vehicles, the LNXS bus system accommodates the transportation needs of everyone wanting a break from crowded Orlando roads and highways. SunRail represents a diesel-electric train that offers free WiFi on a public transportation system connecting DeBary at the northern end and Poinciana at the southern end of the line.

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Dining in Orlando, FL

Orlando is all about eating sustainable seafood. From corporate giants such as Red Lobster to family-run restaurants in the downtown district, you can find a seafood restaurant dedicated to preserving the populations of not only endangered fish species but also other fish species that require protection because of high demand. The recently unveiled Smart Catch program focuses its mission on adding more sustainable seafood to Orlando area menus.

Here are some of the highly rated independent restaurant operating in Orlando, FL:

  • Morimoto Asia
  • Frontera Coccina
  • Victoria and Alberts
  • Prato
  • Urbain40
  • K Restaurant and Wine Bar
  • SOCO
  • Seito Sushi
  • Tin & Taco
  • Woodlands
  • Artisan’s Table
  • Chef Eddie’s

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Moving to Orlando Alone

Anxiety brought on by feeling lonely is a common emotional theme for people that perform moves. Moving to a major city that bustles like Orlando can exacerbate the feeling of isolation. Check out one of the dozens of Meetup groups that help new residents of Orlando become acclimated to their surroundings.

Moving the Family to Orlando

If Orlando attracts families from all over the world because of its entertainment options, what do you think your family will feel when they arrive to the city? Check out TripAdvisor to learn more about the myriad things for families to do in Orlando.

Moving to Orlando for Work

If you do not secure employment before moving to Orlando, research the salaries of the various business sectors that operate in the city.

  • Glassdoor
  • Payscale
  • Zip Recruiter

These sites offer promising job leads:

  • Craigslist
  • Monster
  • Indeed
  • Snag a Job

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Are you planning to move to Orlando, FL anytime soon? Just fill out the form on this page using “CALCULATE MY MOVE” button and get quotes from reputable national and long distance moving companies. At 9Kilo Moving we offer nothing but the best for our clients.

Here's a link to our moving cost calculator page, which will help you get instant moving quotes and estimates.

FAQs about Moving to Orlando

What to know before moving to Orlando?

The city of Orlando is famously dubbed as “The Theme Park capital of the world”, thanks to the presence of Universal Studios, DisneyWorld and SeaWorld among others. Unsurprisingly, it leads to a massive influx of tourists each year. This also adds to the city’s crime rate being above the national average and the high levels of road traffic. Orlando’s weather can be a bit muggy, which might be a problem for those coming from a cooler part of the state. Fortunately, both the cost of living and healthcare costs in Orlando is lower than the national average.

What is a liveable wage in Orlando?

According to a proposal by the City Council, the present liveable or minimum wage in Orlando would be somewhere around $15 per hour. This amounts to an average of $28,000 earned by a typical resident of Orlando.

What is a good salary in Orlando Florida?

For you to live a comfortable life in Orlando, earning an average salary of around $17 per hour or $63,000 on the whole, seems to be a good salary, as per data calculated by payscale. Overall, the cost of living in Orlando, Florida, is 5% lower than the national average, thereby making the above mentioned figure a good salary to live here.

Is Tampa or Orlando better?

Tampa can easily be your place, if you’ve always dreamt of having a house close to the beach. To add to it, buying and maintaining a house in Tampa is really affordable too. Orlando, on the other hand, is considered to have a strong job market, so it's not surprising that Orlando has a more younger population trying to build their career. Plus, the City Beautiful has a host of recreational activities to offer.

When you look at the overall cost of living, Tampa and Orlando are both equally competitive. According to Numbeo, if you would need $4,287 to maintain a decent standard of living in Tampa, you will need almost a similar amount of $4,300 to do the same in Orlando. The crime rates, however, seem to differ in both cities, as Tampa’s crime rate is said to be rather half of what it is in Orlando.

Basically, both these cities have a lot in common but still hold a unique charm of their own. At the end, the city that ticks most of the boxes for you, shall be the better choice for you to live in.

How safe is Orlando?

As per data mentioned on neighborhoodscout.com, Orlando has a total crime rate of 57.59% per 1000 residents. With 7.59% accounting for violent crimes and 50% accounting to property crimes, it is a hard fact, but Orlando is one of the least safest cities in America. Though this may not apply to all neighborhoods in the city, the overall statistics indicate that Orlando isn’t as safe a city as you may be expecting it to be.

What is the richest area in Orlando?

Winter Park and Windemere are said to be the richest areas in and around Orlando. This can be said based on a number of factors like median home value and median household income. Both these areas have a high cost of living as well, making them the richest areas in Orlando.

What are the best paying jobs in Orlando Florida?

If you are from a medical background, then you’re in luck, as some of the best paying jobs are from the medical field in Orlando. According to data collated by Zippia.com, Obstetricians and Gynaecologists are said to have the highest paying job in the city of Orlando, with a median income of around $244,000. Belonging to the same field, Psychiatrists, Physicians, and Surgeons are some of the other high paying professions following close-by. Apart from these, Architectural and Information Systems Managers are also some other well-paid professions in Orlando, Florida.

Is it cheaper to live in Tampa or Orlando?

Tampa and Orlando are both among the top rated cities of Florida, and they are also similar in many aspects including the overall cost of living. But when you go into the depths of it, you will find living in Tampa a little cheaper than in Orlando.

As the data on Numbeo suggests, if living in Tampa would cost you around $4,287, then you will need around $4,300 to maintain the same standard of living in Orlando. Rent prices are 2% lower in Tampa in comparison to Orlando. While restaurant prices are 11% lower in Tampa, the prices for groceries are 7% higher in Tampa when compared to Orlando. All in all, the cost of living in either Tampa or Orlando is going to be really similar to each other.

Is it cheaper to live in Orlando or Miami?

While many may think that the ‘Theme Park Capital of the World’, Orlando is an expensive city catering to tourists from all over, Miami is already a step ahead in that aspect. Cost of living in Orlando is definitely cheaper than that in Miami, and there are statistics to back this up.

As per Numbeo, if you would need $4,470 to live a decent life in Orlando, you would probably need $5,700 to maintain the same lifestyle in Miami. Rent prices in Orlando are almost 34% lower than that in Miami. Not only that, the restaurant prices and groceries are also 12% and 11% lower respectively in Orlando, when compared to Miami. Basically, you will definitely find it cheaper to live in Orlando than in Miami.

What are the bad neighborhoods in Orlando?

Like other major cities, not all parts of Orlando are safe or worth living in. Based on some factors like low median home value, low household income and high crimes, some not so good neighborhoods in Orlando include Mercy Drive, Roosevelt Park, Malibu Grooves, Johnson Village and Holden-Parramore.

What is the safest place to live in Orlando?

Bay Hill, Dr. Phillips, Baldwin Park and Maitland are definitely some of the safest places to live in Orlando. Not only that, these neighborhoods are almost among the best ones to live in the City Beautiful. All of these are worthy and safe places, if you are planning to settle with your family, or even all by yourself in Orlando.

Is it safe to walk around Orlando at night?

As is suggested by the statistics, Orlando ranks as one of the high crime rates cities in America. So rationally, walking around in the dark in Orlando, is not a very good idea. This of course varies by the neighborhoods, but in general, it may not be very safe to walk around at night in Orlando, that has a total crime rate of 57.59%, as per neighborhoodscout.

Does it ever get cold in Orlando?

With over 230 sunny days a year, Orlando will never be as cold as in NYC, but the winters here are still very pleasant providing a mellow weather to enjoy in the City Beautiful. The average high winter temperatures in Orlando are around 73 degrees F, while the lowest temperatures would be around 50 degrees F. January is the coldest month in Orlando with the average temperature hovering around 59 degrees F. All in all, a light jacket or a sweater will be enough to keep you warm during the cold times in Orlando.

Is downtown Orlando dangerous?

No, overall downtown Orlando is not a dangerous locality in the City Beautiful. Even though Orlando has high crime rates and many of its neighborhoods are witness to that, you can be rest assured when moving around downtown Orlando. With lots of heavenly food outlets to discover, downtown Orlando is a fun as well as safe space to live or visit around with family or even all by yourself.

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