The Sunshine State has a thriving retirement scene, and it also has a lot of options for assisted living. The average assisted living cost in Florida is $3,600, but the prices spike in high-end coastal areas, such as Nassau, Naples, and Boca Raton, where families can pay anywhere from $6,000 to $8,200 for assisted living.

The Panhandle region offers some relief to families, with costs in the $4,000 range. Of course, that might still be too much for some people to part with on a monthly basis.

Fortunately, Florida has some low-cost options available, as well, and many are actually located close to the more expensive areas. For instance, those who live in Nassau can drive 40 minutes to Duval, where they can find care for less than $4,000 a month. The stretch from Palm Beach to the bottom of the state also has some affordable options, with many less than $2,500 per month. You can find those prices along both sides of Florida’s coast until you get to the Panhandle. Due to the way the assisted care homes are situated in Florida, you’re very likely to be within a short drive of an inexpensive location.

It’s important to note that part of the reason prices vary so much has to do with the way facilities are licensed in the state of Florida. All facilities must have the Standard license. With this license, the facilities can assist with feeding, dressing, grooming, toileting, bathing, and transferring patients.

The Limited Nursing Services license allows facilities to also handle some nursing needs, such as performing eye and ear irrigations, cutting toenails for patients that have diabetes, and providing some passive range of motion exercises. Nursing homes with this license are often more expensive than those that only have a Standard license.

Finally, there is the Extended Congregate Care license. These facilities can do everything that’s provided with the first two licenses, plus take care of oxygen, tube feedings, and catheter care. As you can imagine, these facilities typically charge more because the level of care is higher.