Florida's Most Livable Retirement Destination Is An Affordable Town On The Beach

Dunedin, Florida is a city of about 36,000 people that sits right on the Gulf of Mexico. There is a lot to like about Dunedin, from its white sandy beaches and quaint downtown to the nearby island state parks. In August 2025, with the help of data from AreaVibes.com, Dunedin was even ranked number one in GOBankingRates' 50 Most Livable Retirement Towns. 

Situated about 25 miles west of Tampa, Dunedin has plenty of restaurants, bars, and craft breweries, many of which happen to be dog-friendly. It has a 180-slip marina, complete with a public fishing pier and commercial charter boats, that welcomes transient boaters and is often frequented at sunset by bagpipers and Celtic drummers. If you're a baseball fan, you'll be thrilled to know that Dunedin is where the Toronto Blue Jays does its spring training, and the city itself has its own baseball team and stadium. And offshore (but still within Dunedin's city limits) are Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island, where people can hike, kayak, or swim.

Other amenities that make Dunedin a great place to retire are the 120-bed Mease Dunedin Hospital, which is part of the larger BayCare system in West Central Florida, and safe, friendly neighborhoods. Dunedin's crime rate is 52% lower than the Florida state average, according to AreaVibes. And with 35% of the population being 65 and over, there are plenty of people in a retiree's age group to interact with.

Rubain "Rob" Rajwani, a Realtor with The Fazzini Group at RE/MAX Realtec, told Money Digest that Dunedin typically attracts affluent people, including retirees, who don't like the hustle and bustle of areas like Miami or Fort Lauderdale. And there is a wide housing selection, including waterfront homes with four to six bedrooms, single-family homes further inland, apartments, and multiple 55-and-over communities. While pricier than places like Stuart, a small Florida coastal town with a surprisingly low cost of living, Dunedin has options at several price points. 

The typical home price in Dunedin was $409,161 as of the end of July 2025, according to Zillow. That is significantly lower than prices in places like Wilton Manors, the Florida community named as the most "livable" for retirees, where most homes cost over $570,000. However, a typical Dunedin home price is above Florida's and the nation's average. Meanwhile, Dunedin's average listed rent was roughly $2,400 a month as of September 2025, about 15% higher than the national average, according to Zillow Rentals. Indeed, spacious waterfront homes in Dunedin can sell for around $2.6 million, Rajwani said, but there are more attainable domiciles in the market. "You can get a condo and a decent-sized townhome easily for a half million dollars to $750,000," he said, while a Dunedin condo runs around $300,000. There is also the option to enjoy Dunedin's lifestyle by living nearby. As Rajwani noted, new opportunities continue to arise, such as recently built apartments within only a few miles of Dunedin where landlords are offering enticing incentives, such as two months of free rent, for prospective tenants.

Although the homes can be expensive in Dunedin, you don't need to have one of the highest-paying American jobs to live comfortably there. When it comes to other costs, this Florida coastal city is more of a bargain. Per AreaVibes' cost of living index, healthcare costs are generally more affordable in Dunedin than in other parts of the U.S. and Florida. Doctor visits are nearly 10% cheaper than the national average, while dental appoints are 9% cheaper. Still, the cost of anti-cholesterol drug Lipitor is 12% higher in Dunedin than the national average, and an appointment with a Dunedin optometrist is 17% higher.

Dunedin's goods and services are also affordable, especially when it comes to everyday pleasures like haircuts, which are 35% cheaper than the national average, and movies, which are 29% lower. Other items that are cheaper in Dunedin than the U.S. average include pizza (31%), fried chicken (6%), and milk (2%). If you can find a comfortable home at an agreeable price, Dunedin offers an excellent value for retirees seeking a relaxing destination to settle down.