A lot of the things you’ve probably heard about the University of Florida are true: Yes, the coursework is tough—get used to spending a lot of time at the main library, aka “Club West.” Yes, you will get lost in Turlington Hall at least once. Yes, there are live alligators on campus (big ones, too, but they generally stick to their ponds and lakes). And yes, game day at The Swamp is totally bananas… starting with the tailgating. Luckily, the rental homes and apartments in town tend to be extremely affordable, with great living arrangements near campus available for any budget.
You’ll have nearly endless options when it comes to dining and nightlife, with midtown directly across from the stadium and downtown just a few blocks away offering good times for every taste. Gainesville’s live music scene is superb, with everything from small pop-up shows at the student union to massive concerts at the O-Dome to punk rock ragers at the numerous downtown dives.
For a late night snack, head to Flaco’s, home of the amazingly meaty Cuban Gator sandwich… be warned, the line stretches around the block at closing time on the weekends, but it’s absolutely worth the wait.
The Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is known as "The Swamp"
Cheer on the Gators basketball team at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center
As of November 2025, the average apartment rent in Gainesville, FL is $996 for a studio, $1,250 for one bedroom, $1,535 for two bedrooms, and $1,781 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Gainesville has increased by 1.7% in the past year.
Studio
366 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$996/month
Average Rent
1 BR
678 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$1,250/month
Average Rent
2 BR
1,003 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$1,535/month
Average Rent
3 BR
1,312 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$1,781/month
Average Rent
Discover the best ways to find off-campus housing near the University of Florida. Get tips on locations, budgeting, and more on Apartments.com.
Somewhat Walkable
out of 100 WalkScore® Rating
You might be able to get out and walk when living in this area. Some errands can be accomplished on foot, but for others you’ll need a car.
Minimal Transit
out of 100 TransitScore® Rating
You'll likely want a car when living in this area since it has few transit options.
Very Bikeable
out of 100 BikeScore® Rating
This area is very bikeable. You’ll find a variety of bike paths and lanes.
P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School
Public
Grades K-12
1,287 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
775 Students
Kimball Wiles Elementary School
Public
Grades PK-5
862 Students
Public
Grades 5 & 9-12
2,540 Students
Public
Grades K-5
848 Students
P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School
Public
Grades K-12
1,287 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
1,094 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
709 Students
Professional Academy Magnet At Loften High School
Public
Grades PK-12
271 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
961 Students
P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School
Public
Grades K-12
1,287 Students
Public
Grades 5 & 9-12
2,540 Students
Professional Academy Magnet At Loften High School
Public
Grades PK-12
271 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
1,873 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
1,220 Students
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2025. All rights reserved.
3,453
Communities
952,071
Units
874
Cities
723
Communities
198,672
Units
342
Cities
667
Communities
131,066
Units
260
Cities
625
Communities
169,369
Units
246
Cities
548
Communities
121,900
Units
218
Cities
507
Communities
117,731
Units
256
Cities
† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in November 2025.
