Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Surfside, FL?
Rent-burdened — rent takes 161.4% of gross income.
Surfside rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Florida state estimate).
About rent and a waiter or waitress salary
Declared server pay (base plus reported tips) sits below the rent threshold needed for a one-bedroom apartment in most US cities, which is why the server workforce tends to live in shared housing. Actual tip income varies widely and can push real take-home well above the BLS figure, particularly in fine-dining and high-volume restaurants. At the national-average declared server salary, the 30% rule supports about $913 a month in rent. The per-city pages show which markets keep rent within that range.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Florida cities have lower median rent than Surfside, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:
Compare with full rent data for Surfside
View full rent data for Surfside, FL →Frequently asked questions
Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Surfside, FL?
Median rent in Surfside is $4,568 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Florida earns about $33,973 a year, which makes that rent 161.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.
How much rent can a waiter or waitress afford in Surfside?
Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Florida (~$33,973/yr) supports up to $849 a month in rent. Surfside's current median rent is $4,568/mo, which is $3,719/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a waiter or waitress work to cover rent in Surfside?
At an hourly equivalent of about $16 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Florida works roughly 279.7 hours a month to cover Surfside's median rent of $4,568.
Where is rent cheaper than Surfside for a waiter or waitress?
Nearby Florida cities with lower median rent include Marco Island ($4,560/mo), Pinecrest ($4,550/mo), Marco Island ($4,531/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.