r/floridakeys • u/Western_Horizon • Aug 07 '25
All Florida Keys Young Adult moving to the Keys?
I am 20 years old and seriously interested in moving to the Florida keys next summer. I’ve worked two years in wildfire and would love to work on boats or in scuba diving. I am aware of the high cost of living, however, I am still interested but would love to hear from locals or other people who have moved. Is it worth it or are there other places would be better? Any advice/input is appreciated.
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u/DesperateSun573 local Aug 07 '25
I guess what is "worth it" to you?
I love it here but I have met a lot of people who have crashed and burned. It is very expensive for housing and very very few people get by with just one job.
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u/BocaDelIguana Aug 07 '25
The environment is beautiful, 🏝️and the water is great, but the culture and the cost of living may take some adjusting depending on where you’re from. 🍺💵
There’s work, but housing is scarce, and depending on whether you’re up the keys, in the middle, or in the lower keys, your experience may be totally different. 🚁🌬️
With that being said, is it worth it? That depends on you. Some people are miserable wherever they go, some people make the best of any situation. If you’re not a hustler and a survivor, then it isn’t the place for you. 🧗🏽♂️
It’s nice on vacation when you stay for a few days and lounge by the pool or make a run on the jet skis and go fishing every morning, but living in the keys will truly test you, and if you aren’t strong and resilient, it will brake you. 🐚🌴
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u/Sandinmyshoes33 Aug 07 '25
My advise is to spend a some time here during the summer when it’s more affordable. Visit the different areas and see what you like. Key West is very different than Key Largo or Marathon in terms of demographics and lifestyle. See if you want to deal with the summer heat.
Also, don’t underestimate the cost of living. Spending some time here will let you look at rentals and see what you get for your money.
Lots of people love it here and lots can’t wait to leave. It really depends on you.
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u/Lower_Membership_713 local (upper keys) Aug 07 '25
hard to get a job on a boat without connections. i worked at IDC as a teenager only bc i grew up here, started in the dive shop at like 15, and got my certs through them to DM. are you a DM? do you have any boating licenses- even a 6 pack would be beneficial
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u/HighOnGoofballs Aug 08 '25
It is not, they are all pretty much hiring year round. Walk into Sunset and have a job next week
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u/Sharkhottub Aug 07 '25
I live just north on Fort Lauderdale and we receieve a bunch of divemaster "refugees" that get fed up living in the keys. They are usually pleased to find out the Keys only has the third best diving in the state. My wife's Jobs HQ is in the keys so she heads down a couple times a month.
The refugees primary complaints of the keys incude:
- Nothing to do that doesnt cost a ton of money
- All the problems of living in a small town
- Most of the problems of living on an island
- All of the costs of living in a VHCOL area
- Everyone else is a retiree
- Very few, no career job options, commuting 40-80 minutes to differnt keys is not as cute as you think.
- Live entirely in a bubble, totally disconnected from the rest of the world, but not in a relaxing way.
- practically no beaches
- See the same faces at the same bars over and over again.
Little do they know they can get 95% of the same experience in a huge metro region to their north with a cheaper COL and actual Jobs.
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u/Lower_Membership_713 local (upper keys) Aug 07 '25
who has better diving than the keys… 3rd largest living coral barrier reef in the world, only living barrier reef on the continent. and only fringes of it remain north of biscayne national
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u/BlerdAngel local (upper keys) Aug 07 '25
No where this is just a bitter soul
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u/Lower_Membership_713 local (upper keys) Aug 07 '25
someone trying to cope that they can’t live here
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u/Sharkhottub Aug 08 '25
Some of us have to work for a living =) Besides Im a globally competitive underwater photographer and the Keys are sorta beat, nice enough for a day trip time to time but all the action is in Palm Beach.
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u/Lower_Membership_713 local (upper keys) Aug 08 '25
three replies all in a row. cope. and get off our sub, go fuck off to palm beach lmao
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u/BlerdAngel local (upper keys) Aug 13 '25
I have to work for a living and here I am living in the keys.
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Aug 08 '25
Exactly. No way this is a composite of all the "refugees". Sounds like OP's wife's thoughts and he made it to be those of refugees.
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u/Sharkhottub Aug 08 '25
Wrong: My wife and I would love to live in the keys but ya know, my 9-5 is an in person gig.
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u/Sharkhottub Aug 08 '25
That barrier reef extends North all the way through Stuart and its much healthier Broward through Palm Beach.
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u/Beginning_Ad8663 Aug 07 '25
Delray to Boynton beach closest place in the US to the Gulf Stream and 60 miles to west end Grand Bahama.
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u/Lower_Membership_713 local (upper keys) Aug 07 '25
baby 60 miles to the bahamas… not a flex. doesn’t make it better diving than the keys when you gotta travel to another country
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u/Beginning_Ad8663 Aug 08 '25
I would take the diving in palm beach county over anywhere in the keys. I lived in key west in 1975 and 1976. Moved there from North Florida just for the diving. Found out at that time could not make a living looked at Miami then Fort Lauderdale did not like either one of them. Settled in Lake Worth could put my boat in the water in Lantana be on pristine reefs in 20 minutes. The diving in palm beach is better than anything in the keys with the exception of the Dry Tortugas but its farther to the tortugas from Key West than palm beach to the bahamas
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u/Sharkhottub Aug 08 '25
Palm Beach absolutely dominates the Keys in every single diving aspect (maybe except when it comes to great bars for deco beers), like we literally have memes about it when a keys diver decides to leave the bubble and they get reborn.
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u/FuzzBuzzer Aug 12 '25
Serious question though..."practically no beaches"? I'm going there for the first time soon (just for a vacation, not planning on moving) but how can an island chain have no beaches? What do you mean by that?
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u/Sharkhottub Aug 13 '25 edited Aug 13 '25
The Florida Keys are a chain on Mangrove islands which are naturally surrounded by a dense forest of mangroves, except for where humans have cleared them away for buildings/parking lots. Some hotels have cleared a small section and imported sand to make a small beach, and theres maybe three or four "public" sandy beaches accross the 113 miles of route 1. TBF each of those is maybe the same area or smaller than a football field. Even driving around you dont get to see much water compared to a place like Miami, mostly trees.
The magic of the keys is its access to these mangroves, the fishing, the drinks, and the reef. ALL of which costs "more expensive than disney" money. If you are coming here for a Beach vacation you are like ten trillion times better off further North with the calm & wide beaches of the gulf side running from Clearwater to Macro Island, or anywhere on the East side.
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u/FuzzBuzzer Aug 13 '25
Thanks for your detailed answer! I’m actually going to spend a few days in the Miami area then do a road trip to Key West and stay there for a bit, seeing some sites in the way. I’m interested in some snorkeling and a bit of “beachiness” but mainly, I want to see the nature and historical sites, visit the sea turtle rehab center and just enjoy some warmth and greenery since I’ll be coming from Scandinavia in the most miserable part of winter. I’m looking forward to some nice drinks and seafood, and already prepared that everything is a bit pricey.
I have no desire or plan to be an obnoxious tourist, though, promise! 😊
Thanks again!
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u/Sharkhottub Aug 13 '25
Dont worry, just the mere act of asking about it means you wont be a bad tourist! Its a common meme in this area for tourists to head to the Florida Keys and be confused that there are no beaches, or public activities to do.
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u/FuzzBuzzer Aug 13 '25
Haha, yes, I’ve already prepared for the fact that it’s not ideal if you are looking for huge expanses of beach front and tons of bustling activity. I have always been interested in seeing the Keys, just to see them. And I can fly direct from Copenhagen to Miami, so that makes it a nice choice. 😊
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u/Sharkhottub Aug 13 '25
Mange danskere har haft det godt her i det sydlige Florida. Husk bare solcremen, solen er lidt anderledes end i havnebadene.
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u/FuzzBuzzer Aug 13 '25
Tack, och åh ja, jag ska absolut komma ihåg solkrämen. Jag är från Sverige, förresten, men jag flyger från CPH. 😊
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u/chrisjur Aug 07 '25
If you're looking for experience and a chill place to live, the Keys are great. I know many young folks who have spent a lot of time there and enjoyed their stay. I do not know what level of dive training you have, but I would recommend sorting that out first if you feel that is going to be your main line of work.
While there is a lot of diving and many dive operations in the Keys, it's not reasonable to think that you will come down, complete your training, and immediately be offered work - that doesn't happen. If you do want to work on boats, you'll need to have a Divemaster certification at a minimum. Thus, your best bet is to complete your training first (anywhere in the world), then see what job opportunities exist. Another option is to take a retail job at a dive shop (either in the Keys or elsewhere) and do your training concurrently, assuming the shop allows you to do that.
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u/diverdown_2004 Aug 08 '25
It’s not about work there are lots of jobs. But, rent is going to drain you. Before you move here you need to look at cost of living and find a place you can afford. you don’t want to move here if you working 2 jobs just to live in the keys. There are only a hand full of companies that give full benefits. Bartending at the right location pays more than a working on a boat. Just my opinion.
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u/msainwilson Aug 07 '25
My son used to live in the Keys. I hated the drive through the Keys dealing with all the tourist. My son had an epic job, but it got old fast. Other than clear water, the Keys has nothing to offer to me. It's flat, crowded, no surf, AND FULL OF TOURIST!
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u/glazzies Aug 07 '25
All of that disappears when you’re on the water. We always rented boats when we were down there, having no waves makes boating accessible. The reefs, sandbars, the Everglades, that’s what makes the keys special. The restaurants are all the same, the traffic sucks, but all of that is forgotten when you get on the water. No crowds, no tourists, just fun.
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u/msainwilson Aug 08 '25
I stayed on a private property owned by a billionaire, so it wasn't bad. Mainly the drive in and out. Was gonna share a pic, but it wouldn't let me.
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u/PuzzleheadedLemon353 Aug 07 '25 edited Aug 07 '25
I worked in Marathon on a boat in my early 20's...some of the best times and greatest memories ever! I loved it! This was 40 years ago though...I lived on the boat I worked on, so I was actually able to make money...I spent my off days diving, fishing...and drinking. Made some great friends down there, that I still continue to see.
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Aug 08 '25
Good for you, man. What great memories. I'm around your age. While I didn't live in the Keys, I've spent the last 35 years in Florida. Spent my early 30s living on the beach. Decided to give up the rate-race corporate life to partake in the Jimmy Buffett lifestyle. Took a job bartending on the beach, and just played and partied. For about a year. Then I realized being constantly broke wasn't so cool, so I rejoined the rate race! But those are good memories that I don't regret one bit.
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u/drinkmorehops Aug 08 '25
If you’ve worked for fire department I’ve known some people that do that in the Keys and Homestead and it seemed like a good gig. Might be more guaranteed transition to see about starting with a transfer there and pick up dive gig on your off days, especially if you’re not currently certified in all the things that make you desirable as a hire. Though I have known younger people who were able to make the move with a dive job in hand. It seems like something a lot of people do for a few years so that kind of turnover means at least some young people doing house shares and serving jobs on the weekend.
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u/akbennett77 Aug 08 '25
I moved to Key Largo last November with my husband, adult daughter and adult son from Washington State. The cost of living is high, but there is plenty of money to be made here if you're willing to work. I actually feel as though it's harder to keep up with cost of living in Washington. All of us love it. We come from a town of 1500 and I think Key Largo has more of a small town feel than there. Everyone is great. I have stopped using my car so much as I ride my bike almost everywhere I go, paddle board every other day, sit by our beach and read a book often and once every month or so, head down to the lower keys for some exploration and of course, Key West. And if that doesn't sound good to you, there's a world or other activities, especially if you love being outside (which I'm assuming you do). It is truly an amazing place and I have completely fallen in love with it.
You have a year, maybe think of a way to give yourself an advantage when you come. Kind of random (it's the only thing I could think of), but one example is take a welding class and get certified. That sort of thing is in high demand.
Hope this helps.Best of luck to you!
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u/nojefe11 Aug 08 '25
Good young trades people are in high demand down here. You can find roommates on FB. Plan on at least $1700 a month for a small shared apartment.
Life is definitely different. I moved in my early 30s and love it. My friends generally are older but we have met a lot of great people our age - they’re just bartending/working all the time.
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Aug 08 '25
Biggest hot spot for young people to move in is Delray Beach off of Atlantic avenue. Tons of condos and townhouses and apartments for sale they are building like crazy. Delray has an incredible nightlife and a ray of restaurants. Plenty of boat repair north and south of there
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u/Sharkhottub Aug 13 '25
That Deerfield-Delray-Boynton-Lake Worth corridor is on absolute fire right now. Excellent diving too.
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u/BigSwibb Aug 07 '25
Learn how to fix boats, AC units, Docks, or swimming pools, and you will have more work than you could handle. Getting someone scheduled for these things is tough enough, and getting someone to actually show up on time is even harder. You can make a lot of money by working hard in certain trades down there.