Fees Beyond Rent in South Florida Apartments (2026)

Apartment fees in South Florida, October 2026: required monthly fees, parking, pet and move-in charges, and how common free-rent specials are.

As of October 2026, required monthly fees add a median of about $71 to the advertised base rent at South Florida's purpose-built rental buildings. Among the 39 buildings in our data that publish both a base rent and a total monthly price, the gap ran from $0 to about $235 a month. Utilities billed by usage, parking, pets and move-in charges come on top. On the other side of the ledger, 105 of the 388 buildings that are leasing advertised free rent or a similar concession.

These numbers come from our research on 410 purpose-built rental buildings in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, each owned by one company and leased through its own office. We read official sites, fee tables and listing sites on October 12 and 13, 2026. Few buildings publish a full fee list, so each figure says how many buildings it covers.

What is the difference between base rent and total monthly price?

Base rent is the rent in your lease. The total monthly price, which many large managers now show next to it, adds the fixed fees every resident must pay each month. It leaves out utilities billed by usage, optional extras like parking, and one-time move-in charges. At Lantower River Landing, for example, a studio listed at $1,702 in base rent had a total monthly price of $1,727.

Here is the gap between the two at the 39 buildings that published both on October 12 and 13:

Many buildings skip the base rent and publish only the total. In our data, 82 buildings list their prices as a total monthly price with required fees already included, and only 13 of them say how much of it is fees. That isn't a worse deal; it just means you can't compare their figures directly with a base rent elsewhere.

What do required monthly fees pay for?

Where a building itemizes its fees, the same charges come up again and again. The counts are buildings whose fee list we read that show each charge:

The amenity fee varies the most. It's $25 at Adela at MiMo Bay and Amaray Las Olas by Windsor, $40 at Alexan Roxy, $50 at Miro Brickell, $85 at Miami World Tower and $250 at ParkLine Miami, where the itemized monthly charges add up to about $280 before water and sewer. Society Las Olas says it doesn't charge for amenities separately.

Check what a total includes. Miami World Tower's floor-plan page lists a $85 amenity fee, $25 trash, $50 common-area electricity and a $10 package fee, $170 in all, yet its total monthly price was $120 above base rent on October 13. Utilities are extra almost everywhere: at 33 buildings, the fee notes we read say residents pay water and sewer, electricity or both on top, usually by usage. Some managers also require renters insurance, including six AMLI buildings that ask for $300,000 of liability coverage.

How much is parking at South Florida apartments?

Fifty-two buildings published parking prices or said a space is included. Ten include the first space, among them AMLI Dadeland, Arvella, The Registry Las Olas and Palmetto Promenade. The rest charge by type of space:

Suburban communities with outdoor lots tend to be cheapest for a first car: Windsor at Delray Beach charges $5 a month for an unreserved outdoor space and Mirador at Doral by Windsor $10. In downtown towers, a first garage space costs $55 at Griffis West Palm, $90 at The District at Flagler Village and $100 at Miro Brickell and ParkLine Miami. Private garages run up to $575 a month at Amaray Las Olas. Five buildings add parking registration or management fees, and some charge guests: Arvella gives one free hour, then $5 an hour up to $25 a day.

What do pets cost in South Florida apartments?

We found pet charges for 122 buildings. The one-time fee for a first pet was $500 at 81 of the 116 that state one, and ranged from $250 to $700. Monthly pet rent ran from $15 to $75 per pet across 113 buildings; $25 was most common, followed by $30 and $20. Some add a screening fee of $20 to $35, and Sole at City Center and Alexan Ludlam Trace charge a $50 DNA fee per pet for waste tracking.

Rules matter as much as fees. Of the 363 buildings with a pet policy on file, 211 mention breed restrictions. Forty-one state a weight limit, from 25 to 99 pounds and most often 75 pounds, and at least 16 say they have no weight limit. Regency Parc caps pets at 30 pounds and Caroline Pompano Beach at 99.

What will you pay at move-in?

• Application fee: $50 to $150 per applicant at the 75 buildings that list one; 52 of them charge $125 or $150. The eight Windsor-managed buildings that list a fee charge $50, and seven of them also take a $400 application deposit.
• Administrative fee: listed at 50 buildings, usually $300 or $350 (41 of them), and as high as $400.
• Security deposit: published by 24 buildings. Most ask $500 to $2,000, sometimes scaled by unit size: Maizon Brickell asks $750 for a studio and $2,000 for a penthouse. A few scale it to credit, up to $5,000 at Portico Apartments. Regency Parc's deposit is $8,000 to $30,000.
• Ways around the deposit: Camden Brickell, Amaray Las Olas and Allure by Windsor waive it with approved credit; Maizon Brickell and The Aubrey at Seaside offer waivers for $22 to $49 a month; and The District at Flagler Village offers the Obligo deposit-free program.
• Smaller one-time charges: access devices ($40 at Metro Edgewater, $100 at Sofia Coral Gables), utility account setup ($15 to $25) and a $30 package fee at Miami World Tower.
• Pet fees, and the first month's rent unless a special covers it.

Florida law sets the clock on getting your deposit back. Under section 83.49 of the Florida Statutes, a landlord must return it within 15 days after the lease ends if there's no claim, or send written notice of a claim within 30 days; you then have 15 days to object in writing. Our move-in cost calculator adds up the charges above for any rent.

How common are free-rent specials, and are they worth it?

Very common. On October 13, 2026, 105 of the 388 buildings that are leasing or in lease-up advertised free rent or a similar concession. New buildings lean on it most: 20 of the 42 in lease-up had an offer, against 85 of the 346 established buildings. By county, it was 62 of 204 leasing buildings in Miami-Dade, 32 of 114 in Broward and 11 of 70 in Palm Beach. In Midtown/Wynwood, 10 of 21 buildings had one.

Free rent lowers your average cost, not your monthly payment. With two months free on a 14-month lease at $2,800, you pay $33,600 over 14 months, an average of $2,400, but each payment you make is still $2,800. Also watch for prices with the free months already averaged in: Flow Fort Lauderdale publishes net effective prices, and Icon Marina Village in West Palm Beach says its starting rates include a two-month concession. Ask whether a quote is base rent or net effective before you compare it.

Other offers are often tied to leasing within 24 to 48 hours of a tour: $500 move-in credits at the three NEO buildings in Allapattah, $1,000 credits or gift cards at Strata Wynwood and The Highley House, and $1,500 off the first month at The Marc at Palm Beach Gardens. WYND 27 & WYND 28 advertised up to $8,000 off select apartments.

How do you compare the real monthly cost of an apartment?

• Ask each building for its total monthly price on the same lease length, and ask what that total leaves out.
• Add usage-based utilities, parking for each car, pet rent and renters insurance.
• Spread any free months over the full lease, and ask whether a quoted price is net effective.
• Add up the move-in costs: application, admin, deposit, pet and device fees. The move-in cost calculator does it for you.
• Check the result against your income with the affordability calculator.
• For base rents by neighborhood, see average rent in Miami; for utilities, transit and groceries, see the cost of living guide for renters.

Fees change often and can differ by unit and lease term. Treat these figures as what buildings published in mid-October 2026, and get every charge in writing before you sign.

Frequently asked questions

What fees do apartments charge besides rent in South Florida?

Most purpose-built buildings add required monthly fees to base rent, commonly for trash ($20 to $35), pest control ($2 to $7), utility billing, an internet or technology package, package lockers or an amenity fee. At the 39 buildings in our data that publish both prices, they add $0 to about $235 a month, with a median of about $71. Usage-based utilities, parking, pets and move-in charges come on top.

How much is an apartment application fee in Miami?

In our October 2026 data, application fees run $50 to $150 per applicant at the 75 buildings that list one, and 52 of them charge $125 or $150. Many also charge a one-time administrative fee: at the 50 buildings that list one, it's usually $300 or $350 and as high as $400. Our move-in cost calculator adds these to your deposit and first month's rent.

How much is a security deposit for an apartment in South Florida?

Of the 24 buildings in our data that publish one, most ask $500 to $2,000, sometimes scaled by unit size or credit. Some, such as Camden Brickell, waive it with approved credit, and others offer deposit waivers for a monthly fee. Under section 83.49 of the Florida Statutes, a landlord with no claim must return the deposit within 15 days after the lease ends.

How much is pet rent in South Florida apartments?

Monthly pet rent runs $15 to $75 per pet across the 113 buildings in our data that list it, and $25 is the most common amount. Most also charge a one-time fee for the first pet: $500 at 81 of the 116 buildings that state one, within a range of $250 to $700. Rules matter too: of the 363 buildings with a pet policy on file, 211 mention breed restrictions.

How much does parking cost at Miami apartments?

Of the 52 buildings that published parking prices or said a space is included, 10 include the first space. Elsewhere, a first standard or garage space costs $5 to $100 a month, with a median of $50, a reserved space $35 to $500, a private or detached garage $95 to $575 and a second car $25 to $250. Suburban communities with outdoor lots tend to be cheapest.

Is a free-rent special worth it?

It lowers your average cost, not your monthly payment. With two months free on a 14-month lease at $2,800, you pay $33,600 over 14 months, an average of $2,400, but each payment is still $2,800. Ask whether a quote is base rent or net effective before you compare. On October 13, 2026, 105 of the 388 buildings that are leasing or in lease-up advertised free rent or a similar concession.