City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 14.1% higher than in Atlanta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlanta, GA would need about $114,100 in Miami, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,995 a month in Miami, FL versus $1,660 in Atlanta, GA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 27% in Atlanta, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Atlanta, GA to Miami, FL ($112,556 → $113,356), while prices change by +14.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.7% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,089 in Miami | $87,651 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.3%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Atlanta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.1%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Miami, FL | Real change, Atlanta → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $65,735 | −11.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $79,533 | −11.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $95,326 | −11.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $113,356 | −11.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $133,953 | −11.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $58,300 | $51,101 (−33.3%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $132,650 | $116,269 (−12.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $80,920 | $70,927 (−17.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $91,380 | $80,095 (−20.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.