City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 24.8% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $124,800 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 $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.5% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Miami, FL ($106,437 → $113,356), while prices change by +24.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.7% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Chattanooga, TN | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $124,809 in Miami | $80,123 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −19.9%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +24.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Miami, FL | Real change, Chattanooga → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,735 | −14.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $79,533 | −14.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $95,326 | −14.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $113,356 | −14.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,953 | −14.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $115,160 | $125,310 | $100,402 (−12.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $132,650 | $106,283 (−0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $80,920 | $64,835 (−15.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $91,380 | $73,216 (−8.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.