City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 13.8% higher than in Detroit, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Detroit, MI would need about $113,800 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 $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.4% moving from Detroit, MI to Miami, FL ($117,402 → $113,356), while prices change by +13.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −15.2% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (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
| Detroit, MI | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,816 in Miami | $87,861 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.1%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Detroit, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Miami, FL | Real change, Detroit → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $65,735 | −15.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $79,533 | −15.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $95,326 | −15.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $113,356 | −15.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $133,953 | −15.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $58,300 | $51,223 (−21.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $132,650 | $116,548 (−10.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $80,920 | $71,097 (−11.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $91,380 | $80,288 (−17.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.