City comparison
Grand Rapids, 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 19.5% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $119,500 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 $1,278 in Grand Rapids, MI. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 20% in Grand Rapids, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.5% moving from Grand Rapids, MI to Miami, FL ($106,437 → $113,356), while prices change by +19.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.9% in real buying power.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (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
| Grand Rapids, MI | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,476 in Miami | $83,698 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/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 | 20% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.3%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Grand Rapids, MI 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Miami, FL | Real change, Grand Rapids → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,735 | −10.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $79,533 | −10.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $95,326 | −10.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $113,356 | −10.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,953 | −10.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $58,300 | $48,796 (−21.2%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $132,650 | $111,026 (+3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $80,920 | $67,729 (−11.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $91,380 | $76,484 (−8.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.