City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 22.4% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $122,400 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 $1,221 in Greenville, SC. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 20% in Greenville, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.5% moving from Greenville, SC to Miami, FL ($106,437 → $113,356), while prices change by +22.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −13.0% in real buying power.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (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
| Greenville, SC | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $122,405 in Miami | $81,696 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.3%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greenville, SC 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 Greenville, SC to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Miami, FL | Real change, Greenville → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,735 | −13.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $79,533 | −13.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $95,326 | −13.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $113,356 | −13.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,953 | −13.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $58,300 | $47,629 (−21.5%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $132,650 | $108,370 (−11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $80,920 | $66,108 (−14.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $91,380 | $74,654 (−8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.