City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 22.7% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $122,700 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 $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.3% moving from Huntsville, AL to Miami, FL ($110,847 → $113,356), while prices change by +22.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −16.6% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (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
| Huntsville, AL | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $122,652 in Miami | $81,531 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.5%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Miami, FL | Real change, Huntsville → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $65,735 | −16.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $79,533 | −16.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $95,326 | −16.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $113,356 | −16.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $133,953 | −16.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $58,300 | $47,533 (−23.6%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $132,650 | $108,151 (−15.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $80,920 | $65,975 (−16.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $91,380 | $74,503 (−3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.