City comparison
Madison, WI vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 17.3% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $117,300 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 $1,482 in Madison, WI. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 24% in Madison, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.5% moving from Madison, WI to Miami, FL ($106,437 → $113,356), while prices change by +17.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.2% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,338 in Miami | $85,224 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.8%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI 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 Madison, WI to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Miami, FL | Real change, Madison → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,735 | −9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $79,533 | −9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $95,326 | −9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $113,356 | −9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,953 | −9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $58,300 | $49,685 (−22.0%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $132,650 | $113,049 (−13.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $80,920 | $68,963 (−15.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $91,380 | $77,877 (−23.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.