City comparison
Miami, FL vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 17.8% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $117,800 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 $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.8% moving from Miami, FL to Milwaukee, WI ($113,356 → $111,310), while prices change by −15.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.6% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,917 in Milwaukee | $117,762 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
100 Strong offer
Milwaukee, WI → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.1%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
30 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Miami → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $64,548 | +15.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $78,098 | +15.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $93,606 | +15.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $111,310 | +15.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $131,535 | +15.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $61,480 | $72,400 (+24.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $123,730 | $145,707 (+9.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $80,290 | $94,551 (+16.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $97,360 | $114,653 (+25.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.