City comparison
Miami, FL vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 27.3% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $127,300 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 $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.1% moving from Miami, FL to Montgomery, AL ($113,356 → $106,437), while prices change by −21.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +19.5% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $78,562 in Montgomery | $127,289 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +27.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
100 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −21.4%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
30 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Miami → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $61,722 | +19.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $74,678 | +19.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $89,508 | +19.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $106,437 | +19.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $125,776 | +19.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $59,610 | $75,877 (+30.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $110,620 | $140,807 (+6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $75,040 | $95,517 (+18.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $79,570 | $101,284 (+10.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.