City comparison
Miami, FL vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 10.1% higher than in Olympia, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Olympia, WA would need about $110,100 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 $1,682 in Olympia, WA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 25% in Olympia, WA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.5% moving from Miami, FL to Olympia, WA ($113,356 → $119,630), while prices change by −9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.2% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,815 in Olympia | $110,114 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Olympia, WA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
99 Strong offer
Olympia, WA → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Olympia, WA | Real change, Miami → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $69,373 | +16.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $83,935 | +16.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $100,602 | +16.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $119,630 | +16.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $141,367 | +16.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $104,650 | $115,234 (+97.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $124,060 | $136,607 (+3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $94,470 | $104,025 (+28.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $125,020 | $137,664 (+50.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.