City comparison
Miami, FL vs Palm Bay, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 14.1% higher than in Palm Bay, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Palm Bay, FL would need about $114,100 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 $1,478 in Palm Bay, FL. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 22% in Palm Bay, FL.
- Both are in FL, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Miami, FL to Palm Bay, FL ($113,356 → $107,228), while prices change by −12.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Palm Bay, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 100.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,605 in Palm Bay | $114,149 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $49,030 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 111.7 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 88.1 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 100.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Palm Bay, FL → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.4%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
30 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Palm Bay, FL is in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Palm Bay, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Palm Bay, FL | Real change, Miami → Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $62,181 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $75,233 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $90,173 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $107,228 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $126,711 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Palm Bay, FL | Palm Bay pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $62,510 | $71,355 (+22.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $131,760 | $150,403 (+13.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $75,860 | $86,594 (+7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $80,900 | $92,347 (+1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.