City comparison
Miami, FL vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 11.3% higher than in Philadelphia, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Philadelphia, PA would need about $111,300 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 $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 24% in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.5% moving from Miami, FL to Philadelphia, PA ($113,356 → $117,284), while prices change by −10.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.2% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,838 in Philadelphia | $111,312 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
Philadelphia, PA → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
30 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Miami → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $68,013 | +15.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $82,289 | +15.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $98,630 | +15.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $117,284 | +15.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $138,595 | +15.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $78,570 | $87,458 (+50.0%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $133,040 | $148,090 (+11.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $85,990 | $95,717 (+18.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $101,180 | $112,626 (+23.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.