City comparison
Miami, FL vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 10.5% higher than in Phoenix, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Phoenix, AZ would need about $110,500 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 $1,583 in Phoenix, AZ. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 25% in Phoenix, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Phoenix, AZ than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.8% moving from Miami, FL to Phoenix, AZ ($113,356 → $111,338), while prices change by −9.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.5% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,505 in Phoenix | $110,491 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
100 Strong offer
Phoenix, AZ → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
31 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Miami → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $64,564 | +8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $78,117 | +8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $93,629 | +8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $111,338 | +8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $131,568 | +8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $59,180 | $65,389 (+12.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $131,750 | $145,572 (+9.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $80,820 | $89,299 (+10.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $100,830 | $111,408 (+21.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.