City comparison
Miami, FL vs Port St. Lucie, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 13.9% higher than in Port St. Lucie, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Port St. Lucie, FL would need about $113,900 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 $1,467 in Port St. Lucie, FL. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 22% in Port St. Lucie, FL.
- Both are in FL, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $113,356 in either. A transfer from Miami, FL to Port St. Lucie, FL changes real buying power by +13.9%, purely from prices.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Port St. Lucie, FL: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Port St. Lucie, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,800 in Port St. Lucie | $113,895 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,467/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 | $46,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Port St. Lucie, FL MSA. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Port St. Lucie, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Port St. Lucie |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 113.6 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 87.0 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Port St. Lucie, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Port St. Lucie, FL → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
30 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Port St. Lucie, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Port St. Lucie, FL | Real change, Miami → Port St. Lucie |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $65,735 | +13.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $79,533 | +13.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $95,326 | +13.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $113,356 | +13.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $133,953 | +13.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Port St. Lucie, FL | Port St. Lucie pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $53,610 | $61,059 (+4.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $128,510 | $146,367 (+10.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $79,430 | $90,467 (+11.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $82,090 | $93,497 (+2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.