City comparison
Miami, FL vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 22.0% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $122,000 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 $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Scranton, PA than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.1% moving from Miami, FL to Scranton, PA ($113,356 → $106,437), while prices change by −18.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.6% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $81,955 in Scranton | $122,018 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,028/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.0%; 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; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Scranton, PA | Real change, Miami → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $61,722 | +14.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $74,678 | +14.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $89,508 | +14.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $106,437 | +14.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $125,776 | +14.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $76,590 | $93,453 (+60.3%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $119,960 | $146,373 (+10.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $70,480 | $85,998 (+6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $82,650 | $100,848 (+10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.