City comparison
Miami, FL vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 17.8% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $117,800 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 $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.3% moving from Miami, FL to Tucson, AZ ($113,356 → $108,455), while prices change by −15.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.7% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,881 in Tucson | $117,812 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,081/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.1%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
30 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Miami → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $62,893 | +12.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $76,095 | +12.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $91,205 | +12.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $108,455 | +12.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $128,162 | +12.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $47,220 | $55,631 (−4.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $123,710 | $145,745 (+9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $76,320 | $89,914 (+11.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $94,110 | $110,873 (+21.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.