City comparison
Albany, NY vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 14.7% higher than in Albany, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Albany, NY would need about $114,700 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 $1,417 in Albany, NY. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 23% in Albany, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.2% moving from Albany, NY to Miami, FL ($109,810 → $113,356), while prices change by +14.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.0% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,653 in Miami | $87,220 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.8%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Albany, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Miami, FL | Real change, Albany → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $65,735 | −10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $79,533 | −10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $95,326 | −10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $113,356 | −10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $133,953 | −10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $58,300 | $50,849 (−35.8%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $132,650 | $115,697 (−9.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $80,920 | $70,578 (−16.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $91,380 | $79,702 (−20.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.