City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 18.3% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $118,300 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 $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.5% moving from Asheville, NC to Miami, FL ($106,437 → $113,356), while prices change by +18.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.0% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Asheville, NC | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $118,288 in Miami | $84,539 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.5%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Miami, FL | Real change, Asheville → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,735 | −10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $79,533 | −10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $95,326 | −10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $113,356 | −10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,953 | −10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $58,300 | $49,286 (−1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $132,650 | $112,142 (−16.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $80,920 | $68,409 (−14.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $91,380 | $77,252 (−5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.