City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 25.7% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $125,700 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 $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in Baton Rouge, LA than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.5% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Miami, FL ($106,437 → $113,356), while prices change by +25.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −15.3% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much 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
| Baton Rouge, LA | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $125,749 in Miami | $79,523 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −20.5%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +25.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA 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 Baton Rouge, LA to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Miami, FL | Real change, Baton Rouge → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,735 | −15.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $79,533 | −15.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $95,326 | −15.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $113,356 | −15.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,953 | −15.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $58,300 | $46,362 (−21.8%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $132,650 | $105,488 (+3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $80,920 | $64,350 (−11.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $91,380 | $72,669 (−10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.