City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 21.5% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $121,500 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 $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cleveland, OH than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.0% moving from Cleveland, OH to Miami, FL ($111,138 → $113,356), while prices change by +21.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −16.1% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $121,541 in Miami | $82,277 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.7%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Miami, FL | Real change, Cleveland → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $65,735 | −16.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $79,533 | −16.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $95,326 | −16.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $113,356 | −16.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $133,953 | −16.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $58,300 | $47,967 (−37.3%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $132,650 | $109,140 (−1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $80,920 | $66,578 (−16.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $91,380 | $75,184 (−10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.