City comparison
Columbus, 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 19.6% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $119,600 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 $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.1% moving from Columbus, OH to Miami, FL ($111,065 → $113,356), while prices change by +19.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.6% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,573 in Miami | $83,631 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.4%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Miami, FL | Real change, Columbus → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $65,735 | −14.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $79,533 | −14.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $95,326 | −14.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $113,356 | −14.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $133,953 | −14.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $58,300 | $48,757 (−37.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $132,650 | $110,937 (−9.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $80,920 | $67,674 (−17.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $91,380 | $76,422 (−8.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.