City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 23.2% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $123,200 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 $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TX and $0 in FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.0% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Miami, FL ($106,955 → $113,356), while prices change by +23.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.0% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $123,183 in Miami | $81,180 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.8%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +23.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Miami, FL | Real change, Corpus Christi → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $65,735 | −14.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $79,533 | −14.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $95,326 | −14.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $113,356 | −14.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $133,953 | −14.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $58,300 | $47,328 (−21.4%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $132,650 | $107,685 (−12.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $80,920 | $65,691 (−13.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $91,380 | $74,182 (−10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.