City comparison
Dayton, 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 23.2% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH 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 $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Dayton, OH than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.7% moving from Dayton, OH to Miami, FL ($110,401 → $113,356), while prices change by +23.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −16.6% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: 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
| Dayton, OH | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $123,153 in Miami | $81,200 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/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 | $49,980 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.8%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +23.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Miami, FL | Real change, Dayton → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $65,735 | −16.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $79,533 | −16.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $95,326 | −16.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $113,356 | −16.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $133,953 | −16.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $58,300 | $47,340 (−41.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $132,650 | $107,712 (+0.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $80,920 | $65,707 (−16.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $91,380 | $74,201 (−10.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.