City comparison
Denver, CO vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 7.9% higher than in Denver, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Denver, CO would need about $107,900 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 $1,754 in Denver, CO. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 28% in Denver, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.5% moving from Denver, CO to Miami, FL ($118,675 → $113,356), while prices change by +7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.5% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Denver, CO | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,915 in Miami | $92,665 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
38 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Denver, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Miami, FL | Real change, Denver → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $65,735 | −11.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $79,533 | −11.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $95,326 | −11.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $113,356 | −11.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $133,953 | −11.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $58,300 | $54,024 (−29.8%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $132,650 | $122,920 (−10.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $80,920 | $74,985 (−25.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $91,380 | $84,677 (−16.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.