City comparison
Durham, NC vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 17.0% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $117,000 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 $1,507 in Durham, NC. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 24% in Durham, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.0% moving from Durham, NC to Miami, FL ($111,147 → $113,356), while prices change by +17.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.8% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,996 in Miami | $85,473 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.5%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Miami, FL | Real change, Durham → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $65,735 | −12.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $79,533 | −12.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $95,326 | −12.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $113,356 | −12.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $133,953 | −12.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $58,300 | $49,831 (−3.1%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $132,650 | $113,380 (−16.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $80,920 | $69,165 (−18.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $91,380 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.