City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 25.0% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $125,000 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 $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.5% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Miami, FL ($106,437 → $113,356), while prices change by +25.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.8% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much 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
| Fayetteville, AR | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $124,960 in Miami | $80,025 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −20.0%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +25.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Miami, FL | Real change, Fayetteville → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,735 | −14.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $79,533 | −14.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $95,326 | −14.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $113,356 | −14.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,953 | −14.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $58,300 | $46,655 (−23.5%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $132,650 | $106,154 (+1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $80,920 | $64,757 (−16.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $91,380 | $73,127 (−6.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.