City comparison
Fayetteville, 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 24.1% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $124,100 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 $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Fayetteville, NC than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.0% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Miami, FL ($111,147 → $113,356), while prices change by +24.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −17.8% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (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, NC | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $124,111 in Miami | $80,573 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/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 | 18% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −19.4%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +24.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, 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 Fayetteville, NC to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Miami, FL | Real change, Fayetteville → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $65,735 | −17.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $79,533 | −17.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $95,326 | −17.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $113,356 | −17.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $133,953 | −17.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $58,300 | $46,974 (−13.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $132,650 | $106,880 (−13.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $80,920 | $65,200 (−17.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $91,380 | $73,628 (−11.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.