City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 24.6% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $124,600 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 $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.5% moving from Lincoln, NE to Miami, FL ($106,437 → $113,356), while prices change by +24.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.6% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (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
| Lincoln, NE | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $124,649 in Miami | $80,225 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −19.8%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +24.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE 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 Lincoln, NE to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Miami, FL | Real change, Lincoln → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,735 | −14.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $79,533 | −14.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $95,326 | −14.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $113,356 | −14.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,953 | −14.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $58,300 | $46,771 (−24.5%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $132,650 | $106,419 (+4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $80,920 | $64,918 (−0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $91,380 | $73,310 (−16.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.