City comparison
Miami, FL vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 9.7% higher than in Modesto, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Modesto, CA would need about $109,700 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 $1,356 in Modesto, CA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 22% in Modesto, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.4% moving from Miami, FL to Modesto, CA ($113,356 → $133,060), while prices change by −8.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +28.7% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,199 in Modesto | $109,651 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,356/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $50,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Modesto, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
99 Strong offer
Modesto, CA → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.8%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Modesto, CA | Real change, Miami → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $77,161 | +28.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $93,358 | +28.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $111,896 | +28.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $133,060 | +28.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $157,236 | +28.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $101,640 | $111,449 (+91.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $119,770 | $131,328 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $83,560 | $91,624 (+13.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $132,590 | $145,386 (+59.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.