City comparison
Miami, FL vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 24.2% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $124,200 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.2% moving from Miami, FL to Omaha, NE ($113,356 → $107,501), while prices change by −19.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.8% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $80,514 in Omaha | $124,202 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +24.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
100 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −19.5%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
30 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Omaha, NE | Real change, Miami → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $62,339 | +17.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $75,425 | +17.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $90,402 | +17.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $107,501 | +17.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $127,033 | +17.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $62,670 | $77,837 (+33.5%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $125,220 | $155,525 (+17.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $77,030 | $95,673 (+18.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $84,600 | $105,075 (+15.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.