City comparison
Miami, FL vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 13.0% higher than in Reno, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Reno, NV would need about $113,000 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 $1,489 in Reno, NV. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 23% in Reno, NV.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.7% moving from Miami, FL to Reno, NV ($113,356 → $106,855), while prices change by −11.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.5% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,488 in Reno | $113,009 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Reno, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Reno, NV → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.5%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
30 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Reno, NV | Real change, Miami → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $61,965 | +6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $74,972 | +6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $89,859 | +6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $106,855 | +6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $126,271 | +6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $62,430 | $70,552 (+21.0%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $125,710 | $142,064 (+7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $82,370 | $93,086 (+15.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $107,520 | $121,507 (+33.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.