City comparison
Miami, FL vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 17.6% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $117,600 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 $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Miami, FL to Rochester, NY ($113,356 → $107,182), while prices change by −15.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.2% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,003 in Rochester | $117,643 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.0%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
30 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Rochester, NY | Real change, Miami → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $62,155 | +11.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $75,202 | +11.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $90,135 | +11.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $107,182 | +11.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $126,657 | +11.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $62,840 | $73,927 (+26.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $122,770 | $144,430 (+8.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $80,890 | $95,162 (+17.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $86,570 | $101,844 (+11.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.