City comparison
Miami, FL vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 10.1% higher than in Salem, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Salem, OR would need about $110,100 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 $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.2% moving from Miami, FL to Salem, OR ($113,356 → $114,684), while prices change by −9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.4% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,797 in Salem | $110,136 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Salem, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
100 Strong offer
Salem, OR → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Salem, OR | Real change, Miami → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $66,505 | +11.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $80,465 | +11.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $96,443 | +11.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $114,684 | +11.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $135,522 | +11.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $74,810 | $82,393 (+41.3%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $131,620 | $144,961 (+9.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $87,480 | $96,347 (+19.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $131,750 | $145,104 (+58.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.