City comparison
Miami, FL vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 22.9% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $122,900 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 $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in South Bend, IN than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.1% moving from Miami, FL to South Bend, IN ($113,356 → $106,437), while prices change by −18.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.4% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $81,344 in South Bend | $122,935 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
100 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.7%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
30 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | South Bend, IN | Real change, Miami → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $61,722 | +15.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $74,678 | +15.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $89,508 | +15.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $106,437 | +15.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $125,776 | +15.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $58,180 | $71,524 (+22.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $95,500 | $117,403 (−11.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $77,940 | $95,816 (+18.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $93,540 | $114,993 (+25.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.