City comparison
Miami, FL vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 10.6% higher than in Trenton, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Trenton, NJ would need about $110,600 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 $1,545 in Trenton, NJ. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 25% in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.7% moving from Miami, FL to Trenton, NJ ($113,356 → $125,431), while prices change by −9.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +22.4% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,386 in Trenton | $110,637 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Trenton, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
100 Strong offer
Trenton, NJ → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
31 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Miami → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $72,737 | +22.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $88,005 | +22.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $105,481 | +22.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $125,431 | +22.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $148,222 | +22.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $77,850 | $86,131 (+47.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $128,770 | $142,467 (+7.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $99,550 | $110,139 (+36.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $99,990 | $110,626 (+21.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.