City comparison
Miami, FL vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 14.4% higher than in Visalia, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Visalia, CA would need about $114,400 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 $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.6% moving from Miami, FL to Visalia, CA ($113,356 → $106,973), while prices change by −12.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.9% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,447 in Visalia | $114,355 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Visalia, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
Visalia, CA → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.6%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
30 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Visalia, CA | Real change, Miami → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $62,033 | +7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $75,055 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $89,959 | +7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $106,973 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $126,410 | +7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $98,430 | $112,560 (+93.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $126,170 | $144,282 (+8.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $79,400 | $90,798 (+12.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $125,180 | $143,150 (+56.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.