Los Angeles vs Miami: Cost of Living
Miami is about 1% more expensive than Los Angeles, based on the BEA regional price parity index (U.S. average = 100): Los Angeles at 113.566, Miami at 114.155.
Cost of living (U.S. avg 100)
Los Angeles: 113.566
Cost of living (U.S. avg 100)
Miami: 114.155
Salary parity ($100K in Los Angeles)
$101K in Miami
If you earn $100K in Los Angeles, you would need about $101K in Miami to keep the same standard of living (price levels only; taxes on your specific income are separate).
Rents: the biggest difference
Los Angeles
Rent price parity: 170.433 (U.S. average = 100)
Miami
Rent price parity: 155.551 (U.S. average = 100)
What common jobs pay in each city (after tax)
| Occupation | Median (Los Angeles) | Take-home (Los Angeles) | Median (Miami) | Take-home (Miami) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $161K | $110K | $133K | $102K |
| Data Scientist | $130K | $92K | $127K | $98K |
| Registered Nurse | $136K | $95K | $91K | $73K |
| Accountant | $94K | $71K | $81K | $66K |
| Mechanical Engineer | $124K | $89K | $100K | $79K |
| Marketing Manager | $172K | $117K | $136K | $104K |
| Electrician | $74K | $58K | $59K | $49K |
| Elementary School Teacher | $102K | $75K | $58K | $49K |
| Police Officer | $122K | $87K | $80K | $65K |
| Chef | $70K | $56K | $58K | $49K |
| Financial Analyst | $102K | $75K | $105K | $83K |
| Civil Engineer | $109K | $79K | $84K | $68K |
| Pharmacist | - | - | - | - |
| Physical Therapist | - | - | - | - |
| Dental Hygienist | - | - | - | - |
| Web Developer | - | - | - | - |
| Graphic Designer | - | - | - | - |
| Paralegal | $78K | $60K | $62K | $52K |
| Plumber | - | - | - | - |
| HVAC Technician | $74K | $58K | $58K | $49K |
Taxes at a glance
Take-home assumes a single filer using the standard deduction. Los Angeles (California state tax), Miami (Florida state tax). A $100K salary nets about $74K in Los Angeles vs $79K in Miami. Full assumptions: methodology.