Median rent is 5% lower in Miami ($1,758/mo vs $1,854/mo). Buying is cheaper in Fort Lauderdale, where the median home runs $486,700 versus $518,100. Households earn more in Fort Lauderdale ($83,130 vs $62,462 a year). Overall, the two cities have a nearly identical cost of living index (112.1).
City A
Fort Lauderdale, FL
City B
Miami, FL
How much would you need to earn in Miami, FL to maintain your standard of living from Fort Lauderdale, FL?
Equivalent salary in Miami, FL
$75,000
Costs are about the same in both cities.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
Miami
Florida
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rents are similar in both cities: $1,854/mo in Fort Lauderdale and $1,758/mo in Miami. Median home values are within 6% of each other: $486,700 in Fort Lauderdale and $518,100 in Miami.
Metric
Fort Lauderdale
Miami
Software Developer
Registered Nurse
Elementary Teacher
Electrician
Accountant
Higher wage highlighted · BLS OEWS 2023 (metro-level data)
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Fort Lauderdale
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Miami
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Fort Lauderdale has cleaner air on average: 30.0 AQI (Good) compared to 37.0 AQI (Good) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Fort Lauderdale if you prioritize higher median household income ($83,130/yr).
Pick Fort Lauderdale if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 30.0).
Fort Lauderdale is cheaper overall, with a cost of living index of 112.1 versus 112.1 (US average = 100). That means prices run about 0% lower in Fort Lauderdale.
Median rent is $1,854/mo in Fort Lauderdale, FL and $1,758/mo in Miami, FL. Miami, FL has the lower rent by about 5%.
Median household income is $83,130 in Fort Lauderdale, FL and $62,462 in Miami, FL. Fort Lauderdale, FL has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Fort Lauderdale, FL has better air quality on average: 30.0 AQI versus 37.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
To maintain the same purchasing power, a salary of $100,000 in Fort Lauderdale, FL is equivalent to roughly $100,000 in Miami, FL (using the BEA Regional Price Parity ratio). Use the salary calculator above for any income amount.
Data last updated: June 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
