Skip to main content

Austin vs Miami

Austin, TX  ·  Miami, FL

⚖️

Austin is 8% cheaper than Miami overall.

Home Price

Austin: $500,000

Miami: $620,000

Monthly Rent

Austin: $1,300/mo

Miami: $1,951/mo

COL Index

Austin: 121

Miami: 131

Median Income

Austin: $83,800

Miami: $65,000

Side-by-Side Comparison

Metric
Austin
Miami
Winner
🏠

Median Home Price

$500,000
$620,000
Austin
🏢

Monthly Rent (Median)

$1,300/mo
$1,951/mo
Austin
💰

Median Household Income

$83,800
$65,000
Austin
📋

Property Tax Rate

1.8%
0.91%
Miami
📊

Cost of Living Index

100 = national average

121
131
Austin
🚗

Avg. Commute

27 min
30 min
Austin
📈

Unemployment Rate

3.1%
3.5%
Austin
👥

Median Age

34 yrs
40.9 yrs
Miami

What This Means For You

💵

Buying Power

A $100,000 salary in Austin has the same purchasing power as $108,264 in Miami — based on each city's cost of living index.

🏠

Housing

Homes in Miami are 24% cheaper (-$120,000 less). That's a significant down payment and monthly payment difference.

🏢

Renting

Renting in Austin saves you $651/month — $7,812 per year. Median rent: $1,300/mo in Austin vs $1,951/mo in Miami.

📋

Property Taxes

On a median-priced home, Austin owners pay roughly $9,000/year in property taxes vs $5,642/year in Miami. That's a $3,358 annual difference.

💼

Local Earnings

Median household income is $83,800 in Austin and $65,000 in Miami. Miami residents earn 22% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.

🚗

Daily Commute

Average commute is 27 minutes in Austin vs 30 minutes in Miami. Commute times are nearly identical.

Salary Equivalence

To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Austin to Miami, here's the salary you'd need:

Salary in AustinEquivalent in MiamiDifference
$50,000$54,132+$4,132
$75,000$81,198+$6,198
$100,000$108,264+$8,264
$150,000$162,397+$12,397
$200,000$216,529+$16,529

* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.

Run the Numbers

Related Comparisons

Austin vs Miami: Common Questions

Is Austin or Miami cheaper to live in?

Based on cost of living indices, Austin is cheaper overall. Austin has a COL index of 121 while Miami scores 131 (national average = 100).

How do home prices compare between Austin and Miami?

The median home price in Austin is $500,000 vs $620,000 in Miami — a difference of $120,000 (24%).

What salary do I need in Miami to match my Austin income?

Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Austin is equivalent to $108,264 in Miami in terms of purchasing power.

Which city has lower property taxes?

Miami has a lower property tax rate (0.91% vs 1.8%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $5,642/year vs $9,000/year.

Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.