Miami vs Raleigh
Miami, FL · Raleigh, NC
Raleigh is 20% cheaper than Miami overall.
Home Price
Miami: $620,000
Raleigh: $380,000
Monthly Rent
Miami: $1,951/mo
Raleigh: $1,131/mo
COL Index
Miami: 131
Raleigh: 105
Median Income
Miami: $65,000
Raleigh: $75,200
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Miami has the same purchasing power as $80,153 in Raleigh — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Raleigh cost 39% more (-$240,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Raleigh saves you $820/month — $9,840 per year. Median rent: $1,951/mo in Miami vs $1,131/mo in Raleigh.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Miami owners pay roughly $5,642/year in property taxes vs $3,002/year in Raleigh. That's a $2,640 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $65,000 in Miami and $75,200 in Raleigh. Miami residents earn 16% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 30 minutes in Miami vs 25 minutes in Raleigh. Over a year, that's 2500 extra minutes (42 hours) of commuting in Miami.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Miami to Raleigh, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Miami | Equivalent in Raleigh | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $40,076 | -$9,924 |
| $75,000 | $60,115 | -$14,885 |
| $100,000 | $80,153 | -$19,847 |
| $150,000 | $120,229 | -$29,771 |
| $200,000 | $160,305 | -$39,695 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Miami Calculators
Raleigh Calculators
Related Comparisons
Miami vs Raleigh: Common Questions
Is Miami or Raleigh cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Raleigh is cheaper overall. Miami has a COL index of 131 while Raleigh scores 105 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Miami and Raleigh?
The median home price in Miami is $620,000 vs $380,000 in Raleigh — a difference of $240,000 (39%).
What salary do I need in Raleigh to match my Miami income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Miami is equivalent to $80,153 in Raleigh in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Raleigh has a lower property tax rate (0.79% vs 0.91%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $3,002/year vs $5,642/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.