

Chicago vs Miami
$730/mo less in Miami
ChicagoMiamiAbout 1,160 miles apart, a flight.
- Miami costs you more
- No state income tax
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $1,696/mo in Miami. $2,426/mo in Chicago. −$8,760 a year.
Chicago
$2,426
left each month
Miami
$1,696
−$730 vs Chicago
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 2,294 households moved Chicago → Miami (avg AGI $462,233). 1,596 went the other way. The whole move →
−$730 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Chicago | Miami | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,208 | $7,505 | −$704 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,130 | $1,526 | −$603 |
| Take-home pay | $6,079 | $5,978 | −$100 |
| Rent | $1,782 | $2,073 | +$291 |
| Getting around | $392 | $599 | +$207 |
| Groceries | $408 | $444 | +$36 |
| Healthcare | $459 | $500 | +$41 |
| Utilities | $255 | $278 | +$23 |
| Everything else | $357 | $389 | +$32 |
| Left over | $2,426 | $1,696 | −$730 |
Salary to match Chicago
$102,500
Gross pay in Miami that leaves the same amount as $98,500 in Chicago.
Tax difference
+$4,738
A year, in state and local income tax. Florida has no wage income tax.
More about Miami
Chicago, IL in full
World-class city amenities at Midwest home prices, funded by 2.1% property tax.
Miami, FL in full
No income tax, but rents rose faster here than anywhere in the 2020s.
The other way
Start in Miami.
Miami → Chicago →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Miami than Chicago?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Miami leaves about $730 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,782 in Chicago and $2,073 in Miami.
Does Miami have state income tax?
Miami is in Florida, which has no state income tax.
What changes if you move from Chicago to Miami?
The paycheck is taxed in Florida. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Chicago and Miami changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.