Uprootmap
Miami vs Columbia
Miami and Columbia
Photo: Akhenaton06 / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Columbia are above the US rate in this release, 10.6 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Miami to Columbia
In 2022-2023, 243 households filed a move from Miami to Columbia (about 431 people, average adjusted gross income $48,827). 111 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $2,073 in Miami and $1,157 in Columbia. Miami has no state tax on wages. Columbia has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Columbia is 89% of the national level for the same work, against 96% in Miami.
Columbia averages 223 sunny days, with July highs around 91°F and January nights around 40°F. Miami is 248 sunny days, 91°F in July, 61°F in January. Commutes average 25 minutes in Columbia and 30 in Miami.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
+$887 / mo
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 243 households moved Miami → Columbia (about 431 people, average AGI $48,827). 111 households went the other way.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Miami and Columbia changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 662 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $2,250–$4,250
- Container or pod
- $1,600–$2,950
- Rent a truck
- $800–$1,450
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Dig into Columbia
Questions
Is Columbia cheaper than Miami after tax and rent?
Yes. Columbia leaves about $887 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $2,073 in Miami and $1,157 in Columbia.
Does Columbia have state income tax?
Columbia is in South Carolina, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Miami to Columbia?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.