Compare My City
← Compare My City
Cost of living · head to head

Phoenix, AZ is approximately 10% cheaper than Miami, FL, using Miami, FL as the comparison base.

Based on overall price levels from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. 100 equals the national average. Figures represent the wider Miami, FL and Phoenix, AZ metropolitan areas, not city limits.

⇄ Swap / reverse this comparison
Miami, FLoverall index
114.2
Phoenix, AZoverall index
103.3
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Miami, FL
A salary of $100,000 in Miami, FL has approximately the same purchasing power as $90,455 in Phoenix, AZ, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Phoenix, AZ is cheaper than Miami, FL, so you’d only need about $90,455 there to match the lifestyle $100,000 buys in Miami, FL — same groceries, same rent level, same everyday spending. That’s ~$9,500 less you’d need to earn, not a step down.
Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Where the difference lies

The headline gap is 10%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Phoenix, AZ run 22% lower than in Miami, FL (121.2 vs 155.6), while everyday goods and services sit closer together. For most people, housing rents move the most when relocating between these two metros, so weigh that gap more heavily than the overall figure.

Category comparison

CategoryMiami, FLPhoenix, AZDifference
Overall114.2103.3-10%
Goods103.695.0-8%
Housing rents155.6121.2-22%
Utilities97.293.3-4%
Other services109.1104.0-5%

Phoenix, AZ differs from Miami, FL the most in housing rents — about 22% lower in Phoenix, AZ — while the closest is utilities.

Estimated salary equivalent in Phoenix, AZ

$50,000 in Miami, FL$45,228
$75,000 in Miami, FL$67,842
$100,000 in Miami, FL$90,455
$150,000 in Miami, FL$135,683
$200,000 in Miami, FL$180,911

Each row shows the estimated salary equivalent in Phoenix, AZ, based on regional price levels, for the amount earned in Miami, FL.

Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Common questions

Is Phoenix, AZ cheaper than Miami, FL?

Yes — Phoenix, AZ has an overall cost-of-living index of 103.3 versus 114.2 for Miami, FL, making it about 10% cheaper.

What is the estimated salary equivalent for $100,000 in Miami, FL if you moved to Phoenix, AZ?

About $90,455, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Miami, FL has approximately the same purchasing power as $90,455 in Phoenix, AZ. This is an estimate and does not account for taxes, household size, or personal spending habits.

Is housing cheaper in Phoenix, AZ than in Miami, FL?

Housing rents in Phoenix, AZ score 121.2 versus 155.6 in Miami, FL — about 22% cheaper. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

What is the cost of living difference between Miami, FL and Phoenix, AZ?

Overall, Phoenix, AZ is about 10% cheaper than Miami, FL (index 103.3 vs 114.2), with housing 22% lower. Data is from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.