Moving from Jacksonville to Miami
Your paycheck buys 12.9% less in Miami than in Jacksonville; you'd need about $93,700 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Miami: $93,700
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $93,700 in Miami, FL to match $80,000 in Jacksonville, FL ($13,700 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in Florida, which has no state income tax on wages; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Jacksonville vs Miami: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,625 → $2,083/mo
- Median home value
- $375,200 → $510,600
- Median household income
- $82,053 → $80,625
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 99.5 → 114.2
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (89.8 → 99.5 of 100)
Jacksonville vs Miami cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Jacksonville, FL | Miami, FL |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 99.5 | 114.2 |
| Median rent | $1,625 | $2,083 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $65,000 | $83,320 |
| Median home value | $375,200 | $510,600 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,429 | $3,267 |
| Income needed to buy | $104,082 | $139,997 |
| Median property tax | $2,808 | $4,260 |
| State income tax on $80,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Metro population | 1,760,548 | 6,457,988 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Jacksonville vs Miami
On an $80,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $48,385 a year in Jacksonville and $53,881 in Miami if you rent: $5,496 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $58,028 and $68,084 ($10,056 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | JacksonvilleBefore | MiamiAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $80,000, single filer | $14,890 | $14,890 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,873 | $1,873 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,865 | $1,865 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,061 | $2,061 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $8,196 | $8,196 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $19,500 | $24,996 | +$5,496 |
| Total if you rent | $48,385 | $53,881 | +$5,496 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $23,843 | $32,447 | +$8,604 |
| Property tax median home | $2,808 | $4,260 | +$1,452 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $2,492 | $2,492 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $58,028 | $68,084 | +$10,056 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $13,011 a year in Jacksonville and $13,011 in Miami (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Jacksonville to Miami
About 1,342 households (2,112 people) moved from the Jacksonville metro area to the Miami metro area in 2022–2023, making Miami the #2 destination for people leaving Jacksonville among the 149 metro areas we cover. 3,060 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $71,881.
Cost to move from Jacksonville to Miami
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $400–$1,140 |
| Moving container | $1,200–$2,430 |
| Full-service movers | $1,990–$6,020 |
Shipping a car instead of driving
Car shipping: $650–$980
Shipping a sedan from Jacksonville to Miami on an open carrier costs about $650–$980, typically 1–4 days in transit over about 380 miles.
Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.
Natural hazard risk: Jacksonville vs Miami
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Jacksonville area among the highest (score 89.8) and the Miami area among the highest (score 99.5), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $280 vs $325 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Miami cheaper than Jacksonville?
Overall prices in the Miami area are 14.8% higher than in Jacksonville (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $2,083 vs $1,625 a month, and the median home is $510,600 vs $375,200.
What salary do I need in Miami to match $100,000 in Jacksonville?
About $116,600, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Both are in Florida, which has no state income tax on wages.
How much does it cost to move from Jacksonville to Miami?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 380 miles: roughly $400–$1,140 with a rental truck, $1,200–$2,430 with a container, or $1,990–$6,020 with full-service movers.
How many people move from Jacksonville to Miami?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,342 households (2,112 people) moved from the Jacksonville metro area to the Miami metro area, and 3,060 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Jacksonville move
- Jacksonville to Orlando 1,634 households
- Jacksonville to Tampa 1,334 households
- Jacksonville to Daytona Beach 1,314 households
- Atlanta 969 households
- Gainesville 589 households
- New York 589 households
- Virginia Beach 527 households
- Washington, D.C. 455 households