Moving from Port St. Lucie to Miami
Your paycheck buys 12.3% less in Miami than in Port St. Lucie; you'd need about $92,900 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Miami: $92,900
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $92,900 in Miami, FL to match $80,000 in Port St. Lucie, FL ($12,900 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.
Port St. Lucie vs Miami: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,722 → $2,083/mo
- Median home value
- $420,200 → $510,600
- Median household income
- $80,659 → $80,625
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 100.2 → 114.2
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (95.4 → 99.5 of 100)
Port St. Lucie vs Miami cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Port St. Lucie, FL | Miami, FL |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 100.2 | 114.2 |
| Median rent | $1,722 | $2,083 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $68,880 | $83,320 |
| Median home value | $420,200 | $510,600 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,756 | $3,267 |
| Income needed to buy | $118,112 | $139,997 |
| Median property tax | $3,877 | $4,260 |
| State income tax on $80,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Metro population | 556,336 | 6,457,988 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Port St. Lucie vs Miami
On an $80,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $49,549 a year in Port St. Lucie and $53,881 in Miami if you rent: $4,332 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $61,956 and $68,084 ($6,128 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | Port St. LucieBefore | 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 | $20,664 | $24,996 | +$4,332 |
| Total if you rent | $49,549 | $53,881 | +$4,332 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $26,702 | $32,447 | +$5,745 |
| Property tax median home | $3,877 | $4,260 | +$383 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $2,492 | $2,492 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $61,956 | $68,084 | +$6,128 |
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 Port St. Lucie and $13,011 in Miami (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Port St. Lucie to Miami
About 2,775 households (4,486 people) moved from the Port St. Lucie metro area to the Miami metro area in 2022–2023, making Miami the #1 destination for people leaving Port St. Lucie among the 149 metro areas we cover. 8,105 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $75,407.
Cost to move from Port St. Lucie to Miami
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 120 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Port St. Lucie vs Miami
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Port St. Lucie area among the highest (score 95.4) and the Miami area among the highest (score 99.5), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $642 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 Port St. Lucie?
Overall prices in the Miami area are 14.0% higher than in Port St. Lucie (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $2,083 vs $1,722 a month, and the median home is $510,600 vs $420,200.
What salary do I need in Miami to match $100,000 in Port St. Lucie?
About $115,700, 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 Port St. Lucie to Miami?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 120 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Port St. Lucie to Miami?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 2,775 households (4,486 people) moved from the Port St. Lucie metro area to the Miami metro area, and 8,105 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Port St. Lucie move
- Orlando 758 households
- Palm Bay 491 households
- New York 395 households
- Tampa 389 households
- Jacksonville 282 households
- Daytona Beach 156 households
- Atlanta 155 households
- Cape Coral 148 households