Head to head
Miami, FL vs Washington, DC
Washington is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $324/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $0 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Miami is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | Miami65 | Washington54 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $5,015 | $4,691 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $10,875 | $11,234 |
| Salary for comfort | $90,500/yr | $90,500/yr |
| Typical rent | $2,436 | $2,246 |
| Median home value | $475,200 | $724,600 |
| Median household income | $59,390 | $106,287 |
| Unemployment | 2.6% | 6.1% |
| Housing score | 5 | 35 |
| Jobs score | 82 | 7 |
| Safety score | 60 | 51 |
| Climate score | 100 | 100 |
| Amenities score | 78 | 73 |
| Population | 446.7K | 672.1K |
| Summer high / winter low | 88° / 61° | 88° / 29° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Miami, FL
Washington, DC