California vs Florida cost of living
Moving from California to Florida is one of the biggest migration flows in the US — and the tax gap is only part of the story. We compare Los Angeles and Miami using live City Intelligence data on housing, income tax, salaries, and family costs.
Los Angeles, CA
Miami, FL
Side-by-side comparison
| Metric | Los Angeles, CA | Miami, FL | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent (monthly) | $2,550 | $2,400 | +$150 |
| Median home price | $895K | $570K | +$325K |
| Median salary | $82,000 | $78,000 | +$4,000 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.274% | 0.246% | +0.028000000000000025% |
| Mortgage burden | 51.3% | 42.8% | +8.5% |
| Childcare (monthly) | $1,700 | $1,300 | +$400 |
| School quality (0–10) | 74 | 72 | +2 |
| Overall score | 64 | 76 | -12 |
California levies a progressive state income tax that reaches into double digits at high incomes, plus a 1% mental-health surcharge above $1M. Florida levies zero state income tax on wages. For a high earner keeping the same salary remotely, that difference alone can be worth tens of thousands per year.
Los Angeles median rent runs 6% above Miami, and home prices show a similar spread. Renting, that is roughly $1,800/year in difference — though Miami's own price run-up has narrowed the gap sharply since 2020.
LA median pay is 5% higher than Miami. California's tech, entertainment, and biotech clusters pay a premium; Florida's finance, logistics, and LATAM-facing roles pay less on the median, so keeping a California salary remotely is the strongest version of this move.
Homeowners insurance is the big one — hurricane exposure has pushed Florida premiums to among the highest in the country. Add year-round cooling, higher sales tax, and HOA/condo assessments, and part of the income-tax saving gets absorbed.
LA scores 66 vs Miami's 74 on family well-being, and childcare runs 31% more in Los Angeles. School quality varies enormously by district in both states, so compare at the neighborhood level, not the state level.
California's Prop 13 caps assessment growth, so long-time owners often pay far less than the sticker rate — a real cost of leaving. Florida's Save Our Homes cap works similarly but only starts once you buy. Budget one-time costs too: movers, double rent, and a possible California residency-exit review.
The bottom line
California to Florida is usually a win on take-home pay and often on housing — but only if your income holds. If a Florida job market resets your salary to the local median, the tax saving can vanish. The clean case is a remote worker keeping a California-level salary while paying Florida-level tax.
- • California: state income tax up to ~13.3%; Florida: 0% on wages.
- • Miami is no longer cheap — it is cheaper than LA, not affordable in absolute terms.
- • Insurance, cooling, and sales tax claw back part of the tax saving in Florida.
- • Run your own salary through the numbers before assuming the move pays for itself.
Model your California to Florida move
Simulate the relocation with your real salary, savings, and household. FuturePath models the after-tax reality so you can see what the move actually nets.