01 · the cities
Miami
Miami is Spanish before it's English, salsa before it's small talk, and a cortadito before it's a coffee. South Beach Art Deco glows pink at night, Wynwood is a city-sized mural, and the Cuban sandwiches in Little Havana could end fights. Summer is bath-warm ocean and ceiling fans turned up high, and October feels like everywhere else's perfect August. Bring linen.
full dispatch→Columbia
Columbia is the South Carolina capital, USC Gamecock country, and home to one of the largest urban rivers (the Congaree) flowing right past downtown. The Saluda River outside town is a tubing destination locals swear by, and Congaree National Park's old-growth cypress is a 30-minute drive. The state museum is a sleeper good time. Slower-paced than Charleston, less touristy.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,665/mo
$1,551/mo
$1,114/mo less than Miami (72%)
Median home price
Median home price
$565k
$255k
$309k less than Miami
State income tax
State income tax
0%
6.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,668/mo
$6,241/mo
Columbia has $573/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
272 days
189 days
83 fewer than Miami
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
27 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Columbia has 27 more days above 95°F each year than Miami.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
77 / 100
55 / 100
22.0 pts behind Miami
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
167 routes
10 routes
157 fewer direct routes than Miami
Metro size
Metro size
6.2M metro
857k metro
Miami has 51.9x more events per month than Columbia.
the verdict
5
Miami
categories won
3
Columbia
categories won
Miami wins on weather and lifestyle. Columbia has the edge on money.
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