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→Melbourne
Palm Bay is part of the Space Coast, which means you can watch SpaceX and NASA rocket launches from the backyard on a clear day. The Indian River Lagoon is right there for fishing, kayaking, and manatee spotting. It's quieter and more affordable than the bigger Florida metros, with quick access to Cocoa Beach and Kennedy Space Center. Suburban in a Florida way.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,665/mo
$1,895/mo
$770/mo less than Miami (41%)
Median home price
Median home price
$565k
$351k
$214k less than Miami
State income tax
State income tax
0%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,668/mo
$6,438/mo
Melbourne has $770/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
254 days
18 fewer than Miami
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Miami edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
77 / 100
55 / 100
22.0 pts behind Miami
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
167 routes
2 routes
165 fewer direct routes than Miami
Metro size
Metro size
6.2M metro
644k metro
the verdict
3
Miami
categories won
3
Melbourne
categories won
Miami wins on weather and lifestyle, Melbourne wins on money. Dead even.
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