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→Phoenix
Phoenix is sun, saguaros, and a valley so wide you can drive 45 minutes in a straight line and still be in greater Phoenix. The Sonoran Desert blooms wildly in spring, the monsoon storms in late summer are theatrical, and the hiking on Camelback or Piestewa Peak is a sunrise ritual. Pools and shaded patios are basically infrastructure, and the locals have the rhythm of a desert day dialed.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,665/mo
$1,739/mo
$926/mo less than Miami (53%)
Median home price
Median home price
$565k
$458k
$106k less than Miami
State income tax
State income tax
0%
2.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,668/mo
$6,386/mo
Phoenix has $718/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
181 days
91 fewer than Miami
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
133 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Phoenix has 133 more days above 95°F each year than Miami.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
77 / 100
66 / 100
11.0 pts behind Miami
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
167 routes
91 routes
76 fewer direct routes than Miami
Metro size
Metro size
6.2M metro
5.1M metro
Miami has 5.0x more events per month than Phoenix.
the verdict
5
Miami
categories won
3
Phoenix
categories won
Miami wins on weather and lifestyle. Phoenix has the edge on money.
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