Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Miami, FL and Portland, ME

For one person, living is cheaper in Portland, ME: $3,262 a month against $3,812 in Miami, FL, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

183

Cost of Living Index in Miami, FL
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Miami, FL Living Index
158

Cost of Living Index in Portland, ME
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Portland, ME Living Index

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Miami, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,812

/mo nomad

Portland, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$3,262

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Miami, FL and in Portland, ME

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Miami, FL and in Portland, ME actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,812 per month in Miami, FL vs $3,262 in Portland, ME, rent included.

Miami, FL $3,812
Portland, ME $3,262

A couple spends around $5,686 per month in Miami, FL vs $4,710 in Portland, ME, rent included.

Miami, FL $5,686
Portland, ME $4,710

A family of three spends $7,560 per month in Miami, FL vs $6,158 in Portland, ME, rent included.

Miami, FL $7,560
Portland, ME $6,158

Miami, FL costs about 17% more than Portland, ME, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Miami, FL and Portland, ME sit above the global median – Miami, FL by 180%, Portland, ME by 140%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.51 $30.51

$24.87 $24.87

22.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$120 $120

-1.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.11 $15.11

$14.86 $14.86

1.68%

Cappuccino

$5.98 $5.98

$6.12 $6.12

-2.29%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.01 $3.01

13.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.47 $2.47

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$8.05 $8.05

-2.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.15 $10.15

$8.04 $8.04

26.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.10 $1.10

21.82%

White Bread (500g)

$4.56 $4.56

$4.64 $4.64

-1.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$8.56 $8.56

-32.01%

Eggs

$5.15 $5.15

$3.92 $3.92

31.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.17 $18.17

$18.77 $18.77

-3.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.75 $16.75

$10.33 $10.33

62.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.01 $24.01

$16.45 $16.45

45.96%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$4.63 $4.63

9.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.70 $1.70

29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$5.85 $5.85

-28.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$6.84 $6.84

-37.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$6.36 $6.36

-49.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.80 $3.80

-9.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.19 $3.19

-5.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.54 $2.54

-12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.41 $9.41

$12.12 $12.12

-22.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.06 $15.06

-1.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.88 $1.88

27.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.54 $2.54

21.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.98 $1.98

12.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 $115

$60.5 $60.5

89.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.02 $2.02

43.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.58 $1.58

27.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.39 $24.39

$10.80 $10.80

125.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.04 $1.04

1.92%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.7K $34.7K

$27.6K $27.6K

26.03%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.19%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$184 $184

$224 $224

-17.88%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$64.9 $64.9

$69.5 $69.5

-6.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 $72.3

$76.4 $76.4

-5.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.3 $67.3

$51.8 $51.8

30.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.58 $22.58

$39.22 $39.22

-42.43%

Cinema Ticket

$19.81 $19.81

$13.96 $13.96

41.91%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,769 $1,769

$1,263 $1,263

40.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 $51.8

$52.7 $52.7

-1.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 $58.4

$81.2 $81.2

-28.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$102 $102

-1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$133 $133

0.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 $2,820

$2,102 $2,102

34.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,152 $2,152

$1,703 $1,703

26.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,495 $5,495

$3,156 $3,156

74.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,672 $3,672

$2,524 $2,524

45.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,317 $7,317

$5,509 $5,509

32.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,837 $3,837

$3,978 $3,978

-3.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,080 $4,080

$4,598 $4,598

-11.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.5

2.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Miami, FL: October 27, 2026

Last update for Portland, ME: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Miami, FL

$2.2K 56.5%

Portland, ME

$1.7K 52.2% 20.9% $449

Groceries & Markets

Miami, FL

$493 12.9%

Portland, ME

$470 14.4% 4.7% $23

Eating Out

Miami, FL

$447 11.7%

Portland, ME

$395 12.1% 11.5% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Miami, FL

$321 8.4%

Portland, ME

$370 11.3% 15.2% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Miami, FL

$155 4.1%

Portland, ME

$166 5.1% 7.1% $11

Getting Around

Miami, FL

$137 3.6%

Portland, ME

$78 2.4% 42.6% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Miami, FL

$107 2.8%

Portland, ME

$80 2.4% 25.5% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,820 in Miami, FL versus $2,102 in Portland, ME. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Portland, ME, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $119 in Miami, FL versus $120 in Portland, ME. Groceries tell a different story – $493 in Miami, FL vs $470 in Portland, ME – so Portland, ME wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Miami, FL

🇺🇸 Portland, ME

🕒 Local time

16:50 4:50 PM

Same time as Miami, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

404,048

652,503

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Miami, FL Portland, ME 2,180 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Miami, FL
Portland, ME

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Miami, FL vs Portland, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Miami, FL is pricier by about 17%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,718 per month in Miami, FL and $4,893 in Portland, ME. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Portland, ME, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,102 there versus $2,820 in Miami, FL.

Public transport costs about 47% less in Portland, ME. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Miami, FL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,812 in Miami, FL and $3,262 in Portland, ME. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Portland, ME – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.