Move to Miami, keep $79,180 of your $100K.
Florida has zero state income tax — but the remote-work trap and hurricane insurance are the real plot twists. Federal, state & FICA on both sides, plus sales tax, housing, and cost-of-living math — every 2026 line computed to the cent.
Federal $13,170FICA $7,650You keep $79,180
$100K in NYC vs Miami: side by side
Same salary, same federal tax, same FICA — then the paths split. New York State takes its graduated cut (3.9%–10.9%) and New York City adds its own (3.078%–3.876%); Florida takes nothing. Here is the take-home at three incomes, single filer, 2026:
| NYC take-home | Miami take-home | You keep extra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $75,000 | $55,667 | $61,593 | $5,925 / yr |
| $100,000 | $70,878 | $79,180 | $8,302 / yr |
| $150,000 | $100,121 | $113,791 | $13,670 / yr |
At $100K the entire $8,302 gap is $4,861 of NY State tax plus $3,441 of NYC city tax — check it against our $100K NYC breakdown. The higher you earn, the wider it gets: at $150K Miami keeps you $13,670 ahead every single year. Want your own salary? Run it through the calculator.
The 2026 math, line by line
Every figure below comes from our verified 2026 tax engine — the same one behind the site’s calculator. $100,000 salary, single filer, standard deduction:
| Tax line | NYC resident | Miami resident |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $13,170 | $13,170 |
| NY State income tax | $4,861 | $0 |
| NYC city income tax | $3,441 | $0 |
| FICA (Social Security + Medicare) | $7,650 | $7,650 |
| Take-home pay | $70,878 | $79,180 |
Federal taxable income is $83,900 ($100,000 minus the 2026 standard deduction of $16,100): 10% × $12,400 + 12% × $38,000 + 22% × $33,500 = $13,170. NY taxable income is $92,000 ($100,000 minus NY’s $8,000 standard deduction), taxed at the new 2026 Chapter-59 rates (3.9% on the first $8,500, up through 5.9% above $80,651) = $4,861. NYC taxes the same $92,000 base at 3.078%–3.876% = $3,441. FICA is 6.2% + 1.45% on the full $100,000 = $7,650.
Most comparison sites still use 2025’s NY brackets (4%, 4.5%, 5.25%, 5.5%, 6%). New York cut five brackets by 0.1 points for 2026 (Chapter 59, Laws of 2025) — ours are the actual 2026 rates. If another site’s $100K NYC take-home doesn’t match $70,878, their data is last year’s.
The remote-work trap: NY taxes your Miami paycheck anyway
This is the single most expensive mistake NYC-to-Miami movers make. New York’s “convenience of the employer” rule says: if you work remotely from Florida for a New York-based employer for your own convenience — not because the job requires it — New York taxes 100% of those wages as NY-source income. Your apartment moved; your tax bill didn’t.
You only escape the NYC city tax (~3.1–3.9%) by leaving the five boroughs — the state tax follows the paycheck, not the person. The exception: your employer requires the Florida work as a business necessity (a Florida sales territory, for example), documented in writing. A generic “we’re remote-friendly” policy is not enough — NY courts have ruled this way consistently. The burden of proof is on you: keep a daily work-location log.
On $100K with a NY employer, your true Miami savings are $3,441 a year — not $8,302. Still meaningful, but less than half the headline number. To capture the full $8,302, you need Florida-source income.
Rent saves you; insurance bites back
Income tax is only half the story. Here’s the honest 2026 cost-of-living comparison — including the part the realtor blogs leave out:
| Cost | New York City | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Median asking rent | $4,049 / mo | $2,997 / mo |
| Avg metro rent | $4,843 / mo | $2,732 / mo |
| Typical home price | $818,000 | $582,000 |
| Price per sq ft | $652 | $531 |
| Homeowners insurance / yr | $3,295 | $8,345 |
| Car insurance / yr (full coverage) | $4,476 | $4,762 |
| Sales tax | 8.875% | 7% (6% + 1% Miami-Dade) |
| State income tax | 3.9%–10.9% + city 3.078%–3.876% | 0% |
| Cost of living vs US average | +74% | +38% |
Tax savings: $8,302/yr. Rent savings (median asking): ~$12,600/yr in Miami’s favor. But Miami homeowners insurance costs ~$5,000/yr more (hurricanes), and car insurance ~$286/yr more. Renters come out clearly ahead — roughly $15,000+/yr better off. Buyers must net the insurance against the savings before celebrating.
New York audits movers. Here’s the survival guide.
New York is the most aggressive residency-audit state in America. It routinely sends questionnaires to departing high earners and audits the move year plus up to three following years. There are two tests, and you must beat both:
1. Domicile — your one true permanent home. You must genuinely abandon your NY domicile, not just rent a Miami apartment.
2. Statutory residency — keep a permanent place of abode in NY and spend more than 183 days there in a year (any part of a day counts) → you’re taxed as a full-year NY resident, even if Florida is your domicile.
What auditors actually check: cell-tower records, credit-card transactions, E-ZPass tolls, airline records, social media posts — and the famous “teddy bear test”: where your cherished possessions and pets actually live. The burden of proof is on you. Unproven days count as NY days. The statute runs 3 years normally, 6 with substantial understatement, indefinitely if fraud is alleged.
Your Florida domicile checklist: FL driver’s license · FL voter registration · sell or arm’s-length-rent your NY home · buy or lease in Florida · move family, pets, and possessions · switch to FL doctors, banks, clubs, and house of worship · change mailing addresses everywhere · track every day with a day-count app. Keep it all for at least 4 years.
File as a part-year resident (IT-203)
Move in July, not January? You file part-year resident returns in both states — New York’s Form IT-203 plus your federal return. NY taxes the income you earned while living there plus any NY-source income after the move. Document your exact move date (lease start, utility transfer, voter registration) and update your employer’s payroll withholding on move day so your W-2 allocates wages to the right state.
Florida’s tax perks beyond 0% income tax
Homestead exemption: up to $50,000 off your home’s taxable assessed value, and the Save Our Homes cap limits annual assessment increases to 3% — a powerful shield as Miami prices rise. No estate tax: New York taxes estates above ~$6.94M; Florida has none. Sales tax: 7% total in Miami-Dade (6% state + 1% county) vs NYC’s 8.875% — nearly two points cheaper on every purchase. No tax on retirement income, Social Security, or investment income either — it’s all 0% by constitutional design.
NYC vs Miami Tax FAQs
How much do you save on taxes moving from NYC to Miami?
On a $100K single salary (2026), you keep $8,302 more per year in Miami — $79,180 vs $70,878 take-home. At $75K the savings are $5,925/yr; at $150K, $13,670/yr. These are pure income-tax savings: the NY State + NYC city tax you stop paying.
Does Florida really have no state income tax?
Yes — it’s written into the Florida constitution. 0% on wages, investment income, and retirement income at every income level. Miami has no city income tax either, and there’s no state estate tax.
I moved to Miami but still work remotely for my NYC employer — do I still owe NY taxes?
Usually yes — this is New York’s “convenience of the employer” rule. If you work from Florida for your own convenience rather than business necessity, NY taxes 100% of those wages. You’d save only the NYC city portion (~$3,441 on $100K), not the full $8,302. You need Florida-source income — or a documented business-necessity remote arrangement — for the full savings.
Will New York audit me after I move to Florida?
Quite possibly — NY is the most aggressive residency-audit state. It routinely sends questionnaires to departing high earners and audits the move year plus three following years. Keep day-count logs, move your domicile evidence (license, voter registration, doctors, possessions), and stay under 183 days/yr in NY if you keep a NY home.
What is the 183-day rule for New York?
If you keep a permanent place of abode in NY and spend more than 183 days there in a year — any part of a day counts — NY taxes you as a full-year resident, even if your domicile is Florida. Day-count documentation is your defense; unproven days count as NY days.
Is the cost of living actually lower in Miami?
Mostly yes for renters: median asking rent is $2,997/mo in Miami vs $4,049 in NYC (~$12,600/yr savings). But homeowners insurance (~$8,345/yr in Miami vs $3,295 in NYC) and slightly higher car insurance eat into the savings. Net: renters come out clearly ahead; buyers should run the full math.
Do I pay NYC tax if I live in Miami but work in NYC?
No — NYC’s 3.078–3.876% tax applies only to NYC residents. But as a nonresident working in the city you’d still owe NY State tax on those wages (file Form IT-203). See our 2026 NY tax guide for the full breakdown.
What about property taxes — Florida vs New York?
Florida’s homestead exemption cuts up to $50K off your home’s taxable value, and Save Our Homes caps annual assessment increases at 3%. NY has no statewide homestead equivalent, and downstate counties like Westchester (~2.76% effective) are among America’s highest-taxed.
I moved mid-year — how do I file?
File as a part-year resident in both states — New York’s Form IT-203. NY taxes the income you earned while living there plus any NY-source income. Document your exact move date and update your employer’s payroll withholding that day.
Are the 2026 NY tax rates in this article current?
Yes — federal per IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, NY State per Chapter 59 of the Laws of 2025 (3.9%–10.9%, a 0.1-point cut on the five lowest brackets), NYC per Admin Code §11-1701. Many competing sites still show 2025’s rates (4%–10.9%); ours reflect the actual 2026 law.
Comparing your own numbers?
Run any salary through the 2026 NY engine — NYC, rest of state, or Yonkers — then stack it against zero Florida tax.
Calculate My Pay →More Comparisons & Breakdowns
Transparent calculations. Official sources. Take-home figures from our verified 2026 NYC take-home pay calculator; 2026 brackets per IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, NY Chapter 59 (Laws of 2025), and NYC Admin Code §11-1701; rents and insurance via miamivsnyc.com and RentCafe (2026); Methodology → Reviewed October 18, 2026 by Daniel Mitchell, U.S. Tax Consultant. Estimates only, not tax advice.