Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Miami-Dade County, FL would need to be about $35,585 in Union County, FL, or $14,415 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Miami-Dade County, FL vs Union County, FL: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Union County, FL is cheaper than Miami-Dade County, FL.
Moving to Union County, FL is estimated to save $17,461 per year.
Cheaper County
Union County, FLSave about $17,461 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Miami-Dade County, FL is about $35,585 in Union County, FL.
Biggest drivers
Healthcare increases by $1,757 per year. Housing saves $12,048 per year.
Housing: $12,048 lower in Union County, FL
Taxes: $4,003 lower in Union County, FL
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $1,757 higher in Union County, FL
Food: $761 lower in Union County, FL
Transport: $1,570 higher in Union County, FL
Miami-Dade County, FL→Union County, FL
Equivalent salary in Union County, FL
$35,585
-28.83% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Miami-Dade County, FL: $76,403
Median Income in Union County, FL: $74,864
Living Index in Miami-Dade County, FL 79.27%
Living Index in Union County, FL 57.58%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Miami-Dade County, FL to Union County, FL.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Miami-Dade County, FL to Union County, FL is estimated to save $17,461 per year. A $50,000 salary in Miami-Dade County, FL would have similar purchasing power to about $35,585 in Union County, FL. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -28.83% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $12,048 per year lower (-58.68%); Taxes is $4,003 per year lower (-37.81%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Miami-Dade County, FL and Union County, FL, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 79.3% of median family income in Miami-Dade County, FL and 57.6% in Union County, FL. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $12,048 per year lower in Union County, FL than in Miami-Dade County, FL. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Union County, FL changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $761 per year lower in Union County, FL than in Miami-Dade County, FL. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Union County, FL can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $1,570 per year higher in Union County, FL than in Miami-Dade County, FL. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Union County, FL.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $1,757 per year higher in Union County, FL than in Miami-Dade County, FL. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Union County, FL changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $3,977 per year lower in Union County, FL than in Miami-Dade County, FL. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Union County, FL help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Miami-Dade County, FL and Union County, FL, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Union County, FL, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $4,003 per year lower in Union County, FL than in Miami-Dade County, FL. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Union County, FL matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Union County, FL.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Union County, FL
Annual Increase:
$1,757 per year
HEALTHCARE has the largest annual increase when moving to Union County, FL.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Union County, FL
Annual Savings:
$12,048 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Union County, FL.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -59% lower | |
| Food | -16% lower | |
| Transport | 14% higher | |
| Healthcare | 31% higher | |
| Other Costs | -51% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -38% lower |
In Union County, FL, modeled annual costs are $43,103 compared with $60,564 in Miami-Dade County, FL.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Union County, FL. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Union County, FL is not a metropolitan location, while Miami-Dade County, FL is a metropolitan location.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
