Cost of living in South Florida outpaces national average

The cost of living in Miami is higher than the national average — but it could be worse!

How it works: A tool from the Council for Community and Economic Research compares regional differences in the cost of consumer goods and services, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.

• An index value of 100 represents the national average cost of living across 269 cities.
• If a city has a value over 100, its cost of living is higher than average. Under 100 means lower than average.

By the numbers: Miami's index value, as of the third quarter of 2023, was 115.3, while Fort Lauderdale's was 118.3.

• Housing, groceries and transportation cost more in both cities than the national average. But health care is a bit cheaper.
• Coastal cities like Honolulu (179.2), San Jose (171.3) and San Francisco (169.5) had the highest values.
• McAllen, Texas (80.2); Augusta, Georgia (82.8); and Amarillo, Texas (84.4) had the lowest.

Yes, but: If Manhattan were its own city, it would hold the top spot, at 227.8.