TX → FL · Space City to Magic City

Moving from Houston to Miami?

Houston to Miami — both 0% state tax, housing 43% pricier — ExxonMobil/TMC/NASA → Jackson Health + UMiami + Carnival + Royal Caribbean + Citadel + cruise capital.

1,190 mi Distance
18 hr Drive time
-43% lower Home prices
248 Sun days/year

The Story

Houston-to-Miami is ExxonMobil → cruise/finance + TMC → Jackson Health move. Both 0% state tax. Housing 43% pricier, COL 32% higher. Pull: Jackson Health System (largest in FL, Cerner bridge), UMiami Health + Sylvester Cancer, Carnival HQ + Royal Caribbean HQ (cruise capital), Citadel finance (relocated from NYC), Latin American hub.

Why This Move

Why people move from Houston to Miami.

Jackson Health System — largest in FL (Cerner data bridge)
UMiami Health + Sylvester Cancer Center
Carnival HQ + Royal Caribbean HQ — cruise capital of world
Citadel finance (relocated from NYC) — fintech
Latin American business hub — diverse, bilingual
No state tax stays — same federal advantage
Beach lifestyle — 75°F year-round
Heat + Marlins + Dolphins + Inter Miami sports

Cost Comparison

The money side of TX → FL.

Houston

Median home$350,000
Income taxNone (TX)
Cost index95

Miami

Median home$500,000
Income taxNone (FL)
Cost index125

What to Do in Miami

Things you'll want to know about your new city.

Bookmark this page — these are the icons of Miami, organized by what kind of day you're planning.

Outdoors & Recreation

South Beach — Iconic Art Deco beach district; Ocean Drive, Lummus Park
Everglades National Park — 1.5M acres of subtropical wilderness; airboat tours, alligators
Key Biscayne / Bill Baggs State Park — Beaches, lighthouse, biking, kiteboarding

Culture & Arts

Wynwood Walls — Open-air street art museum in Wynwood Arts District
Vizcaya Museum & Gardens — 1916 Italian Renaissance villa on Biscayne Bay
Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) — Modern and contemporary art, Biscayne Bay views
Little Havana / Calle Ocho — Cuban cultural heart; Domino Park, Versailles Restaurant

Family-Friendly

Bayside Marketplace — Waterfront shopping, boat tours of Star Island
Miami Seaquarium — Marine park on Virginia Key
Zoo Miami — 750-acre zoo, one of largest in US

Where to Eat

Miami's essential restaurants.

The dining list every Miami resident knows by heart. Save the spots, work through them.

Versailles Restaurant Cuban Little Havana

1971 institution; cortaditos and ropa vieja
Joe's Stone Crab Seafood South Beach

Seasonal stone crab claws since 1913
KYU Asian wood-fire Wynwood

Cult Korean-influenced wood-fired plates
El Palacio de los Jugos Cuban casual Multiple

Cuban sandwiches, fresh juices, fritas
Stubborn Seed New American South Beach

Top Chef Jeremy Ford's Michelin-starred restaurant
Sanguich de Miami Cuban sandwiches Little Havana

Modern Cuban sandwich revival
Boia De Italian Little Haiti

Tiny tasting-style Italian; James Beard winner
11 Woodfire Argentine MiMo District

Wood-fired Argentine grill

Where to Live

Best Miami neighborhoods for Houston transplants.

Mapped to the Houston neighborhoods that probably feel like home to you.

Brickell

If Montrose was your scene — walkable, restaurants, high-rise
Wynwood

If The Heights was your vibe — art district, walkable, gentrified
Coral Gables

If you wanted historic — historic, walkable, UMiami-adjacent
Coconut Grove

If you wanted bohemian — historic, walkable, sailing
Pinecrest (suburb)

If The Woodlands was your model — top schools, affluent
South Miami

If Sugar Land was your scene — top schools, walkable

Climate & Walkability

What daily life feels like in Miami.

Climate

Tropical monsoon. Hot, humid year-round. Wet season May-October with daily afternoon thunderstorms. Hurricane season June-November (peak Aug-Oct). Winter (60-75°F) is paradise. 248 sun days/year.

Summer82-91°F
Winter62-77°F
Sun days/yr248
Rainfall62 inches

Walkability

Walk Score78/100
Transit Score57/100
Bike Score64/100

Miami is very walkable — daily errands rarely require a car.

Outdoors & Recreation

Atlantic Ocean — beach access from Miami Beach to Sunny Isles
Everglades National Park — airboat tours, hiking, alligator spotting
Biscayne National Park — boating, snorkeling, diving
Key Largo (1 hr south) — gateway to the Florida Keys
Crandon Park (Key Biscayne) — beach, golf, nature center
Oleta River State Park — kayaking, mangrove tunnels

Reality Check

What changes about your daily life.

Tax stays 0% — no income tax change
Housing 43% pricier — $350K Houston becomes $500K Miami
COL 32% higher
Climate flips humid subtropical to tropical (Miami hot/humid year-round, hurricanes)
Property tax FL 0.95% lower than TX 2.0%
Walkability decrease — Houston no zoning, Miami similar car-dependent
TMC → Jackson Health academic medicine direct bridge
Sports — gain Heat/Marlins/Dolphins/Inter Miami, lose Astros/Rockets/Texans

Driving Routes

How to drive there.

I-10 E to I-75 S

1,190 miles via Mobile, Tallahassee. 18 hours / 2-3 days.

Move Logistics

What it takes to move 1,190 miles.

Full-service (3BR)$5,800-$10,500
Container/PODS$4,200-$7,000
DIY (26-ft truck)$3,000-$5,200
Best monthsOct-May (avoid summer + hurricanes)
Lead time6-8 weeks ahead

USDOT-registered.

Common Questions