Florida comparison
Miami or Orlando: where to buy a home
Miami costs more and sells more slowly. In the three months ending September 2026, Miami’s median sale price was $649,691 and homes took a median 113 days to sell; Orlando’s were $405,033 and 61 days (Redfin). About half of Miami’s homes are in buildings of 20 or more units, against a quarter of Orlando’s (Census).
By Zoya Solovyeva, REALTOR®, Olympus Executive Realty · Updated
Olympus Executive Realty · (609) 408-7086
Side by side
Miami and Orlando in numbers.
Inside each city’s limits, with the latest figures we could check on November 8, 2026. Sources are listed under the table.
| Measure | Miami | Orlando |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price, three months to September 2026 | $649,691up 4.8% in a year | $405,033down 2.5% in a year |
| Median price per square foot | $560 | $236 |
| Median days on the market | 113 | 61 |
| Homes in buildings of 20 or more units | 48.8% | 25.1% |
| Detached single family homes | 22.4% | 31.6% |
| Homes lived in by their owner | 30.8% | 39.5% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1992 |
| City operating tax rate | 7.1080mills, proposed for tax year 2026 | 6.6500mills, October 2025 to September 2026 |
| Deed stamp tax per $100 of price | 60 centsplus a 45 cent surtax, except on a single family home | 70 cents |
| Average temperature, January and July | 68.6°F, 84.1°F | 60.6°F, 82.6°F |
| Days at 90°F or hotter, a year | about 91 | about 110 |
| Rain in a year | 67.4 in | 51.5 in |
| Population, July 1, 2025 | 489,812 | 333,888 |
Sources: Redfin housing market pages for Miami and Orlando (all home types, read November 8, 2026); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024, tables B25024, B25003 and B25035 for Miami and Orlando; Miami-Dade Property Appraiser, 2026 proposed millage (August 24, 2026); Florida Department of Revenue, Orange County levies; Florida Department of Revenue, documentary stamp tax; NOAA climate normals 1991 to 2020 for Miami International and Orlando International airports; Census 2025 population estimates.
Prices and pace
What the price gap means for a buyer.
Medians describe the middle of each market, all home types together. A given street or building can sit far from them.
At the September 2026 medians, the typical Orlando home sold for about $245,000 less than the typical Miami home. Per square foot the gap is wider: $560 in Miami against $236 in Orlando, so at those medians the same money buys more than twice the floor area in Orlando.
The pace differs too. Miami homes took a median 113 days to sell, only 4.9% sold above the list price, and Redfin scores the market 9 out of 100, “Not Very Competitive.” In Orlando the median was 61 days, 8.5% sold above list, and the score is 43, “Somewhat Competitive.” A slower market can leave more room to negotiate, but every building and street is different.
These are city figures. Most homes in the Orlando area are outside the City of Orlando, in places such as Winter Park or Winter Garden, and an “Orlando, FL” mailing address does not prove a home is inside city limits. Miami is one of many cities in Miami-Dade County. For a whole region, look at the Central Florida area pages.
Redfin, three months ending September 2026, read November 8, 2026. Redfin does not say whether its city pages follow city limits.
Condos
Buying a condo: Florida’s building safety rules.
About half of Miami’s homes are in buildings of 20 or more units, so these rules come up often there. They apply the same way in Orlando.
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Milestone inspections
Condo and co-op buildings of three or more habitable stories need a milestone inspection by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, then every 10 years. The local building official may require it at 25 years where local conditions call for it, such as nearness to salt water (Fla. Stat. 553.899).
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Structural integrity reserve study
Each such building needs a reserve study at least every 10 years. It covers the roof, structure, fire protection, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, windows and exterior doors, and sets a plan to fund their repair (Fla. Stat. 718.112(2)(g)).
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Documents for a resale buyer
A buyer of a resale condo is entitled, at the seller’s expense, to the milestone inspection summary where one applies and the latest reserve study, or a statement that none was done, with the declaration, bylaws, budget and the association’s question and answer sheet (Fla. Stat. 718.503). Read them before you sign.
Also ask the association about planned special assessments and its rules on renting the unit.
The 2026 Florida Statutes, read November 8, 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Taxes
Property tax and the tax on the deed.
Both cities sit inside larger tax bills. Here is what differs, and where to check the exact address.
City tax rates
The City of Miami’s proposed operating rate for tax year 2026 is 7.1080 mills, plus 0.2536 for debt service (Miami-Dade Property Appraiser, August 24, 2026). Orlando’s city rate is 6.6500 mills for October 2025 to September 2026 (Florida Department of Revenue). One mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of taxable value. County, school and other levies come on top and differ by parcel, so check the exact address with the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser or the Orange County Property Appraiser.
Homestead
If the home is your permanent residence, the homestead exemption takes $25,000 off the assessed value for all taxes, and a second amount of up to $25,000, adjusted for inflation, off the value between $50,000 and $75,000 for taxes other than school taxes. After the first year, the assessed value of a homestead can rise by no more than 3% a year or the change in consumer prices, whichever is lower. Apply with the county property appraiser by March 1 (Florida Constitution, Art. VII, s. 6; Fla. Stat. 193.155 and 196.011). Florida voters approved changes on November 3, 2026 that apply from 2027; the results were not yet certified on November 8. A condo you live in qualifies too.
Deed stamp tax
Florida taxes the deed at 70 cents per $100 of the price in every county except Miami-Dade. In Miami-Dade the rate is 60 cents, plus a 45 cent surtax that is not due on a single family home (Fla. Stat. 201.02 and 201.031; Florida Department of Revenue). On a $400,000 single family home that is $2,800 in Orange County and $2,400 in Miami-Dade. Who pays it is set in the contract and by local custom.
The rest of what a buyer pays at closing is in buyer closing costs.
Insurance and flood
Get insurance quotes before you offer.
Insurance depends on the exact address, the age of the roof and the building. Ask for real quotes in either city before you commit.
FloodSmart, the federal flood insurance program, puts it plainly: “Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage.” Look up the flood zone of the exact address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and ask about a separate flood policy.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 (National Hurricane Center), the same for both cities. Ask several insurers for quotes. Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is the insurer the State of Florida created.
For a condo, ask what the association’s master policy covers and what your own policy needs to cover.
Climate
Miami is warmer in winter. Orlando has more very hot days.
Thirty year averages from NOAA for each city’s main airport.
| Measure | Miami | Orlando |
|---|---|---|
| January, average | 68.6°F | 60.6°F |
| January nights, average low | 61.0°F | 49.5°F |
| July, average | 84.1°F | 82.6°F |
| July afternoons, average high | 90.6°F | 92.0°F |
| Days at 90°F or hotter, a year | about 91 | about 110 |
| Nights at 32°F or colder, a year | none | about 2 |
| Rain in a year | 67.4 in | 51.5 in |
| Share of the rain from June to September | 56% | 57% |
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020, stations Miami International Airport and Orlando International Airport, read November 8, 2026. The share of rain from June to September is worked out from the monthly normals.
Getting around
Travel, airports and schools.
Downtown Miami to downtown Orlando is about 233 miles, or 4 hours 23 minutes by car without traffic. Real trips take longer.
Brightline trains run between Orlando International Airport and Miami, with stations in West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale and Aventura; the Orlando station is next to Terminal C (Orlando International Airport).
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is inside Orlando city limits, about 27 minutes from downtown without traffic. Miami has Miami International Airport (MIA), and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is to the north, in Broward County.
Schools
Miami is in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Orlando is in Orange County Public Schools, and the OCPS Find My School tool shows the schools for an exact address. School assignment always follows the address.
Drive times: OSRM routing, free flow, Miami to Orlando and downtown Orlando to MCO, November 8, 2026. MCO inside city limits: U.S. Census geocoder.
If Orlando fits
Work with Zoya directly.
Zoya Solovyeva, REALTOR®, works in Orlando and Central Florida with Olympus Executive Realty, in English and Russian. She can tour homes with you, write your offer and see the purchase through to closing.
Start with the Orlando guide or all Central Florida areas. Looking for newer homes? In Davenport, southwest of Orlando, the median home was built in 2015 (Census, 2020 to 2024). See also buying a home with Zoya.
If Miami fits
Find a licensed Miami agent.
Zoya does not show homes or write offers in Miami. She can find and check a licensed agent who works there, introduce you after you agree, and stay in touch in English or Russian.
Questions
Miami or Orlando: common questions.
Is it cheaper to buy a home in Orlando or in Miami?
Orlando, by these numbers. In the three months ending September 2026 the median sale price was $405,033 in Orlando and $649,691 in Miami, and the median price per square foot was $236 against $560 (Redfin). Prices vary a lot by neighborhood and home type.
Which city has more condos?
Miami. 48.8% of Miami’s homes are in buildings of 20 or more units, against 25.1% in Orlando (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 to 2024). Those buildings include rentals as well as condos.
Are property taxes higher in Miami or Orlando?
The city part of the bill is a little higher in Miami: a proposed 7.1080 mills for 2026 against Orlando’s 6.6500. The full bill adds county, school and other levies and depends on the parcel, so check the exact address with the county property appraiser.
Which is hotter, Miami or Orlando?
Miami is warmer on average, most of all in winter: 68.6°F in January against 60.6°F. Orlando has more very hot days, about 110 a year at 90°F or more against about 91 in Miami (NOAA normals, 1991 to 2020).
How far is Miami from Orlando?
About 233 miles, or 4 hours 23 minutes by car without traffic, downtown to downtown. Brightline trains also run between Orlando International Airport and Miami.
Can Zoya help me buy in Miami?
Zoya works in Orlando and Central Florida. For Miami she can find and check a licensed local agent and introduce you after you agree. See find an agent in Miami.
Talk to Zoya
Leaning toward Orlando?
Tell Zoya what you are looking for, in English or Russian. For Miami, ask for an introduction to a licensed local agent instead.
- Call(609) 408-7086Olympus Executive Realty
- TextSend a textOlympus Executive Realty · (609) 408-7086
- WhatsAppMessage ZoyaOlympus Executive Realty
- Emailrealtor@zoyasells.comOlympus Executive Realty, 16903 Lakeside Drive, Montverde, FL 34756
About referrals.
Zoya Solovyeva is a Florida licensed real estate sales associate with Olympus Executive Realty, 16903 Lakeside Drive[CONFIRM: , Suite 6], Montverde, FL 34756. She works with clients in Orlando and Central Florida. She has no office in Miami and does not show homes or write offers there herself. For Miami, she refers you to a licensed Florida agent who works mainly in that area, and she shares your details with that agent only after you agree. If she cannot find a suitable agent, she tells you and shares your details with no one. The partner agent works for a different brokerage, which supervises that agent’s work. If the partner agent’s brokerage pays a referral fee, it is paid to Olympus Executive Realty out of that brokerage’s commission, and Zoya may receive a share from Olympus Executive Realty. It is not a separate charge to you.
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Facts checked November 8, 2026. Sources are linked beside each figure: Redfin, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser, the Florida Department of Revenue, the Florida Statutes and Constitution, NOAA, FloodSmart and FEMA, the National Hurricane Center, Orlando International Airport, OSRM routing and the two school districts.