Moving From California to Florida: What I Tell Every CA Buyer
The income tax you stop paying, why Proposition 13 makes this move different from any other state, what your Los Angeles or San Francisco equity buys here, and the honest list of what costs more. Numbers from the state tax agencies, the Census Bureau and the Miami MLS.
The one-paragraph version: a California couple with $300,000 of taxable income stops paying about $20,777 a year in state income tax the day they become Florida residents, and the top California rate of 13.3% disappears entirely. But property tax is the one place this move can surprise a Californian: Proposition 13 caps annual increases so hard that a longtime owner's California bill can be lower than a fresh Florida assessment, even though Florida's average rate is technically similar to California's. Rent in Los Angeles is close to Miami's; rent in San Francisco runs about 43% higher. What costs more here: homeowners insurance is actually cheaper in California, which flips the usual Florida story.
- $0Florida state income tax. CA couple at $300K taxable: about $20,777 a year saved.
- 13.3%California's top marginal income tax rate, including the 1% Mental Health Services Tax over $1M.
- 0.70%California's statewide effective property tax rate under Prop 13, vs Florida's 0.78% average.
- ~5h19mNonstop flight, Los Angeles to Miami. San Francisco runs about 5h45m.
Related reading: why people are moving to South Florida, the full Florida income tax breakdown, moving from New York to Miami, and the honest pros and cons of living in Florida.
Taxes: income tax vs Proposition 13
Florida has no state income tax and no estate tax. California has the highest top marginal income tax rate in the country, but its property tax system, built on Proposition 13, can genuinely be kinder to a longtime homeowner than Florida's. I want you to see both sides before you decide the math is simple.
| Where you live | $150,000 | $300,000 | $500,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $6,827 | $20,777 | $39,377 |
| Florida | $0 | $0 | $0 |
California's brackets top out at 12.3%, plus a 1% surtax over $1,000,000, for an effective top rate of 13.3%, the highest of any state. A New York City couple pays about $28,264 on $300,000 of taxable income and a New Jersey couple about $15,068 (2025 schedules); Florida charges $0. The full worked table and a calculator are on my Florida income tax page. California also has no estate tax, so that part of the move is a wash, not a gain.
The part nobody puts in the headline: Proposition 13
Proposition 13 (1978) caps the general property tax rate at 1% of assessed value, plus voter-approved local bonds, and limits annual assessment increases to 2% a year unless the home sells or is rebuilt. A homeowner who bought 15 or 20 years ago can be paying tax on an assessed value far below today's market price. That is why California's statewide average effective rate, 0.70%, actually beats Florida's 0.78%, even though Florida has no income tax at all.
| County | Median home value | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara County, CA | $1,490,600 | 0.68% |
| Orange County, CA | $962,600 | 0.64% |
| San Diego County, CA | $854,700 | 0.67% |
| Los Angeles County, CA | $834,200 | 0.67% |
| San Francisco County, CA | $1,394,500 | 0.72% |
| Miami-Dade County, FL | $463,000 | 0.81% |
| Broward County, FL | $414,600 | 0.96% |
Here is the honest part I tell every California client: if your Prop 13 assessed value is far under market, your actual California bill may be lower than what you will pay on a new Florida purchase, because Florida assesses you at your purchase price on day one. The homestead exemption ($50,722 in 2025) and Save Our Homes cap (2.9% for 2025) slow future increases once you are in, but they do not erase the reset at closing. Run the real numbers before you assume this move lowers your property tax; sometimes it does not.
Cost of living: Los Angeles and San Francisco vs Miami
Los Angeles and Miami are closer on cost than most people assume. San Francisco is a different conversation entirely.
| Measure | Los Angeles | San Francisco | Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average apartment rent | $2,755/mo | $3,964/mo | $2,770/mo |
| Regular gas, per gallon | $6.2022 (CA statewide) | $4.2941 | |
| Homeowners insurance, avg/yr | $1,492 (CA statewide) | $2,677 | |
| Full-coverage car insurance, avg/mo | ~$221 (CA statewide) | ~$311 (FL statewide) | |
Los Angeles rent is almost a wash with Miami overall, though larger units run pricier in LA: a 2-bedroom averages $3,361 versus Miami's $2,995, a 3-bedroom $4,375 versus $3,741. San Francisco is different, running about $1,191 a month, roughly 43%, above Miami. On RentCafe's C2ER-sourced cost-of-living index, not an official government number, LA runs about 52% above the national average against Miami's 20% to 21%; San Francisco runs about 64% above, though other calculators put it higher.
The honest surprise for most California clients: homeowners insurance and car insurance both run cheaper in California than in Florida. Gas is the opposite, meaningfully cheaper here. Groceries and day-to-day dining are broadly comparable to what you already pay in a major California metro.
What your money buys
This is usually the number that ends the debate.
| Market | Median sale price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco County | $1,875,000 | Up 25% year over year |
| Santa Clara County | $1,900,000 | Flat year over year |
| Orange County | $1,452,500 | Up 4.9% year over year |
| San Diego County | $1,090,000 | Up 6.3% year over year |
| Los Angeles County | $946,950 | Up 1.7% year over year |
| California statewide (single-family) | $901,420 | Up 0.1% year over year |
| Miami-Dade single-family (Aug 2026) | $680,000 | Up 4% year over year |
| Broward single-family (Aug 2026) | $650,000 | Up 4% year over year |
A Los Angeles County median buys a strong two-bedroom oceanfront condo in Sunny Isles Beach or a three-bedroom in Aventura with room left over. A San Francisco or Orange County median is Coral Gables or Coconut Grove single-family territory, or a top-floor unit in one of the Brickell towers. The listings strip below pulls what is actually on the market right now between $900,000 and $3,500,000, the range where most of my California clients end up shopping.
Where California buyers actually land
This is the pattern after enough closings with a Pacific-time phone number on the contract. Every link goes to live listings.
- City energy
Miami Beach
The closest thing Miami has to the pace of Los Angeles or San Francisco: restaurants, nightlife, and beach at your door. South of Fifth for buyers who want it walkable and dense; Mid-Beach and North Beach for more space per dollar.
- Downtown high-rise
Brickell
Finance-district energy, walk-to-work towers, and the fastest-growing skyline in Miami. The pick for clients coming from a downtown San Francisco or downtown LA condo.
- Quiet + green
Coconut Grove
Tree canopy, sailing, and a slower pace than Miami Beach or Brickell. The best match I have for a client leaving a quiet, walkable California neighborhood.
- Old-money charm
Coral Gables
Mediterranean Revival architecture, top private schools, and a downtown you can actually walk. Popular with California families who want a house, not a tower.
- Island living
Key Biscayne
A literal island, one bridge from downtown, with beach and a small-town feel that reminds a lot of my Southern California clients of home.
- Waterfront houses
Fort Lauderdale
Single-family homes with a private dock at a price per square foot well under Miami-Dade, for buyers who want a boat more than a doorman.
The honest part
Insurance is actually cheaper in California, on the state average
This is the one that surprises people: NAIC's 2022 data (via the Insurance Information Institute) puts California's average homeowners premium at $1,492 a year against Florida's $2,677, roughly 79% higher here. Florida's current quotes run above that 2022 figure; get a quote on the specific address before making an offer. Worth watching from the other direction: California's own FAIR Plan, its wildfire insurer of last resort, grew from about 222,000 policies in 2020 to over 431,000 by fiscal year 2024, with exposure reportedly near $768 billion by mid-2026. "Everything is expensive to insure now" is not unique to Florida.
Hurricanes vs wildfires: different risks, both real
South Florida has had eight hurricane landfalls since 2017: Irma, Michael, Ian, Nicole, Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton, with zero landfalls in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2025. California's own numbers, from Cal Fire: a five-year average of about 7,194 wildfires burning 849,287 acres a year, with 2026 at 5,541 fires and 326,558 acres through September 21. I won't tell a Californian Florida has no disaster risk. It has a different one: seasonal and insurable through Florida's private and Citizens market, versus a growing year-round wildfire risk pushing more Californians into that state's own FAIR Plan.
Humidity and the three-hour time difference
Miami in July and August averages highs around 88°F with real humidity; there is no dry-heat equivalent here. And California sits three hours behind Florida, so a 9am call from your old office lands at noon your new time, which becomes a real scheduling issue with lenders, title companies and closings until you adjust.
Condo buildings have new rules since Surfside
After the 2021 Surfside collapse, Florida requires mandatory milestone structural inspections for condo buildings three stories and up as they age, and bans boards from waiving reserve funding for major components. Before I let a client fall for a tower, I pull the milestone inspection status, the reserve study and any pending assessments.
Are people still moving from California to Florida?
Yes, and California's outbound numbers are the largest of any state, though the overall pace of people moving into Florida has slowed a lot since 2022.
- IRS tax-filer data, 2022 to 2023: 20,241 California tax returns, covering 34,248 individuals and about $2.64 billion in adjusted gross income, moved to Florida. Both states' own filings confirm the identical figure.
- Census Bureau, year ending June 30, 2025: California's net domestic migration was −229,077, the largest loss of any state, while Florida's was +22,517, down sharply from Florida's +310,892 peak in 2022. International migration into California was still positive at +109,278, partially offsetting the total loss.
What that means for a buyer: California is the single biggest source of domestic out-migration in the country, and a meaningful share keeps landing in Florida, but the 2021 to 2023 bidding-war years here are over. Inventory has rebuilt and there is real negotiating room again.
Flights, residency and timeline
Getting back and forth
Los Angeles to Miami runs about 5 hours 19 minutes nonstop on American, Delta and JetBlue, roughly six flights a day. San Francisco to Miami is longer, about 5 hours 45 minutes nonstop on American and United, roughly four flights a day. This is the honest downside for a California buyer: it is not a New York or New Jersey short hop, it is most of a workday each way.
Becoming a Florida resident, and satisfying California's exit test
California does not use a simple day count. The Franchise Tax Board's Publication 1031 applies a "closest connections" test across 14 factors: where your spouse and children live, your license and vehicle registration, bank accounts, doctors, voter registration, and where your home actually is. There is no bright-line day threshold, but California presumes residency if you spend more than nine months a year in the state. The practical checklist: a Florida license and voter registration, a Florida homestead exemption, your professionals and accounts moved, and your California home sold or clearly secondary.
A realistic timeline
- Month 0: a video call with me on budget, neighborhoods and the tax and property-tax picture; I send a first set of listings.
- Month 1: one trip down, two or three days given the flight, ten to fifteen showings across two or three areas.
- Months 1 to 2: offer, inspection, condo document review (milestone status, reserves, assessments), insurance quote, financing if any.
- Month 3: closing. Florida closings run 30 to 45 days from contract on a financed deal, faster for cash.
- After closing: homestead exemption filed with the county property appraiser (deadline March 1 of the following year), license, registration, the residency paper trail.
Not tax or legal advice. I am a real estate broker. The tax, property-tax and residency figures on this page come from the state agencies and sources listed at the bottom; your own return depends on facts I cannot see, especially your specific Prop 13 assessed value. Confirm with a CPA before you act.
Live listings California buyers are looking at
Current MLS listings between $900,000 and $3,500,000 in Miami Beach, Coral Gables and Fort Lauderdale, refreshed as you load this page.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
How much do I save on taxes moving from California to Florida?
Using the 2025 California Franchise Tax Board rate schedule for a married couple filing jointly, California income tax is about $6,827 on $150,000 of taxable income, $20,777 on $300,000 and $39,377 on $500,000. California's top marginal rate, including the 1% Mental Health Services Tax on income over $1,000,000, is 13.3%. Florida charges $0.
Is property tax higher in California or Florida?
On average, California's statewide effective property tax rate, 0.70%, is actually lower than Florida's, 0.78%, because of Proposition 13's cap on annual assessment increases. The catch is that Prop 13 only helps a long-held home: a longtime California owner may pay a very low bill, but any Florida purchase is assessed at the price you pay, which can be a higher dollar amount than a capped California assessment even at a similar rate.
Where do California buyers move to in South Florida?
In my practice: Miami Beach and Brickell for buyers who want city energy, Coconut Grove and Coral Gables for a quieter, tree-lined feel, Key Biscayne for the island setting, and Fort Lauderdale for waterfront single-family homes.
Are people still moving from California to Florida?
Yes. IRS migration data for 2022 to 2023 shows about 20,241 California tax returns, covering roughly 34,248 individuals and about $2.64 billion in adjusted gross income, moved to Florida. Census data shows California's overall net domestic migration was negative 229,077 for the year ending June 30, 2025, the largest loss of any state, while Florida's was positive 22,517 in the same period.
How long is the flight from California to Miami?
About 5 to 6 hours nonstop. Los Angeles to Miami runs roughly 5 hours 19 minutes on American, Delta and JetBlue; San Francisco to Miami runs roughly 5 hours 45 minutes on American and United. Both coasts are also 3 hours apart on the clock, since California is on Pacific time and Florida is on Eastern.
Is homeowners insurance more expensive in Florida than California?
Yes, by a wide margin on the state averages: NAIC 2022 data puts Florida at $2,677 a year against California's $1,492, about 79% higher here. Get a quote on the specific property before making an offer, since it varies enormously by age, roof and water proximity.
Thinking about the move? Let's talk it through.
Tell me your budget, which California market you are in now and what you want your week to look like here. I will send you homes that fit, with the real property tax, insurance and association numbers for each one, and we can set up a showing trip whenever you are ready.
Kevin Poler · Broker, The Poler Team · Optimar International Realty, 18246 Collins Ave, Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160Sources
- California Franchise Tax Board, 2025 Form 540 Tax Rate Schedules. ftb.ca.gov.
- California Franchise Tax Board, Publication 1031 (2024), Guidelines for Determining Resident Status. ftb.ca.gov.
- California State Board of Equalization, Proposition 13 / Proposition 19 guidance. boe.ca.gov.
- Florida Constitution, Article VII, Section 5; Florida Department of Revenue sales and surtax rates. floridarevenue.com.
- Tax Foundation, Property Taxes by State and County (2024 ACS data). taxfoundation.org.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates (NST-EST2025-COMP). census.gov.
- IRS Statistics of Income, Migration Data 2022–2023, California and Florida state files. irs.gov.
- California Association of Realtors, "California home sales and prices rise in August," released September 16, 2026. car.org.
- MIAMI Realtors, August 2026 monthly statistics (Miami-Dade and Broward medians). miamirealtors.com.
- RentCafe, Los Angeles and San Francisco vs. Miami cost-of-living data, August 2026. rentcafe.com.
- AAA, State Gas Price Averages, fetched September 23, 2026. gasprices.aaa.com.
- Insurance Information Institute, homeowners insurance average premiums by state (NAIC 2022); California FAIR Plan data. iii.org.
- CAL FIRE, Statistics, updated September 21, 2026. fire.ca.gov.
- Flight times: FlightsFrom.com, AirMilesCalculator and TravelMath schedule aggregators (LAX–MIA, SFO–MIA), September 2026.