Fort Lauderdale vs Miami: Where to Buy

Condo, house and bedroom numbers side by side

The typical Fort Lauderdale condo is $403,495 against $383,531 in Miami, about $20,000 more. Single-family houses go the other way: $664,415 in Miami and $586,503 in Fort Lauderdale.

By size, a one-bedroom is the clearest Miami premium: $351,134 versus $248,528. Two-bedroom homes are nearly even, $450,924 in Miami and $445,144 in Fort Lauderdale. At three bedrooms Fort Lauderdale is slightly higher, $647,275 against $620,623. At four bedrooms the gap jumps: $1,050,246 in Fort Lauderdale versus $784,938 in Miami. Fort Lauderdale's large-home market is heavily weighted toward waterfront houses on its canals, which lifts the upper numbers. Five-bedroom homes there average $2,972,475.

The upper third of each market tells the same story. It starts near $1,189,004 in Fort Lauderdale and $981,623 in Miami. The lower third tops out around $303,820 and $352,706, so entry-level buying is cheaper in Fort Lauderdale.

Five-year trend: Miami ran much harder

Miami's typical value rose 40.1% in five years, against 22.8% for Fort Lauderdale. Over the last year Miami is up 1.4%, with houses up 2.3%, while Fort Lauderdale is down 0.6% overall and flat for houses.

Condos are slightly down in both cities, about 1.5% to 1.6%. In South Florida that softness mostly comes from older buildings dealing with higher reserve requirements and assessments, while newer buildings have held up better. Treat the citywide condo number as an average of two quite different markets.

Two very different housing mixes

Census data shows 55.3% of Miami's housing units are in buildings of 10 or more units and only 22.4% are detached houses. Fort Lauderdale is more balanced: 43.6% in larger buildings and 34.0% detached. Miami is a city of towers; Fort Lauderdale has towers along the beach and the river, with a lot of single-family streets in between.

Fort Lauderdale's housing is older on paper, median year built 1973 against 1979 for Miami. Many Fort Lauderdale condo buildings from the 1960s and 1970s have already gone through milestone inspections, and some have large special assessments behind or ahead of them. Ask for the milestone report, the structural integrity reserve study and the last two years of board minutes. The 7-day review window after you receive the documents is your best chance to walk away cleanly.

For financing, check warrantability early. A building with low reserves or open litigation can push you toward non-warrantable loans with bigger down payments.

Closing costs differ by county

Miami-Dade has its own deed stamp rate: $0.60 per $100 instead of the $0.70 used in Broward and the rest of the state, plus a $0.45 surtax on property that is not a single-family home. That deed tax is usually the seller's cost. As a buyer you will pay the $0.35 per $100 note stamp and 0.2% intangible tax on a mortgage in both counties.

In both Broward and Miami-Dade, local custom has the buyer paying for the owner's title policy, which is set at a state-promulgated rate. Build that into your cash to close.

Property tax resets to market value after a sale in both counties. If the home will be your permanent Florida residence, file for homestead, which takes up to $51,411 off assessed value in 2026 and caps future assessment increases at 3% or CPI. A second home gets no homestead exemption. This isn't legal or tax advice; your closing agent can give you exact figures.

Insurance and flood on the southeast coast

Both cities are low, close to the ocean and laced with canals and bay frontage, so flood exposure is an address-level question. Pull the FEMA zone for each property you consider. If it is in an A or V zone and you have a mortgage, flood insurance is required, and it is a separate policy from homeowners coverage.

For houses, insurers look hard at roof age and wind mitigation features such as hurricane straps, impact windows and shutters. A 1970s Fort Lauderdale ranch with a new roof and impact glass can quote better than a newer house without them. Older homes will also need a 4-point inspection. For condos, ask the association for the master policy and its hurricane deductible, which is a percentage of the insured value and can be large in big towers. Get all quotes inside your inspection period.

Who lives where

Fort Lauderdale is older and more seasonal. Its median age is 42.8, with 19.6% of residents 65 or older and 12.5% of housing units held for seasonal use. Miami's figures are 39.3, 15.9% and 4.2%. Miami has 459,745 residents against 185,604 in Fort Lauderdale.

The two are about 30 miles apart along I-95. Brightline trains connect their downtowns, and each city has its own international airport. Plenty of buyers work in one and live in the other, so the commute question usually comes down to which side of the county line your office sits on.

Who each city fits

Miami fits buyers who want a condo in a large tower market with lots of choice, buyers who want a three- or four-bedroom house for less than a Fort Lauderdale equivalent, and anyone who wants the deepest city amenities. Expect to pay more for a one-bedroom.

Fort Lauderdale fits buyers looking at the entry level, buyers who want canal-front or boating access, and part-time owners who want a building with similar neighbors. Be ready to dig harder into older condo buildings' reserve history.