Renting in Miami

Miami is one of the most expensive US cities to rent in compared with local pay: a typical one-bed costs more than two-thirds of a median full-time worker's take-home pay, after rents jumped by almost half in 2021–2022 and then levelled off. A record wave of new towers means plenty of choice, and many new buildings offer a month or more free. The hard parts for a newcomer are the price, the income and credit checks, and the extra approval step when you rent an individually owned condo.

Checked 1 October 2026Deposits, contracts and notice periods: United States rules

High-rise towers on the waterfront in Miami

The situation right now

The surge is over, but prices have not come down. Zillow's observed rent index for the City of Miami went from about $1,940 in January 2021 to $2,870 in August 2022, a rise of 48%. In August 2026 it stood at $3,008, up 0.8% on a year earlier. Zumper puts the median one-bed at $2,499 in September 2026, unchanged on a year earlier. Supply is the story: 19,131 apartments were under construction in large Miami-Dade buildings in July 2026 (Yardi Matrix data in the MIAMI REALTORS report). An earlier edition of the same report called this the most intense pipeline in the US, at 9.6% of existing stock. Over the 12 months to July, 9,314 units were completed and 8,353 were taken up, and occupancy stayed high at 95.5%. In May, nearly 7% of landlords were offering concessions worth about 10% of a year's rent.

The market is split in two. Corporate apartment buildings, with the newest towers concentrated in Brickell, Downtown, Edgewater and Wynwood, advertise on Apartments.com, Zillow and Zumper, run on-site leasing offices and compete with free months; rents in Brickell (-2.2%) and Edgewater (-2.1%) were lower than a year earlier in July 2026. The other half is condos and houses owned by individuals, let directly or through a Realtor. Here the condo association usually has to approve you too, which adds a fee, a background check and waiting time. Prices are still rising in the established areas: +9.5% in Coral Gables, +7.5% in Miami Beach and +6.8% in Downtown (Yardi Matrix, July 2026).

The rules are Florida's, set out on the United States page: no deposit cap, no rent control, 30 days' notice for a monthly tenancy. 'Miami' in an advert can mean the City of Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Doral or unincorporated Miami-Dade, which are separate local governments. Since July 2023 Florida law has overridden local tenant rules on screening, deposits, fees, notices and lease terms (s.83.425). That ended most of the Tenant's Bill of Rights Miami-Dade adopted in May 2022. The county's Office of Housing Advocacy still runs a hotline and gives referrals, but it does not give legal advice or mediate. The county human rights ordinance still lists source of income, such as a housing voucher, among the protected grounds, but whether that survives the 2023 state law is unsettled (as of 2026-10).

On a normal salary the numbers are hard. The median full-time worker in the City of Miami earned $50,061 in 2024 (Census ACS), about $3,530 a month after federal tax and payroll deductions. Buildings commonly want a monthly income of three times the rent, which means about $90,000 a year for a $2,500 flat. Many people share: SpareRoom rooms mostly ask $1,150–1,700 a month. Others look in Little Havana, Kendall, Doral or Broward County to the north. Subsidised routes are effectively closed to newcomers. The county's Section 8 voucher list has been closed since its last random draw in 2024, and income-restricted flats in new buildings are let by short application windows or lotteries.

Behind the scores

DifficultyHard

Corporate buildings want income of three times the rent and a credit check (Maizon Brickell, 2026); without a Social Security number and US credit the screening has nothing to read. Condo lets add the association's approval, a fee of up to $150 per applicant and a possible deposit of one month's rent (s.718.112). In your favour: Florida has no deposit cap, so you can offer a larger deposit or rent up front, supply is ample and concessions are common. Short lets are restricted. Harder for anyone with no US income or credit. As of September 2026.

CostOut of reach

One-bed asking rents from the city median of $2,499 to $3,500 in Brickell, Downtown $3,000 (Zumper medians, 2026-09); towers add fixed fees of about $50–80 a month. Median full-time pay $50,061 gross (Census ACS 2024, table S2001, City of Miami): about $3,534 a month net after 2026 federal tax, Social Security and Medicare; Florida has no income tax (our calculation). Share 71–99% on rent alone, Downtown 85% (87% with fees). Earnings are 2024, rents 2026. Cross-check: all workers $41,335 gross, 85–119%. As of September 2026.

CompetitionSome

A market with vacancies: about 10,900 rentals on Zillow and 6,400 on Zumper (2026-09); in large buildings 9,314 units completed against 8,353 taken up over 12 months, occupancy 95.5% (Yardi Matrix via MIAMI REALTORS, 2026-07); nearly 7% of landlords offering concessions of about 10% of a year's rent (2026-05), and nine of ten featured Apartments.com buildings showing 1–3 months free (2026-10). No days-on-market or applicants figure exists. Cheap condos and rooms, and the month of March, are busier. As of September 2026.

Scam riskVery common

Miami Police arrested two men in 2026 over separate Facebook Marketplace rental scams. In the first (arrest 29 April 2026), at least seven victims lost over $50,000 in total; police warned renters about deposits requested through Zelle, Venmo or Cash App (CBS Miami, 1 May 2026; Local10, 30 April 2026). In the second (arrest 21 May 2026), fake leases and video tours were used for flats the suspect had no right to let, including one in Edgewater (Local10, 22 and 27 May 2026). The FTC's rental listing scam guidance was updated in June 2026. As of September 2026.

Apartment towers lining a street in central Miami
Apartment towers lining a street in central Miami

What it costs

TypeTypical asking rentSource
Room in a shared flat or houseBased on 75 SpareRoom ads seen on 1 October 2026. The middle half of monthly-priced rooms asked $1,150–1,700 (median $1,400). The cheapest were in Homestead and Kendall ($700–900); Wynwood co-living rooms asked about $1,900. Some co-living houses in Allapattah and North Miami price by the week ($260–480). Bills are often included in rooms, but check.$1,000–1,700 a month(€890–1,500 a month)SpareRoom, Miami rooms for rent (listings seen October 2026), October 2026
One-bed flatZumper medians for one-beds by area: East Little Havana $1,733, Miami Beach $2,500, Downtown $3,000, Wynwood $3,200, Brickell $3,500, Edgewater $3,850. City median $2,499, unchanged on a year earlier; Zillow gives an average of $2,620. Studios: city median $2,300, Downtown $2,502. Corporate towers often add amenity, trash and parking charges; compare Apartments.com's 'total monthly price'.$1,750–3,850 a month(€1,550–3,450 a month)Zumper rent research, Miami and neighbourhoods (September 2026); Zillow Rental Manager market trends, September 2026
Two-bed flatZumper medians: East Little Havana $2,200, city median $2,900 (down 2% in a year), Downtown $4,000, Miami Beach and Wynwood $4,500, Brickell $4,900, Edgewater $5,000. Zillow's city average is $3,300.$2,200–5,000 a month(€1,950–4,450 a month)Zumper rent research, Miami and neighbourhoods (September 2026), September 2026
Three-bed flat or houseZumper's city median is $3,726 and Zillow's average $3,800; East Little Havana's median is $2,875. In the towers, three-beds jump to $6,900 (Downtown) and $9,000 (Edgewater). Most family-sized rentals are houses and townhouses in Kendall, Doral and the suburbs, where MIAMI REALTORS put the median single-family asking rent at $3,500 in May 2026.$2,900–3,800 a month(€2,600–3,400 a month)Zumper rent research (September 2026); Zillow Rental Manager; MIAMI REALTORS rental report May 2026, September 2026

Asking rents on the portals; what people actually pay is often lower for older contracts and higher for furnished short lets. Deposits and what can legally be charged on top are on the United States page. The euro values are there to compare cities: rounded, a month, at the exchange rates of 20 October 2026 (how we convert).

A pink Art Deco building in Miami Beach
A pink Art Deco building in Miami Beach

Local tips

Gathered from local forums, city subreddits and expat groups, rewritten in our own words. They are what people who have done this say helped; none of it is a guarantee.

  1. Use the new-tower glut to negotiate

    Brickell, Downtown and Edgewater are full of new towers still filling up, and many advertise one to three months free. Ask whether the free months come off the first months' rent or are spread across the lease. Ask what the rent will be at renewal, and whether the admin fee or deposit can be waived. Compare the total monthly price, including amenity, trash and parking charges, not the headline rent.

    Source: Apartments.com Miami listings, October 2026; MIAMI REALTORS rental reports May and July 2026

  2. Find out which 'Miami' the address is in

    Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Doral, North Miami and the City of Miami are separate cities, and much of the county is unincorporated. The city decides parking, short-term letting rules, schools and how long your commute is. Type the address into the Property Appraiser's search: it shows the city and the owner's name, which should match the person or company letting to you.

    Source: Miami-Dade Property Appraiser; Miami Beach and Miami-Dade short-term rental pages, 2026

  3. Renting a condo means a second approval

    Many condo buildings require the association to approve every tenant. That means a separate application, a background check and a fee of up to $150 per applicant (a couple or family counts as one; the statute lets the cap rise with inflation, so ask for the current fee), and the association may also hold up to one month's rent as a deposit against damage to common areas. Ask the owner for the association's rules and how long approval takes, and don't pay rent or move in until you are approved. If the owner falls behind on fees, the association can demand that you pay your rent to it instead. That is legal, and paying the association protects you.

    Source: Florida Statutes 718.112 and 718.116; Legal Services of Greater Miami self-help guides, 2026

  4. Read the flood disclosure and check your zone

    Since 2025 a landlord must give you a separate flood disclosure before you sign a lease of a year or longer. It says whether the unit has flooded, whether flood insurance claims were made and whether FEMA paid out, and it warns that renters' insurance does not cover flood. If the disclosure was missing and a flood causes substantial loss, you can end the lease within 30 days. Hurricane season runs through the summer and autumn: check the county's storm surge planning zone for the address, and think twice about ground-floor units in low-lying areas.

    Source: Florida Statutes 83.512; Miami-Dade County hurricane preparedness page, 2026

  5. Time your search: December is cheapest, March busiest

    Zumper's data puts Miami rents about 7% lower in December than at the July peak, with March the most competitive month and November the quietest. Winter brings seasonal visitors who pay premium prices for furnished lets of a few months. If you need a year-round home, avoid those and look for a 12-month lease.

    Source: Zumper Miami rent research, September 2026

  6. Check transit before you choose an area

    Most of Miami-Dade is built for cars. Metrorail runs 25 miles from Kendall through South Miami, Coral Gables, Downtown and the airport to Hialeah ($2.25 a ride), and the Metromover is free around Downtown, Brickell and the Omni area. Living near those lines lets you manage without a car. In Doral, Kendall or Broward, budget for a car, and ask whether parking comes with the flat.

    Source: Miami-Dade Transportation and Public Works: Metrorail and Metromover pages, September 2026

  7. Look at income-restricted flats in new buildings

    Many new projects must set aside units at below-market rents for households at roughly 60–140% of area median income. The City of Miami and the county post the application windows and lotteries; they open for a few days or weeks, so check the pages regularly. These lists are open to newcomers who meet the income limits, unlike the closed Section 8 waiting list.

    Source: City of Miami and Miami-Dade County affordable housing resource pages, 2026

  8. Use the county hotline for referrals, not enforcement

    Miami-Dade's Office of Housing Advocacy answers tenants on 786-469-4545 on weekdays and points them to rental assistance, legal aid and complaint routes. Florida law overrode most of the county's 2022 tenant ordinance in 2023, so it cannot enforce rules for you, give legal advice or mediate. For a lawyer, contact Legal Services of Greater Miami.

    Source: Miami-Dade Office of Housing Advocacy fact sheet and resource guide; Florida Statutes 83.425

Neighbourhoods

  • Brickell higher rents

    Miami's financial district of glass towers, with one-beds around $3,500 (Zumper, September 2026). It is walkable, on the free Metromover and full of young professionals. So many towers are still letting up that asking rents in large buildings fell 2.2% in a year and occupancy is 94%, so concessions are easiest to get here.

  • Downtown and Edgewater higher rents

    Downtown one-beds have a median of about $3,000; Edgewater, along the bay to the north, is about $3,850 (Zumper, September 2026). Both are mostly new high-rises with gyms and pools, and much new supply. Edgewater was also the setting for one of the 2026 Facebook rental scams, so check who controls a unit before paying.

  • Wynwood and Midtown higher rents

    Former warehouses and street art, now mid-rise apartment blocks, offices and nightlife; one-beds about $3,200 (Zumper, September 2026). There are also co-living houses renting single rooms. It can be noisy at weekends, and parking is tight.

  • Little Havana and Coral Way lower rents

    The cheapest close-in area: East Little Havana one-beds about $1,733 and two-beds $2,200 (Zumper, September 2026). Spanish is the everyday language. Most homes are older low-rise blocks and duplexes, many let by individual owners, close to Brickell and Downtown jobs by bus or bike.

  • Coral Gables and Coconut Grove higher rents

    Leafy and quieter, near the University of Miami. Coral Gables is its own city, and its large buildings average $4,446 a unit after the county's biggest rise (+9.5%) in a year. Coconut Grove averages $3,199 (Yardi Matrix via MIAMI REALTORS, July 2026). Metrorail stations sit along US-1 on the edge of both.

  • Miami Beach mid-range

    A separate city on the barrier islands, with one-beds around $2,500 (Zumper, September 2026), mostly older condos and Art Deco blocks. Large-building rents rose 7.5% in a year. Holiday letting is banned in single-family homes and many residential districts, so a 'long let' that looks like a holiday flat deserves questions. Commuting to the mainland means causeway traffic.

  • Doral and Kendall mid-range

    Suburban areas west and south-west: Doral's large buildings average $2,914 a unit and West Kendall's $2,299 (Yardi Matrix, July 2026). Doral is close to the airport and logistics jobs; Kendall is family suburbs with Metrorail at Dadeland. You will need a car for most trips.

  • Broward County (Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale) mid-range

    The county to the north, where large-building asking rents averaged $2,472 in May 2026 (MIAMI REALTORS). Many people who work in Miami live here and commute by car, Tri-Rail or Brightline. It is a realistic fallback if Miami prices are out of reach, but count the commute time.

A white Art Deco building in Miami Beach
A white Art Deco building in Miami Beach

What landlords ask for

Have these ready as PDFs before the first viewing; in Miami the flat often goes to whoever sends a complete file first.

  • Photo ID: passport or driver's licence. Some towers ask for it even to book a tour.
  • Proof of income of about three times the monthly rent: recent pay stubs, an offer letter or bank statements (Maizon Brickell's stated requirement, typical of corporate buildings).
  • A credit and background check by a screening company, normally run on a Social Security number. Without one, or without US credit history, offer bank statements, a larger deposit or rent paid in advance (Florida sets no cap), or a US guarantor.
  • Application fees per adult and an administration fee in corporate buildings (for example $150 and $350 at Maizon Brickell in 2026), plus the deposit. Some buildings offer a monthly fee instead of a deposit, but must tell you a normal deposit is still an option.
  • For a condo: a separate association application, fee (up to $150 per applicant) and background check, and possibly an association deposit of up to one month's rent.
  • Proof of renters' insurance, which most corporate buildings make a lease condition.
  • Honest paperwork only: since 1 October 2026, getting a rental by false statements or forged documents such as fake pay stubs is a third-degree felony in Florida (HB 1293).

Scams typical of Miami

Scam risk here is rated 4 of 5. Miami Police arrested two men in 2026 over separate Facebook Marketplace rental scams. In the first (arrest 29 April 2026), at least seven victims lost over $50,000 in total; police warned renters about deposits requested through Zelle, Venmo or Cash App (CBS Miami, 1 May 2026; Local10, 30 April 2026). In the second (arrest 21 May 2026), fake leases and video tours were used for flats the suspect had no right to let, including one in Edgewater (Local10, 22 and 27 May 2026). The FTC's rental listing scam guidance was updated in June 2026. The general patterns, and what to do if you have already paid, are in the scam guide.

  • Facebook Marketplace 'landlord' with a video tour

    The flat is real, but the person letting it is not entitled to. They send a FaceTime or video walkthrough and a lease, take a deposit by Zelle, Venmo or Cash App, then postpone the move-in ('there's a plumbing problem') and block you. Miami Police arrested two men for this in April and May 2026; in one case victims lost over $50,000 between them. The sign: an app payment before you have checked the owner on the Property Appraiser's site.

  • Shown in person, but not theirs to let

    Some fraudsters get access to a unit, through a short-term booking or borrowed keys, and hold real viewings. In the 2026 Edgewater case, one victim learned from the building's management that the 'landlord' had no link to the flat. Ask the front desk or management office who manages the unit, and check that the owner's name matches before you pay.

  • Temporary furnished let that never starts

    Short furnished lets for a few weeks or a winter season are in high demand, and scammers target families and seasonal visitors with them. A Miami family lost $2,000 in 2026 on a four-to-six-week let that was fake from the start. Book short stays through a platform that holds your payment, and check that a Miami Beach holiday let is licensed.

  • Fake agent or 'condo approval' fee

    Someone poses as a Realtor or property manager and asks for application, 'association approval' or holding fees paid to them personally. Real association fees are paid to the association and capped at $150 per applicant, and a real agent has a Florida licence you can look up on the DBPR site.

  • Wire, gift card or crypto payment

    A 'landlord' abroad or 'travelling' asks for the deposit by wire transfer, Western Union, gift cards or cryptocurrency. The FTC says anyone who insists on these payment methods is running a scam. Report it to the police, the website and ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

How long it takes

With paperwork in order, two to six weeks from first alert to keys is realistic, since supply is ample; allow longer for a condo, where association approval adds time. First, work out your budget against the three-times-rent income rule and decide how you will cover a missing US credit history: savings statements, a larger deposit or rent in advance, or a US guarantor. Then set alerts on Zillow, Apartments.com and Zumper (SpareRoom for rooms), decide between a corporate building (faster, fee-heavy, concessions) and a condo let by an owner (often cheaper, slower), and visit in person. Before paying anything, check the owner on the Property Appraiser's site and any agent's licence on the DBPR site, pay by a traceable method to the building or a verified owner, and get the lease and, for a lease of a year or more, the flood disclosure. Expect to pay the first month's rent, a deposit (often also the last month's rent, as Florida sets no cap) and the application and admin fees at signing. Then set up electricity in your name and buy renters' insurance if the lease requires it.

Where to get help

  • Miami-Dade Office of Housing AdvocacyCounty hotline 786-469-4545 (weekdays 8am–5pm) and housingadvocacy@miamidade.gov, giving referrals for housing complaints, rental and utility assistance and legal aid, plus tenant rights training. It does not give legal advice, mediate or represent tenants.
  • Legal Services of Greater MiamiFree civil legal aid for people on low incomes in Miami-Dade (305-576-0080), with tenant guides in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole on deposits, repairs, lockouts, evictions, Section 8 and what to do when a condo association demands your rent.
  • Miami-Dade Commission on Human RightsTakes housing discrimination complaints under the county ordinance, which lists source of income alongside race, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and other grounds. File within 365 days; it covers housing providers who own and let more than three units. Phone 305-375-2784.
  • Florida Attorney GeneralThe state's consumer protection office, with an online complaint form for fraud and deceptive business practices.
  • Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: file a complaintThe state consumer complaint line, 1-800-HELP-FLA (1-800-FL-AYUDA in Spanish). It takes complaints about any business, whether or not the state regulates it.
  • FTC: Rental listing scamsFederal advice on spotting fake rental listings (updated June 2026). Report a scam to the local police (Miami Police Department or Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office), the website and ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Questions people ask about renting in Miami

Does Miami-Dade's Tenant's Bill of Rights still protect me?

Mostly not. The county adopted it in May 2022, with rules such as 60 days' notice of a rise over 5%. Since 1 July 2023, Florida law has overridden local rules on screening, deposits, application fees, lease terms, disclosures, landlord fees and notices (s.83.425). State law, summarised on the United States page, now governs your tenancy. What remains is the county's Office of Housing Advocacy hotline and its referrals (as of 2026-10).

Can a landlord in Miami refuse my Section 8 voucher?

Under federal and Florida law, yes. Miami-Dade's human rights ordinance lists source of income as a protected ground, and the county's Commission on Human Rights still lists it and accepts complaints against landlords with more than three units (as of 2026-10). Some legal commentators argue the 2023 state law overrides it, and we found no court ruling either way, so get advice from Legal Services of Greater Miami if it happens to you.

Are rents in Miami falling?

Not overall. Zillow's index for the City of Miami was $3,008 in August 2026, up 0.8% in a year, after a 48% jump between January 2021 and August 2022. In large buildings, asking rents fell 2.2% in Brickell and 2.1% in Edgewater because of new supply, but rose 9.5% in Coral Gables and 7.5% in Miami Beach (Yardi Matrix, July 2026). The real change is concessions: many new towers offer one to three months free.

How much money do I need up front?

Florida sets no cap, so expect the first month's rent and a deposit, often also the last month's rent, plus application and administration fees. At one Brickell tower in 2026, that meant a $150 application fee, a $350 admin fee and a $1,000 deposit for a one-bed. A condo let adds the association's fee of up to $150 per applicant and possibly an association deposit of up to one month's rent. If a building offers a monthly fee instead of a deposit, it must tell you a normal deposit is still an option.

Can I rent short term for the winter or let my flat on Airbnb?

It depends on the city. Miami Beach bans rentals of less than six months and one day in all single-family homes and many residential districts, and requires a business tax receipt and resort tax number in every listing. In the City of Miami, single-family homes and duplexes in the T3 and T4-R zones cannot be short-term rentals after the City of Miami v. Airbnb ruling, and other units need an annual certificate of use, a business tax receipt and a state lodging licence. Unincorporated Miami-Dade requires an annual certificate of use for lets under 30 days. Condo associations can also ban short lets. Stays of six months or less pay state sales tax and county tourist tax (2026).

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