Known for its beautiful beaches, diverse mix of cultures, and vibrant nightlife, Miami is one of the coolest places in the country to call home. Of course, along with all of the amenities comes a very high cost of living. However, by settling in one of these affordable cities near Miami instead of downtown, you can get the best of both worlds, all while staying well within your budget.
While the percent of income spent on rent might seem high for this Miami suburb (the national average tends to be around a 33 percent), buying a home in the West Park area is pretty affordable. With the average home value at $113,000 and an extremely low cost of living, this might be your best bet. West Park is just north of Miami-Dade County, which makes it great for commuting into Miami for work. Living here will save you a ton of money, all while letting you take advantage of that famous Florida sunshine.
The median income in Lauderhill may be one of the lowest on our list, but the low home costs help to offset that number with the cheapest average cost in our top 10. The cost of living is also below the national average here, a rarity for the Miami area. Another huge benefit of living in Lauderhill is the emphasis that the city puts on maintaining their outdoor recreation spots. It’s home to 22 parks and recreational facilities open to local residents. The community is also very active, with tons of sports leagues for all ages and training camps for the kids.
Richmond West is one suburb that gives you that famous Miami feel without the high costs. Home to around 30,000 residents, this town is one of the most diverse affordable suburbs in the area. It’s also close to Zoo Miami, meaning that annual membership pass might actually be worth it.
. Renting will cost you a pretty penny in Miami Gardens. However, the median home price is around $135,700, so it’s a great option for first time home buyers. Nationally, Miami Gardens is recognized for being home to the Sun Life Stadium, known for hosting the Miami Dolphins, the annual Orange Bowl, and the University of Miami Hurricanes. If you’re a big sports fan and you’re looking for an affordable place to live near Miami, this might be the best Miami suburb for you.
The third largest “town” in America, Davie is another affordable Miami suburb that’s a great place to call home… at least 93,000 residents think so. Home prices do tend to be a bit higher here, but so do the incomes. If there’s one thing that Davie should be noted for, it’s the many schools in the area. Davie is home to eight college campuses, including Nova Southeastern University and branches of Florida Atlantic and UF. It’s also got a great public school system with a wide variety of options, including a long list of private schools. There’s also a vibrant nightlife in Davie and the town is home to attractions like the Bergeron Rodeo Grounds, the Young Art Museum, and the Flamingo Gardens.
North Miami Beach, also known as NMB, is one of the most affordable spots in the area that can deliver an ocean view. Plus, with neighborhoods like Chinatown, there’s plenty of opportunities for cultural experiences. Aside from having some of the most popular beaches in the Miami area, NMB offers plenty of other amenities, including the large mall, a Medieval Spanish monastery, and a huge tennis center with 24 courts for racquet-based sports.
Don’t be turned off by the income to home value ratio in Hallandale Beach just yet, the cost of living here is very low compared to other spots in the area, which helps to make up for this disparity. Home to the horse racing at Gulfstream Park and the Mardi Gras Casino, there’s always something to do on the weekends here. There’s also a local financial district, which is known for bringing plenty of jobs to the area.
While Hialeah Gardens is close to Miami, all of the single-story developments give this suburb more of a small town vibe. Plus, the three new schools built within the last seven years make it great for families with kids. Hialeah Gardens’ close proximity to Okeechobee Road and the Palmetto Expressway not only make commuting easy, they’ve also brought tons of new business to the area. With that groundwork laid, Hialeah Gardens is one its way to becoming one of the fastest growing suburbs in Miami-Dade County.
With over 41 parks spanning 678 acres, there’s tons of green space in the Miami suburb of Plantation. It’s also got a great public and private school system, making Plantation a good choice for young families. One of the pricier suburbs on our list, Plantation is still affordable for the middle class thanks to the higher average wages in the local area.
Known as the “Antique Capital of the South,” Dania Beach is home to all sorts of unique attractions that make this affordable Miami suburb worth talking about. Dania Beach is home to one of the largest jai alai frontons, the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum and the street of shops downtown known as “Antique Row.” One suburb that’s always bustling, living here will give you easy access to those awesome beach views that Miami is known for. This is definitely one affordable Miami option worth checking out.
To create this list of affordable Miami suburbs, we took a look at the following criteria, considering what might be important to people on a budget.
We then averaged those scores into one overall score and the places with the ten lowest scores made up our list of the ten most affordable Miami suburbs. For this list, we sourced data from AreaVibes, amenities data from local business listings, and the rest of the data from the 2013 U.S. Census American Community Survey. Want to see how all 32 Miami suburbs stacked up? Take a look at the table below: 
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