Short answer: If you’re moving to Miami for the winter — the classic snowbird season of November through April — most snowbirds rent furnished seasonal condos in four zones: Sunny Isles Beach, Key Biscayne, Brickell, and Aventura. For winter 2026–2027, real furnished listings (October 2026) run: Sunny Isles Beach studios from $2,300/mo, 1-bedrooms $3,000–$4,800/mo, 2-bedrooms $5,990–$7,000/mo; Key Biscayne seasonal 2-bedrooms $6,500–$6,900/mo (Dec–Mar, full term) and 3-bedrooms $16,000–$17,000/mo; Brickell furnished studios $2,400–$2,800/mo, 1-bedrooms from $3,255/mo. The question “Where snowbirds rent in Miami for winter 2026–2027 (and what it really costs)” has one answer most guides hide: Florida adds roughly 13% tourist tax on top of the rent for any lease of 6 months or less — budget rent × 1.13 for the true monthly cost.
Updated: October 11, 2026. Rents are furnished, seasonal listings from October 2026; tax figure per Florida Department of Revenue and Miami-Dade County.
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The best neighborhoods in Miami for snowbirds this winter
Snowbirds don’t spread evenly across Miami-Dade — they cluster where furnished, association-approved seasonal rentals actually exist. These are the four zones with real winter 2026–2027 inventory, priced from live listings:
- Sunny Isles Beach — the classic snowbird corridor. Beachfront condo towers with 30-day-minimum buildings, beach service, and walkable Collins Avenue. The densest supply of furnished 3-month rentals.
- Key Biscayne — the quiet, village version of the snowbird winter: Crandon Park, a small-town center, and seasonal listings that run on full Dec–Mar terms. Pricier, calmer, and popular with returning snowbirds who know the island’s buildings.
- Brickell — for the snowbird who wants city, not beach: restaurants, MetroMover, and furnished units in towers with 3-month minimums. Usually the best value per bedroom of the three.
- Aventura — the practical alternative north of Miami Beach: mall, hospitals, golf, and furnished condos that cost less than the oceanfront corridor.
| Zone | Furnished seasonal rent, winter 2026–2027 (real listings, Oct 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sunny Isles Beach | Studio $2,300/mo · 1BR $3,000–$4,800/mo · 2BR $5,990–$7,000/mo · luxury 1BR+den $11,000/mo | Studio listing adds ~13% tax + $450 registration; 1BR listed at $3,000/mo for 3 months, $3,400/mo for 1 month |
| Key Biscayne | 2BR seasonal $6,500–$6,900/mo · 3BR seasonal $16,000–$17,000/mo | Listings require full Dec 1, 2026–Mar 31, 2027 term; some buildings charge registration and prohibit pets |
| Brickell | Furnished studio $2,400–$2,800/mo · furnished 1BR from $3,255/mo · furnished 2BR $3,310–$5,118/mo | Several towers enforce a 3-month minimum; deposit + first month commonly required upfront |
| Miami Beach | Seasonal 1–2BR $4,000–$8,000/mo typical | Caution: many residential buildings ban rentals under 30 days; always verify the building’s minimum — not just the city |
Sources: live furnished rental listings (Seacoast MLS/BeachesMLS feed, Zumper, ForRent.com), all captured October 2026. Prices are asking rents before tax.
The cost of living in Miami for a snowbird season: the real math
The cost of living in Miami for a snowbird is not the listed rent — it’s the listed rent plus Florida’s transient rental tax. Under Fla. Stat. §125.0104 and §212.0305, any rental of living quarters for a term of 6 months or less is a “transient rental” and gets taxed: 6% Florida sales tax + Miami-Dade County transient taxes (tourist development, convention development, and sports facilities taxes), totaling roughly 13% across most of Miami-Dade (Miami Beach runs ~14%). Leases longer than 6 months are exempt.
Two real-budget examples for winter 2026–2027:
- Sunny Isles Beach, furnished 2BR/2BA at $5,990/mo, 3 months: $17,970 rent + ~13% tax ($2,336) = ~$20,300 true cost before utilities and parking.
- Key Biscayne, seasonal 2BR at $6,900/mo, Dec–Mar (4 months): $27,600 rent + ~13% tax ($3,588) = ~$31,200 true cost.
Who collects it: on direct seasonal leases the landlord or property manager collects it from you; on platforms like Airbnb, the platform collects it. Either way, it’s part of the real price — treat “no tax” quotes as incomplete.
Bringing your pet for the season: what snowbird buildings actually allow
The four zones above don’t treat pets equally — and for snowbirds who travel with a dog, the pet filter can redraw the whole map. Key Biscayne is the strictest: several island buildings prohibit pets outright, on top of the fixed Dec–Mar full-term leases. Sunny Isles and Brickell towers are mixed: many allow dogs within weight caps of 25–50 lbs, but the association’s declaration — not the listing — has the final word. Aventura’s condo stock tends to be the most flexible of the four.
Budget the pet stack like rent: Florida sets no caps, so Miami seasonal listings typically charge $25–$85/month per pet in pet rent, a $100–$500 one-time fee (usually nonrefundable), and a $200–$500 refundable deposit — on top of the ~13% transient tax in the math above. Private landlords and associations can also legally ban breeds; the 2023 repeal of Miami-Dade’s pit bull ordinance only bound the government, not private buildings.
Make the pet addendum part of your zone shortlist. Before you rank Sunny Isles vs. Key Biscayne vs. Brickell, ask each building for the pet addendum (charges, what’s refundable, breed list, weight cap, number of pets) and the association’s pet rules in writing. Our guide to pet policies in Miami rentals details every charge, the breed and weight rules, and the Miami-Dade dog license you’ll need within 30 days of arrival.
What most people don’t know
- The 13% tax applies even to private, by-owner leases. It’s a state + county rule on the term (6 months or less), not on the booking platform. A 3-month or 4-month winter lease always triggers it; only a 7-month-plus lease avoids it.
- The condo association can kill your rental. Most snowbird-friendly buildings require a rental application, background screening, and a registration fee (real example in Sunny Isles Beach: $450). Some Key Biscayne buildings prohibit pets outright. Get the association’s approval timeline in writing before you book travel.
- “Seasonal rental, full term only” is the norm in Key Biscayne. Live winter listings show Dec 1, 2026–Mar 31, 2027 as a fixed, non-negotiable term. Flexibility on dates usually costs more per month — one Sunny Isles 1BR lists $3,000/mo for 3 months but $3,400/mo for 1 month.
- Book by summer — the furnished seasonal inventory is thin. Owners list winter units mid-year; by October the oceanfront 2-bedrooms with real beach service are already spoken for. If you’re shopping now, you’ll pay peak-season pricing or take what’s left.
- Miami Beach is the trap zone. The city bans nightly rentals in most residential areas, and many individual buildings set 30-day minimums regardless. A 3-month seasonal lease is usually fine — but verify the building’s rule, because city-level rules don’t override stricter association rules.
- Snowbird pricing ≠ 12-month lease pricing. A furnished 1BR in Brickell at $3,255/mo seasonal has no comparison to a 12-month unfurnished lease — different product, different market. Compare seasonal to seasonal only.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 3-month winter rental in Miami really cost in 2026–2027? Furnished, before tax: studios from ~$2,300/mo (Sunny Isles Beach, Brickell), 1-bedrooms $3,000–$4,800/mo, 2-bedrooms $5,990–$7,000/mo, Key Biscayne 2-bedrooms $6,500–$6,900/mo. Add ~13% tourist tax and you’ll land between ~$8,600 and ~$24,000 in total housing cost for a 3-month season, depending on zone and size.
Do I pay tourist tax on a 4-month seasonal lease in Florida? Yes. Florida taxes transient rentals — terms of 6 months or less — at 6% state sales tax plus local county transient taxes, roughly 13% in most of Miami-Dade (about 14% in Miami Beach). Only leases longer than 6 months are exempt.
When should I book my Miami winter rental? Ideally 3–6 months ahead — summer or early fall for a November–March season. By October, prime furnished inventory (oceanfront 2-bedrooms, Key Biscayne seasonal units) is largely booked, and late shoppers pay peak pricing.
Can snowbirds bring a dog to a seasonal rental in Miami? Yes, but the building decides — not the city. Key Biscayne is the strictest (some buildings ban pets outright); Sunny Isles, Brickell, and Aventura are mixed, with typical weight caps of 25–50 lbs. Budget $25–$85/month per pet plus a $100–$500 one-time fee and/or $200–$500 refundable deposit, and get the pet rules in writing before you book travel.
Can I rent for only January and February? You can, but the monthly rate climbs. A real Sunny Isles Beach listing prices the same furnished 1BR at $3,000/mo for a 3-month term and $3,400/mo for 1 month — shorter stays carry a premium, and you’ll still pay the ~13% tourist tax.
Yara Coker — SETTLE, relocation services in Miami.
