True cost — by city
Wynwood worked example (2026): triple-net in mid-$50s/sq ft, $12,000-$15,000/mo for a storefront, deposits + initial rent $60,000 on 2,200 sq ft. Ghost/private lease $3,000-$6,000/mo, turnkey $4,000-$6,000/mo (Restroworks). Florida transfers get temporary liquor license; new applications do not.
TI band $98-$165/sq ft for Miami/Tampa/Orlando mid-tier retail (Terrapin) understates full restaurant build: Wynwood full-service buildout $250-$400/sq ft, $660,000 at $300/sq ft for 2,200 sq ft, plus $150,000 kitchen, $125,000 quota liquor license in that example; total ~$1,545,000. Wind-load on storefront/rooftop and 4-8 month permitting are Miami-specific drivers.
Overall cost level: higher for a US restaurant opening. The city moves the rent and the build-out; the state moves the permits, the certificates and the liquor clock — and Miami sits in Florida.
Start with the state layer: Florida permits · Florida liquor · Florida hub.
Don't read the table — run your verdict. Pick Florida, add your format and rent — the regulated lines fill themselves.
Included in the $49 Opening Pack: the filled templates, trackers, calendars and worksheets for this door — built from the same dated datasets as the free checker above.
Sources: Terrapin Construction Group 2026; Omar Hussain — Real Cost of Opening a Restaurant in Miami in 2026 (worked Wynwood example), 2026-10. Dataset checked October 23, 2026. Where a fee or rule is set by a county or city, this page says so instead of guessing a number.