City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 4.5% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $104,500 in Tampa, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Tampa, FL.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Asheville, NC to Tampa, FL changes real buying power by −4.3%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Tampa, FL: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,543 in Tampa | $95,655 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
54 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Tampa, FL | Real change, Asheville → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $60,120 | $57,508 (+14.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $130,450 | $124,782 (−7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $78,990 | $75,558 (−6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $85,470 | $81,756 (+0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.