City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 17.3% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $117,300 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 $866 in Brownsville, TX. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 13% in Brownsville, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TX and $0 in 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 Brownsville, TX to Tampa, FL changes real buying power by −14.8%, purely from prices.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much 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
| Brownsville, TX | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,348 in Tampa | $85,217 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
36 Weak offer
Tampa, FL → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.3%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 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 Brownsville, TX to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Tampa, FL | Real change, Brownsville → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −14.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −14.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −14.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −14.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −14.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $60,120 | $51,232 (−19.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $130,450 | $111,165 (+3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $78,990 | $67,313 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $85,470 | $72,835 (−10.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.