City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 2.7% higher than in Tampa, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tampa, FL would need about $102,700 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $1,581 in Chicago, IL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 26% in Chicago, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.5% moving from Chicago, IL to Tampa, FL ($118,984 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.1% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- 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
| Chicago, IL | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,389 in Tampa | $102,681 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Tampa, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
76 Strong offer
Tampa, FL → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Tampa, FL | Real change, Chicago → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $61,722 | −8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $74,678 | −8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $89,508 | −8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $106,437 | −8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $125,776 | −8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $60,120 | $61,732 (−21.3%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $130,450 | $133,948 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $78,990 | $81,108 (−1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $85,470 | $87,762 (−12.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.