City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fort Collins, CO (101.1) and Tampa, FL (100.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO goes as far as $99,800 in Tampa, FL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $1,537 in Fort Collins, CO. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 24% in Fort Collins, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Fort Collins, CO than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Tampa, FL ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.1% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- 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
| Fort Collins, CO | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,765 in Tampa | $100,236 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Tampa, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
68 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Fort Collins, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Tampa, FL | Real change, Fort Collins → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −10.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −10.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −10.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −10.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −10.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $60,120 | $60,262 (−4.2%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $130,450 | $130,758 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $78,990 | $79,176 (−11.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $85,470 | $85,672 (−12.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.