City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 5.6% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $105,600 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 $1,278 in Grand Rapids, MI. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 20% in Grand Rapids, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Tampa, FL changes real buying power by −5.3%, purely from prices.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (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
| Grand Rapids, MI | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,593 in Tampa | $94,703 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
51 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
86 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Grand Rapids, MI to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Tampa, FL | Real change, Grand Rapids → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $95,660 | $118,970 | $112,668 (+17.8%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $130,450 | $123,540 (+14.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $78,990 | $74,806 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $85,470 | $80,943 (−3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.