City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 4.1% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $104,100 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 $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Tampa, FL ($111,310 → $106,437), while prices change by +4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.1% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (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
| Milwaukee, WI | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,078 in Tampa | $96,082 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
55 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Tampa, FL | Real change, Milwaukee → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $61,722 | −8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $74,678 | −8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $89,508 | −8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $106,437 | −8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $125,776 | −8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $60,120 | $57,764 (−6.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $130,450 | $125,339 (+1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $78,990 | $75,895 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $85,470 | $82,121 (−15.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.