City comparison
Ocala, FL vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 5.9% higher than in Ocala, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Ocala, FL would need about $105,900 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 $1,172 in Ocala, FL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 18% in Ocala, FL.
- Both are in FL, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- 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 Ocala, FL to Tampa, FL changes real buying power by −5.6%, purely from prices.
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (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
| Ocala, FL | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,939 in Tampa | $94,394 in Ocala |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,172/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,990 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ocala, FL MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Ocala, FL and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ocala | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.2 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 87.1 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ocala, FL → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
50 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Ocala, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
87 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 Ocala, FL to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ocala, FL | Tampa, FL | Real change, Ocala → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ocala, FL | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Ocala dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,540 | $60,120 | $56,750 (−1.4%) |
| Software Developers | $112,780 | $130,450 | $123,137 (+9.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,370 | $78,990 | $74,562 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,230 | $85,470 | $80,678 (+1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.