City comparison
Orlando, FL vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Orlando, FL (101.4) and Tampa, FL (100.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Orlando, FL goes as far as $99,500 in Tampa, FL.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,731 a month in Orlando, FL and $1,696 in Tampa, 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 Orlando, FL to Tampa, FL changes real buying power by +0.5%, purely from prices.
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (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
| Orlando, FL | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.4 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,479 in Tampa | $100,523 in Orlando |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,731/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 | 26% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,630 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Orlando | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.4 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 87.2 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 101.4 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Orlando, FL → Tampa, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
69 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Orlando, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
65 Fair 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 Orlando, FL to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Orlando, FL | Tampa, FL | Real change, Orlando → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Orlando, FL | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Orlando dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,190 | $60,120 | $60,435 (+0.4%) |
| Software Developers | $129,620 | $130,450 | $131,133 (+1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,630 | $78,990 | $79,403 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,550 | $85,470 | $85,917 (+2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.