City comparison
Pensacola, 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 3.2% higher than in Pensacola, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Pensacola, FL would need about $103,200 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 $1,257 in Pensacola, FL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 19% in Pensacola, 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 Pensacola, FL to Tampa, FL changes real buying power by −3.1%, purely from prices.
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (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
| Pensacola, FL | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.7 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,247 in Tampa | $96,855 in Pensacola |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,257/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 | 19% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,240 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pensacola | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.8 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 88.5 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 97.7 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pensacola, FL → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
58 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Pensacola, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
79 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 Pensacola, FL to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pensacola, FL | Tampa, FL | Real change, Pensacola → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pensacola, FL | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Pensacola dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,360 | $60,120 | $58,229 (+15.6%) |
| Software Developers | $108,430 | $130,450 | $126,347 (+16.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,410 | $78,990 | $76,506 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,890 | $85,470 | $82,782 (+6.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.