City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 6.6% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $106,600 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 $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Tampa, FL ($110,047 → $106,437), while prices change by +6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.2% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (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
| Pittsburgh, PA | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,569 in Tampa | $93,836 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
48 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Tampa, FL | Real change, Pittsburgh → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $61,722 | −9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $74,678 | −9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $89,508 | −9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $106,437 | −9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $125,776 | −9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $60,120 | $56,414 (−26.3%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $130,450 | $122,409 (−1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $78,990 | $74,121 (−3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $85,470 | $80,202 (−2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.