City comparison
Reno, NV vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Reno, NV (101.0) and Tampa, FL (100.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Reno, NV goes as far as $99,900 in Tampa, FL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $1,489 in Reno, NV. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 23% in Reno, NV.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in NV and $0 in FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.4% moving from Reno, NV to Tampa, FL ($106,855 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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
| Reno, NV | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,877 in Tampa | $100,123 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Tampa, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
68 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Reno, NV
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Tampa, FL | Real change, Reno → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $61,722 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $74,678 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $89,508 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $106,437 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $125,776 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $60,120 | $60,194 (−3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $130,450 | $130,610 (+3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $78,990 | $79,087 (−4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $85,470 | $85,575 (−20.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.