City comparison
Riverside, CA vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 5.5% higher than in Tampa, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tampa, FL would need about $105,500 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA and $1,696 in Tampa, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Riverside, CA than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.2% moving from Riverside, CA to Tampa, FL ($124,085 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.5% in real buying power.
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
- 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
| Riverside, CA | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.4 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,784 in Tampa | $105,503 in Riverside |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,777/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,400 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Riverside | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.3 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 101.4 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 101.3 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 106.4 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Riverside, CA → Tampa, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
85 Strong offer
Tampa, FL → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Riverside, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Riverside, CA to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Riverside, CA | Tampa, FL | Real change, Riverside → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $61,722 | −9.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $74,678 | −9.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $89,508 | −9.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $106,437 | −9.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $125,776 | −9.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Riverside, CA | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Riverside dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,520 | $60,120 | $63,428 (−35.6%) |
| Software Developers | $133,270 | $130,450 | $137,629 (+3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,920 | $78,990 | $83,337 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $133,940 | $85,470 | $90,173 (−32.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.