City comparison
San Jose, CA vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Jose, CA are 9.4% higher than in Tampa, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tampa, FL would need about $109,400 in San Jose, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,982 a month in San Jose, CA versus $1,696 in Tampa, FL. On $100,000, that's 48% of take-home pay in San Jose, CA and 26% in Tampa, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in San Jose, CA than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from San Jose, CA to Tampa, FL ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.4% in real buying power.
- San Jose, CA: price level 110.4 (much 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
| San Jose, CA | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 110.4 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,367 in Tampa | $109,449 in San Jose |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,982/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 | 48% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $84,050 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Jose | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 211.9 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 156.7 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 110.4 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Jose, CA → Tampa, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
97 Strong offer
Tampa, FL → San Jose, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 48% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
7 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Jose, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from San Jose, CA to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Jose, CA | Tampa, FL | Real change, San Jose → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −12.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −12.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −12.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −12.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −12.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Jose, CA | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in San Jose dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,860 | $60,120 | $65,801 (−36.0%) |
| Software Developers | $213,110 | $130,450 | $142,776 (−33.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $121,700 | $78,990 | $86,454 (−29.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $216,740 | $85,470 | $93,546 (−56.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.