City comparison
South Bend, IN vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 8.6% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $108,600 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 $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in South Bend, IN than in Tampa, FL.
- 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 South Bend, IN to Tampa, FL changes real buying power by −8.0%, purely from prices.
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (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
| South Bend, IN | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,650 in Tampa | $92,039 in South Bend |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,105/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,540 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | South Bend | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.6 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 87.7 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.2 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
South Bend, IN → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
43 Weak offer
Tampa, FL → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
96 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 South Bend, IN to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | South Bend, IN | Tampa, FL | Real change, South Bend → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | South Bend, IN | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in South Bend dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,180 | $60,120 | $55,334 (−4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $95,500 | $130,450 | $120,065 (+25.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,940 | $78,990 | $72,701 (−6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,540 | $85,470 | $78,666 (−15.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.