City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 3.6% higher than in Tampa, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tampa, FL would need about $103,600 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $1,511 in Baltimore, MD. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 24% in Baltimore, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Baltimore, MD to Tampa, FL ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.5% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (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
| Baltimore, MD | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,557 in Tampa | $103,565 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Tampa, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
79 Strong offer
Tampa, FL → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Tampa, FL | Real change, Baltimore → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −9.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −9.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −9.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −9.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −9.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $60,120 | $62,263 (−18.5%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $130,450 | $135,101 (−2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $78,990 | $81,806 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $85,470 | $88,517 (−11.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.