City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 10.3% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $110,300 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 $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in 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 Chattanooga, TN to Tampa, FL changes real buying power by −9.3%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much 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
| Chattanooga, TN | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,306 in Tampa | $90,657 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
38 Weak offer
Tampa, FL → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 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 Chattanooga, TN to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Tampa, FL | Real change, Chattanooga → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $60,120 | $54,503 (−8.9%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $130,450 | $118,262 (+10.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $78,990 | $71,610 (−6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $85,470 | $77,485 (−2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.