City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 5.8% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $105,800 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 $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cincinnati, OH than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Tampa, FL ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by +5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.2% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,788 in Tampa | $94,529 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
51 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Tampa, FL | Real change, Cincinnati → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | −9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | −9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | −9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | −9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | −9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $60,120 | $56,831 (−12.2%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $130,450 | $123,313 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $78,990 | $74,668 (−7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $85,470 | $80,794 (−3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.