City comparison
Columbus, 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 5.7% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $105,700 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 $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Tampa, FL ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by +5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.3% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,678 in Tampa | $94,627 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
51 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Tampa, FL | Real change, Columbus → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $60,120 | $56,890 (−27.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $130,450 | $123,441 (+0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $78,990 | $74,746 (−8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $85,470 | $80,878 (−3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.