City comparison
Madison, WI vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 3.7% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $103,700 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 $1,482 in Madison, WI. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 24% in Madison, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Madison, WI 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 Madison, WI to Tampa, FL changes real buying power by −3.6%, purely from prices.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,703 in Tampa | $96,429 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
57 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
80 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 Madison, WI to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Tampa, FL | Real change, Madison → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $60,120 | $57,973 (−9.0%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $130,450 | $125,791 (−3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $78,990 | $76,169 (−6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $85,470 | $82,418 (−18.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.