City comparison
Memphis, TN vs Pensacola, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pensacola, FL are 6.0% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $106,000 in Pensacola, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,257 a month in Pensacola, FL versus $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Pensacola, FL and 17% in Memphis, 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 Memphis, TN to Pensacola, FL changes real buying power by −5.7%, purely from prices.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Memphis, TN | Pensacola, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 97.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,008 in Pensacola | $94,333 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/mo | $1,257/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 | 17% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $46,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | Pensacola |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 98.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 97.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → Pensacola, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
51 Fair offer
Pensacola, FL → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
88 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 Memphis, TN to Pensacola, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | Pensacola, FL | Real change, Memphis → Pensacola |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | Pensacola, FL | Pensacola pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,510 | $50,360 | $47,506 (−22.8%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $108,430 | $102,285 (−18.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $76,410 | $72,080 (−6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $77,890 | $73,476 (−9.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.