City comparison
Memphis, 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 9.5% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $109,500 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 $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, 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 Tampa, FL changes real buying power by −8.6%, purely from prices.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (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
| Memphis, TN | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,450 in Tampa | $91,366 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/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 | 17% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
41 Weak offer
Tampa, FL → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
98 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 Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | Tampa, FL | Real change, Memphis → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −8.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −8.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −8.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −8.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −8.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,510 | $60,120 | $54,929 (−10.7%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $130,450 | $119,187 (−5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $78,990 | $72,170 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $85,470 | $78,090 (−4.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.