City comparison
Provo, UT vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 2.7% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $102,700 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 $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Provo, UT 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 Provo, UT to Tampa, FL changes real buying power by −2.6%, purely from prices.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- 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
| Provo, UT | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,706 in Tampa | $97,365 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
59 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Provo, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
77 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 Provo, UT to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Tampa, FL | Real change, Provo → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $60,120 | $58,536 (−7.0%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $130,450 | $127,013 (−3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $78,990 | $76,909 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $85,470 | $83,218 (+1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.