City comparison
Raleigh, NC vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 2.8% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $102,800 in Tampa, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $1,596 in Raleigh, NC. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 25% in Raleigh, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Raleigh, NC than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Raleigh, NC to Tampa, FL ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by +2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.8% in real buying power.
- Raleigh, NC: 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
| Raleigh, NC | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,784 in Tampa | $97,291 in Raleigh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,596/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,990 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Raleigh | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.5 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Raleigh, NC → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
59 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Raleigh, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Raleigh, NC to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Raleigh, NC | Tampa, FL | Real change, Raleigh → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | −6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | −6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | −6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | −6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | −6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Raleigh, NC | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Raleigh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,170 | $60,120 | $58,491 (−2.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,770 | $130,450 | $126,916 (−4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,950 | $78,990 | $76,850 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,830 | $85,470 | $83,155 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.