City comparison
Richmond, VA vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 3.1% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $103,100 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 $1,507 in Richmond, VA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 24% in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.3% moving from Richmond, VA to Tampa, FL ($111,183 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.1% in real buying power.
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (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
| Richmond, VA | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,098 in Tampa | $96,995 in Richmond |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,460 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Richmond, VA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Richmond, VA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Richmond | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.1 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Richmond, VA → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
58 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Richmond, VA is in the Richmond, VA pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Richmond, VA to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Richmond, VA | Tampa, FL | Real change, Richmond → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,475 | $61,722 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,009 | $74,678 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,499 | $89,508 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,183 | $106,437 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,385 | $125,776 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Richmond, VA | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Richmond dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,290 | $60,120 | $58,313 (−4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $130,450 | $126,530 (−4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,220 | $78,990 | $76,616 (−9.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,580 | $85,470 | $82,901 (−11.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.