Metro cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

Cost-of-living indicators for Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL, from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100.

Reviewed byPlaincost Editorial, Cost Of Living Editorial Team · June 15, 2026

100.9
Overall RPP: #70
of 387 metros: 125.8
Rents RPP: $99K
$100K national buys

The verdict

Tampa is more expensive than 82% of U.S. metros — an overall cost index of 100.9, 0.9% above the national average, led by rents at 125.8.

100.9
overall cost index (US average = 100): #70
most expensive of 387 U.S. metros: top 18%
by overall cost, nationwide: 125.8
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $99,118 here; matching a $100K lifestyle takes roughly $100,890.

What the Numbers Mean for Tampa

Tampa ranks #70 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the top quartile for cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 100.9, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL is 0.9% more expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Tampa's most and least expensive categories — rents at 125.8 versus services at 88.5 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.

Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $99,118 inside Tampa, while a household needs roughly $100,890 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 125.8 — 25.8% above the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.

Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Tampa's overall index has fallen by 2.4 points, improving relative affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 95.5 and services at 88.5, meaning everyday spending in Tampa is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.

Tampa vs every U.S. metro

Where this metro sits in the national cost distribution

101 Top 18% higher than 82% of 387 US metros

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Rents

125.8
Services

88.5
Overall

100.9
Goods

95.5

What this shows Tampa's gap from the national average is led by rents at 125.8. Goods barely move between metros; the spread you feel is housing and services.

Goods vs. housing — where Tampa's cost comes from

Metros near Tampa's overall cost, plotted by their goods price (horizontal) and housing price (vertical). Same headline RPP, very different structures.

Crosshairs sit at the group median (goods 96.3, rents 123.3). Tampa is more housing-led than its peers — its rents run higher than its goods. These metros sit near Tampa's overall cost, yet they spread across the chart — proof that two places at the same headline RPP can have very different goods-vs-housing structures.

Price Index Summary

Overall

100.9

+0.9 above avg

Goods

95.5

-4.5 below avg

Services

88.5

-11.5 below avg

Rents

125.8

+25.8 above avg

Salary Equivalent

A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:

$100,890

in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL purchasing power

$50,000 nationally

$50,445

$75,000 nationally

$75,668

$125,000 nationally

$126,112

$150,000 nationally

$151,335

$200,000 nationally

$201,780

Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.

RPP History (2008-2024)

The cost of living has been trending downward, decreasing by 2.4 points over this period.

Year	Overall	Goods	Services	Rents
2008	103.3	102.6	99.7	111.3
2009	103.3	102.3	101.5	110.7
2010	101.4	99.9	94.4	108.1
2011	100.2	99.0	92.4	105.7
2012	100.3	100.3	90.3	106.6
2013	101.2	100.0	99.6	105.5
2014	101.3	99.5	96.9	105.9
2015	100.9	97.6	92.7	103.8
2016	97.1	95.1	96.2	105.2
2017	97.0	95.8	97.7	107.1
2018	95.3	94.6	98.0	107.2
2019	96.5	92.4	101.7	106.7
2020	101.3	100.4	95.5	115.3
2021	98.8	96.2	96.1	111.3
2022	99.9	97.6	92.8	118.6
2023	102.5	99.0	95.3	123.5
2024	100.9	95.5	88.5	125.8

Metros with Similar Cost of Living

These metros have an overall RPP closest to Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL's index of 100.9.

Bakersfield-Delano, CA 100.9 Ann Arbor, MI 100.9 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT 100.9 Burlington-South Burlington, VT 100.9 Charleston-North Charleston, SC 101.0 Reno, NV 101.0

Other FL Metros

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach 114.2 Naples-Marco Island 103.2 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota 102.4 Cape Coral-Fort Myers 102.3 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford 101.4 Punta Gorda 100.5

View all FL metros →

What this means for Tampa

How to read Tampa's cost of living before a move, a job offer, or a budget.

Budget to local prices, not headline pay — a $100K national salary spends like about $99,118 in Tampa. Salary calculator
Weigh housing heaviest: rents here index at 125.8 (25.8% above average) — the single largest swing in the RPP, while goods barely move between metros.
Local median household income is $71,254; adjusted for Tampa's price level that is about $70,625 in national-average buying power.
Compare Tampa head-to-head against a specific destination before you decide. Compare metros

RPP is BEA's annual price-level benchmark for the data year shown — not a live market quote. Pair it with current local wages and housing costs before deciding.

Compare to Other Metros

vs New York-Newark-Jersey City vs Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim vs Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington vs Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Custom Compare →

Cost of Living Guides

Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026

Official BEA data on the most affordable areas

Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings

What drives high costs and how to cope

Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data

Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations

Comparing Metro Areas

Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL? ▼

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 100.9, meaning it is 0.9% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 95.5, services at 88.5, and rents at 125.8. It ranks #70 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.

What salary do I need in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL to match $100K nationally? ▼

To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $100,890 in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL. Conversely, $100K earned in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL has the purchasing power of $99,118 at the national average.

How expensive is rent in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL? ▼

Rents in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL are indexed at 125.8, which is 25.8% above the national average. This is significantly higher than typical U.S. rents.

Is Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL getting more expensive? ▼

From 2008 to 2024, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL's overall cost index changed by -2.4 points (from 103.3 to 100.9). The cost of living has been declining.

What costs the most in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL? ▼

The most expensive category in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL is rents at 125.8, which is 25.8% above the national average. The most affordable category is services at 88.5, 11.5% below average.

What metros have a similar cost of living to Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL? ▼

Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Bakersfield-Delano, Ann Arbor, Salt Lake City-Murray. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL's 100.9.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.

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Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Federal data behind these figures

BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — the cost-of-living indices shown on this page. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) — the gross-rent observations BEA uses to build the rents component. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — the price program underlying BEA's goods and services price relatives. bls.gov/cpi
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage reference for the labor-driven services component. bls.gov/oes
HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — federal 40th-percentile rent cross-reference for the housing component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr