Slower Sundays
Find my cities

Cost of living in Tampa, FL

Compared with New York. Change city

$1,960a month less for the typical home than in New York1,2

That's $23,516 a year, enough to cover 11 months of the mortgage in Tampa. The average commute is 7 minutes shorter each way, about 1.2 hours a week back4.

Typical home $385,398 vs $742,000. 2-bedroom rent3 $1,861 vs $1,997. See the math

By Sol Lakein.Checked October 2026.How we compare costs

Downtown Tampa and the Hillsborough River, TampaAnita Denunzio / Unsplash
All cities
  • Beach or lakeGulf Coast beaches
  • Big-city lifeNFL, MLB, NHL teams

Tampa at a glance, next to New York

5

What the median home costs each month

1,2
New York metro$4,078/mo
$742,000 typical home
Tampa$2,118/mo
$385,398 typical home

If you rent: median 2-bedroom

3
New York metro$1,997/mo
Tampa$1,861/mo
About $136 a month less in rent
Rent by apartment size in Tampa

Day-to-day costs

  • Housing costs626% pricier than averageNew York: 49% above
  • Salary that matches $150,000 in New York6$134,445
  • Net move-ins from other US metros, 2024-257-1,539
Tampa in a paragraph

The median listed home in Tampa is $385,398 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 8% below the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $2,118 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,861 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 100.9, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $134,445 here.

Weather

9
  • 52.8°January low
  • 91°July high

Home prices next to New York

1
Typical home for sale
New York metro$742,000
Tampa$385,398
48% less, a $356,602 difference
Price per square foot
New York metro$494
Tampa$232
2.1 times the space for the money

Your New York, in Tampa

We're matching Tampa's parks, museums, arenas and food halls to their New York counterparts. Until then, see how it works for Raleigh.

See how Tampa ranks for your household

Answer a few quick questions and see how Tampa ranks against 53 other cities for your household.

See how Tampa ranks for you

Is Tampa a good place to live?

Tampa fits families who want homes list 8% below the US median and nonstop flights to New York. The main trade-off is hot summers. Here is what you gain and what you give up.

What you gain

  • Homes list 8% below the US median$385,398 median listing against $419,250 nationally.Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
  • Nonstop flights to New YorkFrom TPA to JFK, LGA, EWR.Airport route page, accessed October 14, 2026
  • Beach or lake accessGulf Coast beachesSlower Sundays city profile

What you trade

  • Hot summersJuly highs average 91°F.NOAA 1991-2020 normals
  • More people leave than arrive1,539 more people left for other US metros than arrived, July 2024 to July 2025.US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025

Is Tampa a good place to live? Read the full pros and cons

More on Tampa and Florida

Show 6 links

Tampa cost of living: questions people ask

What is the cost of living in Tampa, FL?

The median listed home in Tampa is $385,398 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 8% below the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $2,118 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,861 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 100.9, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $134,445 here.

How much would I save moving from New York to Tampa?

The median listed home is $385,398 in Tampa against $742,000 in the New York metro, 48% less. On a mortgage for each median home, that is about $1,960 a month less in principal and interest (20% down, 7.32%, Freddie Mac, October 22, 2026).

How much is rent in Tampa?

The median gross rent for a 2-bedroom in the Tampa metro is $1,861 a month, including utilities the renter pays (Census American Community Survey, 2025). In the New York metro it is $1,997, $136 more. The US median is $1,563.

What salary in Tampa matches $150,000 in New York?

$134,445. That is $150,000 adjusted by the BEA regional price parities for both metros (100.9 in Tampa, 112.6 in New York, 2024).

Does Tampa pay you to move there?

None of the relocation incentive programs we track cover Tampa as of October 2026.

What is the weather like in Tampa?

January lows average 52.8°F and July highs 91°F (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Tampa International Airport).

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Home prices: the typical home is the median listing price, with price per square foot, from Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. The comparison metro uses the same series and month.
  2. 2Monthly cost: Principal and interest on the median listed home with 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026). Excludes taxes, insurance and HOA. Rate source
  3. 3Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities). Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, not only new leases. Census table
  4. 4Commute: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table S0801, mean travel time to work (one way, workers who do not work from home), 2025. Hours back assume a 5-day round trip. Census table
  5. 5At a glance: a difference within 5% counts as about the same.
  6. 6Everyday prices, housing costs and the matching salary: BEA regional price parities, 2024, US = 100.
  7. 7Net move-ins: Census Vintage 2025, via Regions Financial.
  8. 8Flights: airport route pages, October 2026.
  9. 9Weather: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Tampa International Airport.
Sources for this page