

Raleigh vs Tampa
$430/mo less in Tampa
RaleighTampaAbout 579 miles apart, a flight.
- Tampa costs you more
- No state income tax
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,307/mo in Tampa. $2,737/mo in Raleigh. −$5,160 a year.
Raleigh
$2,737
left each month
Tampa
$2,307
−$430 vs Raleigh
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 315 households moved Raleigh → Tampa (avg AGI $124,521). 468 went the other way. The whole move →
−$430 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Raleigh | Tampa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,875 | $7,329 | −$546 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,926 | $1,474 | −$451 |
| Take-home pay | $5,949 | $5,855 | −$94 |
| Rent | $1,252 | $1,506 | +$254 |
| Getting around | $568 | $592 | +$24 |
| Groceries | $384 | $400 | +$16 |
| Healthcare | $432 | $450 | +$18 |
| Utilities | $240 | $250 | +$10 |
| Everything else | $336 | $350 | +$14 |
| Left over | $2,737 | $2,307 | −$430 |
Salary to match Raleigh
$95,500
Gross pay in Tampa that leaves the same amount as $94,500 in Raleigh.
Tax difference
+$3,474
A year, in state and local income tax. Florida has no wage income tax.
More about Tampa
Raleigh, NC in full
Research Triangle salaries, low taxes, and not much to do downtown.
Tampa, FL in full
No income tax and beaches, but insurance costs are the hidden line item.
The other way
Start in Tampa.
Tampa → Raleigh →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Tampa than Raleigh?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Tampa leaves about $430 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,252 in Raleigh and $1,506 in Tampa.
Does Tampa have state income tax?
Tampa is in Florida, which has no state income tax.
What changes if you move from Raleigh to Tampa?
The paycheck is taxed in Florida. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Raleigh and Tampa changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.