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Atlanta vs Tampa

Atlanta, GA  ·  Tampa, FL

⚖️

Tampa is 4% cheaper than Atlanta overall.

Home Price

Atlanta: $385,000

Tampa: $390,000

Monthly Rent

Atlanta: $1,576/mo

Tampa: $1,435/mo

COL Index

Atlanta: 113

Tampa: 108

Median Income

Atlanta: $71,400

Tampa: $63,800

Side-by-Side Comparison

Metric
Atlanta
Tampa
Winner
🏠

Median Home Price

$385,000
$390,000
Atlanta
🏢

Monthly Rent (Median)

$1,576/mo
$1,435/mo
Tampa
💰

Median Household Income

$71,400
$63,800
Atlanta
📋

Property Tax Rate

0.92%
0.91%
Tampa
📊

Cost of Living Index

100 = national average

113
108
Tampa
🚗

Avg. Commute

31 min
27 min
Tampa
📈

Unemployment Rate

3.7%
3.3%
Tampa
👥

Median Age

34.8 yrs
39.2 yrs
Tampa

What This Means For You

💵

Buying Power

A $100,000 salary in Atlanta has the same purchasing power as $95,575 in Tampa — based on each city's cost of living index.

🏠

Housing

Homes in Tampa are 1% cheaper (-$5,000 less). That's a significant down payment and monthly payment difference.

🏢

Renting

Renting in Tampa saves you $141/month — $1,692 per year. Median rent: $1,576/mo in Atlanta vs $1,435/mo in Tampa.

📋

Property Taxes

On a median-priced home, Atlanta owners pay roughly $3,542/year in property taxes vs $3,549/year in Tampa. Rates are comparable.

💼

Local Earnings

Median household income is $71,400 in Atlanta and $63,800 in Tampa. Tampa residents earn 11% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.

🚗

Daily Commute

Average commute is 31 minutes in Atlanta vs 27 minutes in Tampa. Commute times are nearly identical.

Salary Equivalence

To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Atlanta to Tampa, here's the salary you'd need:

Salary in AtlantaEquivalent in TampaDifference
$50,000$47,788-$2,212
$75,000$71,681-$3,319
$100,000$95,575-$4,425
$150,000$143,363-$6,637
$200,000$191,150-$8,850

* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.

Run the Numbers

Related Comparisons

Atlanta vs Tampa: Common Questions

Is Atlanta or Tampa cheaper to live in?

Based on cost of living indices, Tampa is cheaper overall. Atlanta has a COL index of 113 while Tampa scores 108 (national average = 100).

How do home prices compare between Atlanta and Tampa?

The median home price in Atlanta is $385,000 vs $390,000 in Tampa — a difference of $5,000 (1%).

What salary do I need in Tampa to match my Atlanta income?

Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Atlanta is equivalent to $95,575 in Tampa in terms of purchasing power.

Which city has lower property taxes?

Tampa has a lower property tax rate (0.91% vs 0.92%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $3,542/year vs $3,549/year.

Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.