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Cost of Living: Minneapolis, MN vs Tampa, FL

Wondering how far your dollar stretches in Minneapolis compared to Tampa? Below we break down housing costs, rent, taxes, income, and quality of life using 2026 data so you can make an informed relocation or remote-work decision. Every number is computed from Census, BLS, and Zillow data specific to these two metro areas.

TL;DR

Minneapolis cost-of-living index is 105 vs 108 for Tampa (US = 100). Median home: $330,000 vs $390,000. Median rent: $1,114/mo vs $1,435/mo.

Source: Census ACS · Zillow ZHVI/ZORI · BEA RPP, 2026

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Tampa is 2.9% more expensive than Minneapolis
COL Index: Minneapolis 105 vs Tampa 108 (national avg = 100)
Written by Jere Salmisto, Founder & Quantitative Systems Builder, CalcFi·Reviewed by CalcFi Editorial·Last reviewed 2026-04-19

Minneapolis vs Tampa — At a Glance

MinneapolisMetricTampaDifference
105Cost of Living Index108+2.9%
$330,000Median Home Price$390,000+18.2%
$1,114Median Monthly Rent$1,435+28.8%
$80,600Median Household Income$63,800-20.8%
1.1%Property Tax Rate0.9%-17.3%
3.3%Unemployment Rate3.3%+0.0%
25 minAverage Commute27 min+8.0%
36.1Median Age39.2+8.6%
3,730,000Metro Population3,250,000-12.9%

Data sourced from Census Bureau, BLS, Zillow, and ApartmentAdvisor (2024-2025). COL Index: 100 = national average.

Housing Comparison: Minneapolis vs Tampa

Monthly mortgage assumes 6.5% interest, 30-year fixed, 20.0%down payment. PITI includes principal, interest, property tax, and homeowner's insurance.

Minneapolis

Median Home Price$330,000
Down Payment (20.0%)$66,000
Loan Amount$264,000
Principal & Interest$1,669/mo
Property Tax$303/mo
Insurance$96/mo
Monthly PITI$2,067/mo

Tampa

Median Home Price$390,000
Down Payment (20.0%)$78,000
Loan Amount$312,000
Principal & Interest$1,972/mo
Property Tax$296/mo
Insurance$114/mo
Monthly PITI$2,382/mo

Rent & Affordability Ratios

Median Monthly Rent$1,114 vs $1,435 (+$321/mo)
Annual Rent Difference$3,852/yr more in Tampa
Home Price-to-Income Ratio4.1x (Minneapolis) vs 6.1x (Tampa)
Years to Save 20% Down (15% savings rate)5.5 yrs (Minneapolis) vs 8.2 yrs (Tampa)

Buying a home in Minneapolis costs $2,067/month (PITI) compared to $2,382/month in Tampa — a difference of $315/month or $3,780/year. The price-to-income ratio is 4.1x in Minneapolis versus 6.1x in Tampa, suggesting Minneapolis is relatively more affordable for homebuyers relative to local incomes. At a 15% savings rate, it takes 5.5 years to save a down payment in Minneapolis compared to 8.2 years in Tampa.

Tax Comparison: Minneapolis vs Tampa

Estimated on each city's median household income, single filer, standard deduction, 2025 rates.

Tax CategoryMinneapolisTampa
Gross Income$80,600$63,800
State Income Tax$3,638None
Federal Income Tax$9,181$5,527
FICA (SS + Medicare)$6,166$4,881
Property Tax (on median home)$3,630/yr$3,549/yr
State Sales Tax Rate6.9%6.0%
Total Tax Burden$18,985 (23.6%)$10,408 (16.3%)
Take-Home Pay$61,615$53,392

Florida has no state income tax, giving Tampa residents a significant tax advantage. On median household income, total taxes (federal + state + FICA) come to $18,985 in Minneapolis (23.6% effective) versus $10,408 in Tampa (16.3% effective). After taxes, take-home pay is $61,615 in Minneapolis and $53,392 in Tampa. Property taxes add $3,630/year on the median Minneapolis home versus $3,549/year in Tampa.

Salary Equivalence: What Your Income Is Worth

A $80,600 salary in Minneapolis equals
$82,903
in Tampa
A $63,800 salary in Tampa equals
$62,028
in Minneapolis

These figures adjust for cost of living using the formula: adjusted = salary × (COL_destination / COL_origin). If you earn $80,600 in Minneapolis (COL 105) and relocate to Tampa (COL 108), you would need $82,903 to maintain the same purchasing power. This means you would need a raise of $2,303 to maintain the same standard of living in Tampa.

Quality of Life: Minneapolis vs Tampa

Average Commute
25 min
Minneapolis
27 min
Tampa
2 min shorter in Minneapolis
Unemployment Rate
3.3%
Minneapolis
3.3%
Tampa
Same
Metro Population
3.7M
Minneapolis
3.3M
Tampa
Minneapolis is 1.1x larger

Beyond costs, quality of life matters. The average commute in Minneapolis is 25 minutes versus 27 minutes in Tampa, a difference of 2 minutes each way. Both cities have similar unemployment rates around 3.3%. Tampa skews slightly older with a median age of 39.2 vs 36.1 in Minneapolis.

Other Cost of Living Comparisons

Minneapolis vs New YorkCOL 105 vs 187Los Angeles vs MinneapolisCOL 173 vs 105Chicago vs MinneapolisCOL 114 vs 105New York vs TampaCOL 187 vs 108Los Angeles vs TampaCOL 173 vs 108Chicago vs TampaCOL 114 vs 108

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Minneapolis or Tampa more expensive?

Tampa is 2.9% more expensive than Minneapolis overall. Tampa has a cost of living index of 108 compared to 105 for Minneapolis (national average = 100). The biggest difference is housing: the median home costs $390,000 in Tampa vs $330,000 in Minneapolis.

How much more does housing cost in Tampa vs Minneapolis?

The median home price in Tampa is $390,000, which is $60,000 more than Minneapolis's median of $330,000. Monthly rent follows a similar pattern: $1,435/month in Tampa vs $1,114/month in Minneapolis, a difference of $321/month or $3,852/year.

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

To maintain the same standard of living, a $80,600 salary in Minneapolis is equivalent to $82,903 in Tampa. This is based on the cost of living index ratio: Minneapolis's COL index of 105 vs Tampa's 108. Conversely, $63,800 in Tampa equals $62,028 in Minneapolis.

Which city has lower taxes, Minneapolis or Tampa?

On a median household income, the combined federal, state, and FICA tax burden is $18,985 (23.6% effective rate) in Minneapolis vs $10,408 (16.3% effective rate) in Tampa. Property taxes on the median home are $3,630/year in Minneapolis (1.1% rate) vs $3,549/year in Tampa (0.9% rate). Sales tax rates are 6.9% in Minnesota and 6.0% in Florida.

What is the median household income in Minneapolis and Tampa?

Minneapolis median household income: $80,600/yr. Tampa median household income: $63,800/yr (Census ACS).

How does rent compare in Minneapolis vs Tampa?

Median monthly rent: $1,114 in Minneapolis vs $1,435 in Tampa. Annualized that is $13,368 vs $17,220.

Which city is better for remote workers, Minneapolis or Tampa?

Minneapolis offers a lower cost of living (index 105 vs 108), which lets remote-workers keeping a coastal salary stretch further. Tampa typically wins on amenities and labor-market depth.

Where does the data on this comparison come from?

Minneapolis and Tampa numbers are pulled from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI (home values, rent), the U.S. Census Bureau ACS (income, demographics), and BEA RPP (cost-of-living index). Each value is timestamped on the page.

How often is this Minneapolis vs Tampa comparison updated?

Source feeds (Zillow, Freddie Mac PMMS, Census ACS, BEA RPP) are refreshed on their native cadence. Page caches revalidate every 24 hours via Next.js ISR.

Does this comparison replace tax or financial advice?

No. The Minneapolis vs Tampa cost-of-living page is educational reference using public data and standard formulas. It is not personalized tax, legal, or investment advice. Consult a licensed professional for material decisions.

Explore More

All City ComparisonsMinneapolis COL CalculatorTampa COL CalculatorSalary GuidesMortgage Affordability CalculatorRent vs Buy Calculator

Sources & Citations

  1. Zillow Research — ZHVI (home values) & ZORI (observed rent index) — zillow.com/research/data
  2. U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates — census.gov/acs
  3. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by state and MSA — bea.gov/rpp
  4. Tax Foundation — effective state and local tax rates — taxfoundation.org
  5. Freddie Mac PMMS — weekly national average mortgage rates — freddiemac.com/pmms
  6. Internal Revenue Service — federal income tax brackets and standard deduction — irs.gov
  7. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — unemployment and wage statistics — bls.gov
Methodology & Assumptions

Home prices use Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI)[1]; rents use Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI)[1]. Median household income comes from the Census ACS 5-year estimates[2].

COL indices use the BEA Regional Price Parity methodology[3], normalized so 100 = national average.

Property tax rates are effective rates from the Tax Foundation[4], expressed as % of owner-occupied home value. Mortgage estimates assume 6.5% fixed rate[5], 30-year term, 20.0% down, $1,800/yr homeowners insurance.

Federal tax calculations[6] assume single filer, standard deduction. State tax uses the top marginal rate times taxable income after the state standard deduction. FICA = 6.2% Social Security (up to wage base) + 1.45% Medicare.

Salary equivalence uses adjusted = salary × (COL_destination / COL_origin). This captures cost-of-living shift but not state income tax differences.

Unemployment figures are the most recent monthly MSA-level readings from the BLS LAUS series[7].

Last reviewed is computed from the maximum retrievedAt across every source this page consumes.

City data from Census Bureau[2], BLS[7], and Zillow[1] (2024-2025). Tax calculations use 2025 IRS rates[6], single filer, standard deduction. Mortgage estimates assume 6.5% PMMS rate[5], 30-year term, 20.0% down. COL Index: 100 = national average[3]. Last reviewed 2026-04-19.