Moving from Jacksonville to Tampa
Your paycheck buys about the same in Tampa as in Jacksonville. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Tampa: $81,300
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $81,300 in Tampa, FL to match $80,000 in Jacksonville, FL ($1,300 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in Florida, which has no state income tax on wages; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Jacksonville vs Tampa: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,625 → $1,776/mo
- Median home value
- $375,200 → $387,400
- Median household income
- $82,053 → $78,275
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 99.5 → 100.9
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (89.8 → 97.5 of 100)
Jacksonville vs Tampa cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Jacksonville, FL | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 99.5 | 100.9 |
| Median rent | $1,625 | $1,776 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $65,000 | $71,040 |
| Median home value | $375,200 | $387,400 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,429 | $2,499 |
| Income needed to buy | $104,082 | $107,093 |
| Median property tax | $2,808 | $2,876 |
| State income tax on $80,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Metro population | 1,760,548 | 3,424,560 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Jacksonville vs Tampa
On an $80,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $48,385 a year in Jacksonville and $50,197 in Tampa if you rent: $1,812 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $58,028 and $58,871 ($843 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | JacksonvilleBefore | TampaAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $80,000, single filer | $14,890 | $14,890 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,873 | $1,873 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,865 | $1,865 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,061 | $2,061 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $8,196 | $8,196 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $19,500 | $21,312 | +$1,812 |
| Total if you rent | $48,385 | $50,197 | +$1,812 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $23,843 | $24,618 | +$775 |
| Property tax median home | $2,808 | $2,876 | +$68 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $2,492 | $2,492 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $58,028 | $58,871 | +$843 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $13,011 a year in Jacksonville and $13,011 in Tampa (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Jacksonville to Tampa
About 1,334 households (2,061 people) moved from the Jacksonville metro area to the Tampa metro area in 2022–2023, making Tampa the #3 destination for people leaving Jacksonville among the 149 metro areas we cover. 1,392 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $69,837.
Cost to move from Jacksonville to Tampa
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
Natural hazard risk: Jacksonville vs Tampa
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Jacksonville area among the highest (score 89.8) and the Tampa area among the highest (score 97.5), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $280 vs $333 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Tampa cheaper than Jacksonville?
Overall prices in the Tampa area are 1.4% higher than in Jacksonville (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,776 vs $1,625 a month, and the median home is $387,400 vs $375,200.
What salary do I need in Tampa to match $100,000 in Jacksonville?
About $101,600, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Both are in Florida, which has no state income tax on wages.
How much does it cost to move from Jacksonville to Tampa?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 200 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers.
How many people move from Jacksonville to Tampa?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,334 households (2,061 people) moved from the Jacksonville metro area to the Tampa metro area, and 1,392 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Jacksonville move
- Jacksonville to Orlando 1,634 households
- Jacksonville to Miami 1,342 households
- Jacksonville to Daytona Beach 1,314 households
- Atlanta 969 households
- Gainesville 589 households
- New York 589 households
- Virginia Beach 527 households
- Washington, D.C. 455 households