Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Favorable
Cost Index: 101.4 → 100.9
Rent Delta: +$5/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $3K higher median salary

Moving from Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford to Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 101.4 to 100.9 (100 = US average), so a Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford salary needs to be multiplied by 0.99 to hold the same purchasing power in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,972/month in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford to $1,977/month in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater - a higher monthly bill of $5, or $60/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $65,387 in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford versus $68,404 in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater - a raw gap of $3,017 higher. The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater labor market has 1,402,180 tracked jobs against 1,382,410 in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater are 210 and 210 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 17.8:1 at origin versus 17.8:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $10,505/year in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford versus $10,505/year in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater. Our composite verdict - Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 101.4
RPP 100.9
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,972/mo
$1,977/mo
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
💼 Wages
$65,387
$68,404
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
🔒 Crime
210 per 100K
210 per 100K
Tie
🎓 Schools
17.8:1
17.8:1
Tie
👶 Childcare
$10,505/yr
$10,505/yr
Tie
🌿 Environment
2676 violations
2676 violations
Tie

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford to see what you'd need to earn in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
-

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater more expensive than Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater has an RPP of 100.9 compared to Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford's 101.4 (100 = national average). Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater is $1,977/mo vs $1,972/mo in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford.
What are salaries like in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater compared to Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford?
The median salary in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater is $68,404 compared to $65,387 in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford. That's a +$3,017 difference.
Is Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater safer than Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford?
The violent crime rate near Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater is 210 per 100K vs 210 per 100K near Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford (state-level data). Both areas have similar crime rates.
How much would I need to earn in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater to match my Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford salary by 0.99. For example, a $75,000 salary in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford would need to be $74,610 in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Favorable" means the destination edges ahead on balance. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

Explore PlainRelocate

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)