Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land vs Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater

Cost of Living Comparison

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land

Gross Salary $70,000
Tax -$7,241
Rent (2BR) -$18,876
Net Income $43,883

To match your lifestyle in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, you'd need:

$85,321

The Verdict

Cost of Living Index

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land 106.3
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater 123.5
Cheaper Avg (100) Pricier

Purchasing Power

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land $41,299
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater $31,619

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater

Gross Salary $70,000
Tax -$7,241
Rent (2BR) -$23,724
Net Income $39,035

To match your lifestyle in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, you'd need:

$57,374

The Bottom Line

On a $70,000 salary, you would have $4,848 more per year in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land compared to Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater. You'd pay $0 less in taxes in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, while housing costs 26% more. The cost of living in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land is 6% above avg, while Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater is 23% above avg, making Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land the more affordable city overall. Your $70,000 salary in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land feels like earning $85,321 in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater once you factor in taxes, rent, and cost of living. For K-12 education, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater has a better pupil-teacher ratio (0:1 vs 0:1). College is more affordable in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land ($12,254 vs $15,250 avg in-state tuition).

K-12 Schools

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Schools
1,666
589
Enrollment
1,323,488
415,023
Pupil:Teacher
0:1
0:1
Charter %
10.1%
15.1%
Title I %
0%
0%

Colleges & Universities

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Institutions
79
41
In-State Tuition
$12,254
$15,250
Out-of-State
$15,961
$16,986
Grad Rate
56.7%
60.2%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land or Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater more expensive?

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater is more expensive with a cost of living index of 123.5 vs 106.3 (national average = 100).

What salary in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater equals $70,000 in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land?

You would need to earn approximately $85,321 in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater to maintain the same purchasing power as a $70,000 salary in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, after accounting for taxes, rent, and cost of living differences.

How much is rent in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land vs Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?

Average annual rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $18,876 in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land and $23,724 in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater—housing is 26% more in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater.