⚖️ City Comparison

Gulfport vs Tampa

Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data

Gulfport

Mississippi
83
Very Affordable
$192,000
Median Home
$810/mo
Median Rent
$47,500
Median Income

Tampa

Florida
102
Average
$340,000
Median Home
$1,700/mo
Median Rent
$52,594
Median Income

💡 The Verdict

19% Cheaper

Gulfport is 19% cheaper than Tampa overall. A $75,000 salary in Gulfport is equivalent to $92,169 in Tampa.

Category-by-Category Breakdown

Index values for Gulfport (left) vs Tampa (right). National average = 100.

Housing
60
Housing
108
Groceries
80
Groceries
103
Utilities
87
Utilities
96
Transportation
82
Transportation
105
Healthcare
80
Healthcare
97

Detailed Price Comparison

Estimated item-level prices in Gulfport versus Tampa. Differences shown from Gulfport perspective.

ItemGulfportTampaDifference
1-Bed Rent$590/mo$1,210/mo$-620.00
2-Bed Rent$810/mo$1,700/mo$-890.00
3-Bed Rent$1,110/mo$2,230/mo$-1120.00
Bread (loaf)$2.39$2.84$-0.45
Milk (gallon)$3.33$4.00$-0.67
Eggs (dozen)$2.49$3.89$-1.40
Coffee (latte)$4.92$6.15$-1.23
Gas (gallon)$3.11$3.34$-0.23
Restaurant Meal$14.22$18.85$-4.63

💰 Salary Equivalence

A $75,000 salary in Gulfport has the same purchasing power as $92,169 in Tampa.

Conversely, $75,000 in Tampa equals $61,029 in Gulfport.

💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison

Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.

$53,887
Gulfport (Mississippi)
$57,638
Tampa (Florida)

The $3751 difference is driven by Mississippi having a higher state income tax rate. Mississippi details → · Florida details →

⚙️ Customize Your Comparison

Adjust category weights to match your spending priorities.

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Your Weighted Score
83 vs 102

Reading These Numbers: Gulfport (83) vs Tampa (102)

Gulfport at 83 is 17% below the US average, while Tampa at 102 is 2% above average. There is a meaningful cost gap between these two cities that affects day-to-day budgeting.

In Gulfport, the composite index of 83 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 60, followed by groceries (80), utilities (87), transportation (82), and healthcare (80). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.

For renters: With median rents of $810/mo in Gulfport and $1,700/mo in Tampa, the annual rent difference is approximately $10,680.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $53,400.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.

For homebuyers: The $148,000.0 difference in median home prices between Gulfport and Tampa translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.

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Making Your Decision: Gulfport vs Tampa

Choosing between Gulfport and Tampa involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.

The cost gap between Gulfport and Tampa reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.