Kent vs Tampa
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Kent
Tampa
💡 The Verdict
Tampa is 13% cheaper than Kent overall. A $75,000 salary in Kent is equivalent to $65,385 in Tampa.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Kent (left) vs Tampa (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Kent versus Tampa. Differences shown from Kent perspective.
| Item | Kent | Tampa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $1,280/mo | $1,210/mo | +$70.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,720/mo | $1,700/mo | +$20.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $2,340/mo | $2,230/mo | +$110.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $3.27 | $2.84 | +$0.43 |
| Milk (gallon) | $4.00 | $4.00 | $0.00 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $3.66 | $3.89 | $-0.23 |
| Coffee (latte) | $6.28 | $6.15 | +$0.13 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.73 | $3.34 | +$0.39 |
| Restaurant Meal | $17.57 | $18.85 | $-1.28 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Kent has the same purchasing power as $65,385 in Tampa.
Conversely, $75,000 in Tampa equals $86,029 in Kent.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
Both states have similar effective tax rates on this salary level. Washington details → · Florida details →
Reading These Numbers: Kent (117) vs Tampa (102)
Kent at 117 is 17% above 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 Kent, the composite index of 117 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 127, followed by groceries (112), utilities (111), transportation (118), and healthcare (124). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,720/mo in Kent and $1,700/mo in Tampa, the annual rent difference is approximately $240.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $1,200.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $31,000.0 difference in median home prices between Kent 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: Kent vs Tampa
Choosing between Kent 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 Kent 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.