St. George vs Tampa
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
St. George
Tampa
💡 The Verdict
St. George is 2% cheaper than Tampa overall. A $75,000 salary in St. George is equivalent to $76,500 in Tampa.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for St. George (left) vs Tampa (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in St. George versus Tampa. Differences shown from St. George perspective.
| Item | St. George | Tampa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $930/mo | $1,210/mo | $-280.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,360/mo | $1,700/mo | $-340.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,850/mo | $2,230/mo | $-380.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.41 | $2.84 | $-0.43 |
| Milk (gallon) | $3.67 | $4.00 | $-0.33 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $3.26 | $3.89 | $-0.63 |
| Coffee (latte) | $5.58 | $6.15 | $-0.57 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.48 | $3.34 | +$0.14 |
| Restaurant Meal | $16.71 | $18.85 | $-2.14 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in St. George has the same purchasing power as $76,500 in Tampa.
Conversely, $75,000 in Tampa equals $73,529 in St. George.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $3526 difference is driven by Utah having a higher state income tax rate. Utah details → · Florida details →
Reading These Numbers: St. George (100) vs Tampa (102)
St. George at 100 is 0% below the US average, while Tampa at 102 is 2% above average. The cost difference between these cities is relatively modest.
In St. George, the composite index of 100 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 96, followed by groceries (97), utilities (97), transportation (104), and healthcare (93). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,360/mo in St. George and $1,700/mo in Tampa, the annual rent difference is approximately $4,080.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $20,400.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $45,000.0 difference in median home prices between St. George 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: St. George vs Tampa
Choosing between St. George 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.
When weighing St. George against Tampa, think beyond the composite index. Your personal savings rate, retirement timeline, and family size all influence which cost categories dominate your budget. Someone spending sixty percent of income on housing and childcare will experience these two cities very differently than a single renter whose largest variable expense is dining out. Model your own spending breakdown against the category indices above for the most realistic comparison.