Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,370/mo est.

vs
Tampa

Florida

$1,500/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,370 in Arlington, TX versus $1,500 in Tampa, FL. Overall, Arlington, TX is roughly 9% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tampa, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $71,302 in Tampa, FL — about 3% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
Tampa, FL

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$1,242
+14% in Tampa, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$1,324
+12% in Tampa, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$1,673
+19% in Tampa, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,729
+5% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$375,300
+36% in Tampa, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$71,302
+3% in Arlington, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$48,940
+5% in Arlington, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
35.6 yr
+2.0 yr in Tampa, FL
Homeownership
54.8%
50.2%
+4.6 pp in Arlington, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
44.6%
+11.5 pp in Tampa, FL
Avg Commute
26.7 min
24.7 min
+2.0 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
492.4
443.4
+10% in Arlington, TX
Property Crime
2,433.5
1,473.2
+39% in Arlington, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
73.4°F
+8.0°F in Tampa, FL
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
46.3 in
+6.7 in in Tampa, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$4.25/gal
+8% in Tampa, FL

Area: Texas vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs HART (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
14.9
+9% in Arlington, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$23.62
+4% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.16
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.73
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.56
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.61
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / FL)
6.25%
6%
+0.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Arlington vs Tampa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Tampa?
Arlington, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,370 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Tampa, FL's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Tampa?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $53,000 in Tampa.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Tampa?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).