Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or Tampa?

Omaha, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,120 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Tampa, FL's $1,500, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Omaha than in Tampa?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Omaha versus $53,000 in Tampa.

Which has lower taxes, Omaha or Tampa?

Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax).

Omaha vs Tampa Cost of Living 2026

Omaha

Nebraska

$1,120/mo est.

Tampa

Florida

$1,500/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,120 in Omaha, NE versus $1,500 in Tampa, FL. Overall, Omaha, NE is roughly 25% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tampa, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,708 in Omaha, NE and $71,302 in Tampa, FL — about 2% higher in Omaha, NE. Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Omaha, NE

Tampa, FL

Rent

Studio

$908

$1,242

+37% in Tampa, FL

1 Bedroom

$984

$1,324

+35% in Tampa, FL

2 Bedroom

$1,193

$1,673

+40% in Tampa, FL

3 Bedroom

$1,437

$1,729

+20% in Tampa, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$230,100

$375,300

+63% in Tampa, FL

Income

Median Household Income

$72,708

$71,302

+2% in Omaha, NE

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,660

$48,940

+1% in Omaha, NE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.3 yr

35.6 yr

+0.3 yr in Tampa, FL

Homeownership

57.7%

50.2%

+7.5 pp in Omaha, NE

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.3%

44.6%

+4.3 pp in Tampa, FL

Avg Commute

19.6 min

24.7 min

+5.1 min in Tampa, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

358.6

443.4

+24% in Tampa, FL

Property Crime

3,153

1,473.2

+53% in Omaha, NE

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

51.1°F

73.4°F

+22.3°F in Tampa, FL

Annual Precipitation

30.6 in

46.3 in

+15.7 in in Tampa, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.35/gal

$4.25/gal

+2% in Omaha, NE

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

$2.00

+60% in Tampa, FL

Adult base one-way fare — Metro Transit (Omaha) vs HART (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.1

14.9

+13% in Tampa, FL

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$12.06

$23.62

+96% in Tampa, FL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.14

$4.16

+1% in Tampa, FL

Bread (lb)

$1.79

$1.73

+3% in Omaha, NE

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Omaha, NE

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.97

$6.56

+6% in Omaha, NE

Chicken (lb)

$2.15

$1.90

+12% in Omaha, NE

Bananas (lb)

$0.63

$0.61

+3% in Omaha, NE

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NE / FL)

5.5%

+0.5 pp in FL

Income Tax (top rate)

4.55%

None

+4.5 pp in NE

Omaha vs Tampa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or Tampa?: Omaha, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,120 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Tampa, FL's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Omaha than in Tampa?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Omaha versus $53,000 in Tampa.
Which has lower taxes, Omaha or Tampa?: Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% 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).