Living Cost Compare
Tampa

Florida

$1,500/mo est.

vs
West Valley City

Utah

$1,330/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,500 in Tampa, FL versus $1,330 in West Valley City, UT. Overall, West Valley City, UT is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tampa, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $71,302 in Tampa, FL and $88,604 in West Valley City, UT — about 20% higher in West Valley City, UT. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Tampa, FL
West Valley City, UT

Rent

Studio
$1,242
$1,085
+13% in Tampa, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,324
$1,191
+10% in Tampa, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,673
$1,333
+20% in Tampa, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,729
$1,723
+0% in Tampa, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$375,300
$377,300
+1% in West Valley City, UT

Income

Median Household Income
$71,302
$88,604
+24% in West Valley City, UT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,940
$55,240
+13% in West Valley City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.6 yr
30.3 yr
+5.3 yr in Tampa, FL
Homeownership
50.2%
71.1%
+20.9 pp in West Valley City, UT
Bachelor's+ (25+)
44.6%
15.7%
+28.9 pp in Tampa, FL
Avg Commute
24.7 min
22.2 min
+2.5 min in Tampa, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
443.2
471.8
+6% in West Valley City, UT
Property Crime
1,473.2
1,855.5
+26% in West Valley City, UT

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
73.4°F
52.8°F
+20.6°F in Tampa, FL
Annual Precipitation
46.3 in
16.1 in
+30.2 in in Tampa, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.83/gal
$4.27/gal
+12% in West Valley City, UT

Area: Florida vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
13.4
+11% in Tampa, FL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.62
$11.84
+50% in Tampa, FL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.82
+20% in West Valley City, UT
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$2.04
+17% in West Valley City, UT
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Tampa, FL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$7.36
+14% in West Valley City, UT
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.01
+6% in West Valley City, UT
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in West Valley City, UT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (FL / UT)
6%
6.1%
+0.1 pp in UT
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.50%
+4.5 pp in UT

Tampa vs West Valley City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Tampa or West Valley City?
West Valley City, UT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,330 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Tampa, FL's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Tampa than in West Valley City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Tampa versus $48,000 in West Valley City.
Which has lower taxes, Tampa or West Valley City?
Tampa is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax); West Valley City under Utah's (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% 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).