Living Cost Compare
Tampa

Florida

$1,500/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/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 $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Wilmington, DE is roughly 18% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tampa, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $71,302 in Tampa, FL and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 22% higher in Tampa, FL. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Tampa, FL
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$1,242
$1,103
+11% in Tampa, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,324
$1,024
+23% in Tampa, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,673
$1,213
+27% in Tampa, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,729
$1,394
+19% in Tampa, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$375,300
$224,500
+40% in Tampa, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$71,302
$55,269
+22% in Tampa, FL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,940
$54,310
+11% in Wilmington, DE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.6 yr
37.0 yr
+1.4 yr in Wilmington, DE
Homeownership
50.2%
46.0%
+4.2 pp in Tampa, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
44.6%
33.1%
+11.5 pp in Tampa, FL
Avg Commute
24.7 min
23.0 min
+1.7 min in Tampa, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
443.2
1,138.2
+157% in Wilmington, DE
Property Crime
1,473.2
3,182.4
+116% in Wilmington, DE

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
54.9°F
+18.5°F in Tampa, FL
Annual Precipitation
46.3 in
43.1 in
+3.2 in in Tampa, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.77/gal
$3.86/gal
+3% in Wilmington, DE

Area: Florida vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
19.4
+28% in Wilmington, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.62
$22.51
+5% in Tampa, FL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (FL / DE)
6%
None
+6.0 pp in FL
Income Tax (top rate)
None
6.60%
+6.6 pp in DE

Tampa vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Tampa or Wilmington?
Wilmington, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,230 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% below Tampa, FL's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Tampa than in Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Tampa versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Tampa or Wilmington?
Tampa is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no 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).