Is it cheaper to live in Tampa or Worcester?

Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (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 Worcester?

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 Worcester.

Which has lower taxes, Tampa or Worcester?

Tampa is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Tampa vs Worcester Cost of Living 2026

Tampa

Florida

$1,500/mo est.

Worcester

Massachusetts

$1,340/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 $1,340 in Worcester, MA. Overall, Worcester, MA 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 $67,544 in Worcester, MA — about 5% higher in Tampa, FL. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Tampa, FL

Worcester, MA

Rent

Studio

$1,242

$1,087

+12% in Tampa, FL

1 Bedroom

$1,324

$1,028

+22% in Tampa, FL

2 Bedroom

$1,673

$1,476

+12% in Tampa, FL

3 Bedroom

$1,729

$1,675

+3% in Tampa, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$375,300

$339,500

+10% in Tampa, FL

Income

Median Household Income

$71,302

$67,544

+5% in Tampa, FL

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,940

$57,830

+18% in Worcester, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.6 yr

34.1 yr

+1.5 yr in Tampa, FL

Homeownership

50.2%

42.4%

+7.8 pp in Tampa, FL

Bachelor's+ (25+)

44.6%

34.1%

+10.5 pp in Tampa, FL

Avg Commute

24.7 min

25.1 min

+0.4 min in Worcester, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

443.2

640.2

+44% in Worcester, MA

Property Crime

1,473.2

1,580.3

+7% in Worcester, MA

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

47.9°F

+25.5°F in Tampa, FL

Annual Precipitation

46.3 in

48.1 in

+1.8 in in Worcester, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.83/gal

$4.07/gal

+6% in Worcester, MA

Area: Florida vs Massachusetts.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.00

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.1

29.6

+96% in Worcester, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$23.62

$30.66

+30% in Worcester, MA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Worcester, MA

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.92

+10% in Worcester, MA

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Tampa, FL

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.90

+7% in Worcester, MA

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.19

+15% in Worcester, MA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Worcester, MA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (FL / MA)

6.25%

+0.3 pp in MA

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.00%

+9.0 pp in MA

Tampa vs Worcester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Tampa or Worcester?: Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (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 Worcester?: 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 Worcester.
Which has lower taxes, Tampa or Worcester?: Tampa is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% 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).