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Tampa and St. Petersburg: what is left after rent
HUD puts a typical 1-bedroom in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater rent area at $1,648 a month and a 2-bedroom at $1,917, including utilities. That ranks #6 of the 8 big Florida metros on this site for 1-bedroom rent.
Run your own numbers for Hillsborough County
Rent by apartment size
| Size | FY2027 (from Oct 1, 2026) | FY2026 | Change | Income needed (30%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,597 | $1,593 | +0.3% | $63,880 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,648 | $1,696 | -2.8% | $65,920 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,917 | $1,977 | -3.0% | $76,680 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,448 | $2,527 | -3.1% | $97,920 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,977 | $3,077 | -3.2% | $119,080 |
This HUD rent area covers Hernando County, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, Pinellas County.
Single adult in a 1-bedroom
Essentials here add up to about $3,166 a month: rent $1,648, groceries $356 (USDA low-cost plan), transportation $646 and health care $516 (national household averages, likely high for one person).
| Monthly take-home | Left after rent | Left after essentials |
|---|---|---|
| $3,000 | $1,352 | -$166 |
| $4,000 | $2,352 | $834 |
| $5,000 | $3,352 | $1,834 |
| $6,000 | $4,352 | $2,834 |
Family of four in a 2-bedroom
Essentials: about $4,206 a month, with groceries at $1,127 for two adults and two children. Childcare is not included.
| Monthly take-home | Left after rent | Left after essentials |
|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $3,083 | $794 |
| $6,000 | $4,083 | $1,794 |
| $7,000 | $5,083 | $2,794 |
| $8,000 | $6,083 | $3,794 |
Compared with other Florida metros
| Metro | 1-bedroom | 2-bedroom | Income for 1BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | $2,121 | $2,564 | $84,840 |
| West Palm Beach and Boca Raton | $2,008 | $2,349 | $80,320 |
| Fort Lauderdale | $1,902 | $2,321 | $76,080 |
| Sarasota and Bradenton | $1,876 | $2,188 | $75,040 |
| Orlando | $1,726 | $1,959 | $69,040 |
| Tampa and St. Petersburg | $1,648 | $1,917 | $65,920 |
| Fort Myers and Cape Coral | $1,564 | $1,835 | $62,560 |
| Jacksonville | $1,421 | $1,694 | $56,840 |
Other metro pages: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Boca Raton, Orlando, Jacksonville, Sarasota and Bradenton, Fort Myers and Cape Coral. All 67 counties are on the Florida rent by county page.
- HUD: Fair Market Rents, FY2027 county-level data
- USDA: Cost of food monthly reports, September 2026
- BLS: Consumer Expenditures 2024 (news release)
Common questions
How much is rent in Tampa and St. Petersburg?
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area is $1,597 for a studio, $1,648 for a 1-bedroom and $1,917 for a 2-bedroom, including typical utilities. Newer or larger units often cost more.
What salary do I need to live in Tampa and St. Petersburg?
To keep a typical 1-bedroom at 30% of gross income you need about $65,920 a year, or $32 an hour full time. A 2-bedroom needs about $76,680.
Did Tampa and St. Petersburg rent go up this year?
HUD's typical 2-bedroom figure changed -3.0% from FY2026 ($1,977) to FY2027 ($1,917).