Rent vs buy in Tampa, FL
The typical rent in Tampa, Florida is $1,930 /mo, and the typical home value is $375,619.
Buying is ahead by $19k over 7 years
Using Tampa's typical rent and home value, the result assumes 20% down and today's mortgage rate. Year 6 marks the break-even point.
Clearly labeled opinion with the math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. The stamp changes when you change a number.
- Owning leads by
- $19k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- Year 6 when owning catches up
- Actual cost of owning
- $3,313 /mo year 1, against $1,930 rent
Change my numbers
The stamp relies on Tampa's typical rent and home value. The result can change with your rent, price and years.
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Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Tampa?
Over 7 years, buying costs $18,665 less once the money returned from your sale is counted. In year 6, owning's net cost falls below renting's and stays lower.
For renting. For owning. Net cost through each year.
Tampa: average rent compared with mortgage payment
Rent and a mortgage payment don't tell the whole story. This list shows every monthly expense for year 1 using Tampa's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,930 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $2,048 | $1,805 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $244 | 0.78% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $184 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $313 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $2,789 | $243 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $611 | At 8.3% a year, what the cash would earn |
| Buying costs, spread out | $157 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $3,313 | Subtract the equity part from cash out, then add the two lines above. |
Tampa verdict: the figures behind it.
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $375,619
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,930 /mo
- Down payment20% avoids private mortgage insurance, which the engine does not model
- 20%
- Mortgage rateFreddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- Home price growthFHFA house price index, Florida, 1995 to 2025
- 5.4% a year
- Rent growthCPI rent of primary residence, yearly growth 2006 to 2026
- 3.5% a year
- Return on savings60% S&P 500 with dividends and 40% 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced yearly, 1928 to 2025
- 8.3% a year
- Property taxCensus ACS 2020-2024, Tampa
- 0.78% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Tampa
- $184 /mo
- MaintenanceFannie Mae, low end of 1% to 4%
- 1% of value a year
- Buying costsFreddie Mac, middle of 2% to 5%
- 3.5% of price
- Selling costsAgent commission plus closing costs
- 6% of price
What would reverse the result in Tampa?
Each line marks where Tampa's 7-year verdict changes, with everything else unchanged.
When renting wins
- We use 5.4% as Florida's long-run rate, while home prices grow below 4.8% each year.
- The mortgage rate remains higher than 8.12%.
- For a home like this, the monthly rent is less than $1,730 (typical here: $1,930).
- Before year 6, you move.
When buying wins
- Home prices rise by more than 4.8% a year.
- You lock in a rate below 8.12%. Today's rate is 7.24%.
- If you rented that same home, your monthly cost would be more than $1,730.
- Your stay lasts 6 years or longer.
How Tampa compares with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Tampa | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $375,619 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,930 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 16.2 (#536 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 7.6% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 2.5% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.78% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 50% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Florida's other cities
- Buy. In Jacksonville, FL, buying wins by $27k.
- Buy. In Miami, FL, buying wins by $27k.
- Buy. In Orlando, FL, buying wins by $17k.
- Buying wins by $41k in St. Petersburg, FL.
- The $48k advantage favors buying in Port St. Lucie, FL.
- Buying comes out ahead by $37k in Hialeah, FL.
- Buying wins by $36k in Cape Coral, FL.
- The $11k advantage favors buying in Tallahassee, FL.
- Buying comes out ahead by $25k in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
- Buying wins by $22k in Pembroke Pines, FL.
- The $17k advantage favors buying in Hollywood, FL.
- Buy. In Gainesville, FL, buying wins by $24k.