Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Tampa, FL?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 27.3% of gross income.

Tampa rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Florida state estimate).

Tampa median rent
$1,999/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Florida)
$87,866/yr
Rent as % of income
27.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,322, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,197/mo in rent. Tampa's median rent of $1,999 leaves roughly $198/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 47.3 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a registered nurse salary

Rent is the single largest fixed cost most renters carry, and the rent-to-income ratio is the simplest measure of whether a city is livable on a given salary. For renters earning a typical registered-nurse income, the 30% rule supports about $2,360 a month in rent. That margin covers comfortable one-bedroom rent in the vast majority of US metros but tightens significantly in the highest-rent coastal cities, where rent can claim 40% or more of an RN paycheck. The per-city pages below show the local rent, the local nurse-pay estimate, and where that combination sits on the affordability scale.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Florida cities have lower median rent than Tampa, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Destin, FL
$1,998/mo (27.3% of income)
Doral, FL
$1,998/mo (27.3% of income)
Oldsmar, FL
$1,998/mo (27.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Tampa

View full rent data for Tampa, FL

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Tampa, FL?

Median rent in Tampa is $1,999 a month. A typical registered nurse in Florida earns about $87,866 a year, which makes that rent 27.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Tampa?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Florida (~$87,866/yr) supports up to $2,197 a month in rent. Tampa's current median rent is $1,999/mo, which leaves a $198/mo buffer.

How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Tampa?

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a registered nurse in Florida works roughly 47.3 hours a month to cover Tampa's median rent of $1,999.

Where is rent cheaper than Tampa for a registered nurse?

Nearby Florida cities with lower median rent include Destin ($1,998/mo), Doral ($1,998/mo), Oldsmar ($1,998/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Florida state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Tampa, FL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.