Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, MA would need to be about $34,825 in Pinellas County, FL, or $15,175 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Suffolk County, MA vs Pinellas County, FL: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Pinellas County, FL is cheaper than Suffolk County, MA.
Moving to Pinellas County, FL is estimated to save $24,814 per year.
Cheaper County
Pinellas County, FLSave about $24,814 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Suffolk County, MA is about $34,825 in Pinellas County, FL.
Biggest drivers
Healthcare increases by $639 per year. Taxes saves $10,762 per year.
Housing: $8,836 lower in Pinellas County, FL
Taxes: $10,762 lower in Pinellas County, FL
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $639 higher in Pinellas County, FL
Food: $392 lower in Pinellas County, FL
Transport: $2,597 lower in Pinellas County, FL
Suffolk County, MA→Pinellas County, FL
Equivalent salary in Pinellas County, FL
$34,825
-30.35% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Suffolk County, MA: $110,193
Median Income in Pinellas County, FL: $93,763
Living Index in Suffolk County, MA 74.20%
Living Index in Pinellas County, FL 60.74%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Suffolk County, MA to Pinellas County, FL.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Suffolk County, MA to Pinellas County, FL is estimated to save $24,814 per year. A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, MA would have similar purchasing power to about $34,825 in Pinellas County, FL. The largest savings come from taxes and housing.
This is a -30.35% decrease in modeled annual costs. Taxes is $10,762 per year lower (-52.88%); Housing is $8,836 per year lower (-31.64%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Suffolk County, MA and Pinellas County, FL, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 74.2% of median family income in Suffolk County, MA and 60.7% in Pinellas County, FL. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $8,836 per year lower in Pinellas County, FL than in Suffolk County, MA. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Pinellas County, FL changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $392 per year lower in Pinellas County, FL than in Suffolk County, MA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Pinellas County, FL can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $2,597 per year lower in Pinellas County, FL than in Suffolk County, MA. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Pinellas County, FL.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $639 per year higher in Pinellas County, FL than in Suffolk County, MA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Pinellas County, FL changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $2,865 per year lower in Pinellas County, FL than in Suffolk County, MA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Pinellas County, FL help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Suffolk County, MA and Pinellas County, FL, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Pinellas County, FL, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $10,762 per year lower in Pinellas County, FL than in Suffolk County, MA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Pinellas County, FL matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Pinellas County, FL.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Pinellas County, FL
Annual Increase:
$639 per year
HEALTHCARE has the largest annual increase when moving to Pinellas County, FL.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Pinellas County, FL
Annual Savings:
$10,762 per year
TAXES has the largest annual savings when moving to Pinellas County, FL.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -32% lower | |
| Food | -8% lower | |
| Transport | -20% lower | |
| Healthcare | 13% higher | |
| Other Costs | -28% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -53% lower |
In Pinellas County, FL, modeled annual costs are $56,951 compared with $81,765 in Suffolk County, MA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Pinellas County, FL. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Pinellas County, FL and Suffolk County, MA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
