Low labor costs and leasing prices help make Tampa the cheapest place to do business among 22 U.S. regions with 2 million or more people, a new study says.

The study released today, by KPMG LLP, measured 26 cost factors including labor, taxes, real estate and utilities over a 10-year period.

Companies can use the study, KPMG said, to see which regions offer a cost-competitive business environment.

According to the study, Tampa had a cost index of 96.0, representing business costs 4.0 percent below the U.S. national baseline of 100.0. Tampa was followed closely by Atlanta at 96.3, Miami at 97.0 and Baltimore at 97.1.

"Our study offers a comprehensive guide for comparing business costs in the United States and contains valuable information for any company seeking a cost advantage in locating a business operation, especially in the current economic climate," KPMG's Hartley Powell said in a news release.

The study was released today in New York by KPMG, an audit and tax company.