How Much Does It Cost to Live In Tampa, FL?
The city of Tampa is the county seat of Hillsborough County and the largest city in West Central Florida.
The cost of living here is way too high for the ridiculously low Florida pay scale.
It’s got affordable housing, a fairly nice city that is livable and cosmopolitan enough to have fun.
On top of that, there are thrilling water sports and fantastic local cuisines available, with cool breeze running everywhere.
Though the cost of living is high here, a majority of residents have a strong sense of bond with Tampa in their own particular way.
United States : Cost of Living by City
- Albany, NY
- Albuquerque, NM
- Anchorage, AK
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Arlington, TX
- Asheville, NC
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Bakersfield, CA
- Baltimore, MD
- Bellevue, WA
- Bellingham, WA
- Berkeley, CA
- Birmingham, AL
- Boise, ID
- Boston, MA
- Boulder, CO
- Brooklyn, NY
- Buffalo, NY
- Burlington, VT
- Charleston, SC
- Charlotte, NC
- Chattanooga, TN
- Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Columbia, SC
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Dayton, OH
- Denver, CO
- Des Moines, IA
- Detroit, MI
- El Paso, TX
- Eugene, OR
- Everett, WA
- Fayetteville, AR
- Fort Myers, FL
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Fort Worth, TX
- Fresno, CA
- Gainesville, FL
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Greensboro, NC
- Hartford, CT
- Honolulu, HI
- Houston, TX
- Huntsville, AL
- Indianapolis, IN
- Irvine, CA
- Jacksonville, FL
- Jersey City, NJ
- Kansas City, MO
- Knoxville, TN
- Las Vegas, NV
- Lexington, KY
- Little Rock, AR
- Long Beach, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Louisville, KY
- Lubbock, TX
- Madison, WI
- Memphis, TN
- Miami, FL
- Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New Orleans, LA
- New York, NY
- Oakland, CA
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Olympia, WA
- Orlando, FL
- Peoria, IL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland, ME
- Portland, OR
- Raleigh, NC
- Reno, NV
- Richmond, VA
- Rochester, NY
- Sacramento, CA
- Saint Louis, MO
- Saint Paul, MN
- Saint Petersburg, FL
- Salem, OR
- Salt Lake City, UT
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Santa Rosa, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Spokane, WA
- Springfield, MO
- Syracuse, NY
- Tacoma, WA
- Tallahassee, FL
- Tampa, FL
- Toledo, OH
- Tucson, AZ
- Tulsa, OK
- Vancouver, WA
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Washington, DC
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Wichita, KS
RESTAURANTS
The food scene is good with a collection of basically all the food options one would expect, from trendy eateries to high-end dining to small family restaurants.
The prices are reasonable, with inexpensive restaurants costing around 20$ per meal, and you can always count on the chain of fast food restaurants for a good, cheap meal.
MARKETS
Groceries are incredibly cheaper in Tampa, and Florida in general, than in other states.
As for the markets, the main stores in Tampa are all the regular grocery stores that exist everywhere in the US.
Florida is a sunny country, so there are bound to be occasional open farmer’s markets where you can go and buy some fresh produce at lower prices.
TRANSPORTATION
Public transportation is an issue – it takes a while to go from one place to another if you don’t own a car.
The bus fares are 3$ for local routes and 3$ for commuter express lines.
Tampa also has the TECO Line Streetcar which is useful for tourists.
The line runs by many local shops, restaurants, and attractions and a one-way fare is 2.50$ while a one-day, unlimited rides pass is 5$.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Like in most other American cities, utilities aren’t too expensive in Tampa though it does depend on the amount of electricity you use and on the size of your apartment.
For example, for a bit larger apartment, of about 85m2, all basic utilities like heating, cooling, electricity, and gas will cost you around 195$.
SPORTS & LEISURE
If you like activities that involve water – jet skiing, fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, scuba diving – this is the town for you.
There are so many things you can do, the options are endless!
As for indoor exercise, a gym or a fitness club membership will cost you around 32$.
CLOTHING & SHOES
SoHo District located just southwest of downtown, is the upscale shopping, dining, and nightlife center of Tampa.
You’ll find everything from international clothing brands to Hugo Boss.
The prices are reasonable and in line with the general American standard when it comes to clothing: quality jeans will cost you around 52$, and good running sneakers close to 100$.
RENT PER MONTH
Rent is also relatively reasonable for a popular Florida city: a one-bedroom apartment downtown runs for about 2000$ per month – but this is still rather expensive relative to general US standards.
Florida likes to advertise that they are a state without a state tax, and that is true, but they still get their due in the form of property taxes.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Tampa, FL
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $20.00 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $6.75 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $1.79 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $1.13 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $3.81 |
| Eggs (12) | $4.67 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $3.00 |
| Monthly Pass | $75.00 |
| Gasoline | $0.93 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $193.81 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.20 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $72.07 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $32.30 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $30.99 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $15.00 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $52.81 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $41.67 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $97.33 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $2059.00 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $1780.50 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $3979.41 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Tampa, FL?
No doubt, rent is the single biggest financial burden for the people of Tampa.
No wonder, since renting a small apartment costs over 1000$.
Food is definitely the second biggest expense for anyone living in this city – though this is the situation in most countries and cities around the world.
Food is an everyday necessity and when it’s not cheap, it amounts to a high monthly expense.
Other significant expenses for the people of Florida in the city of Tampa are restaurant and transportation costs.
Average Costs Breakdown
Tampa, FL: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
There is a growing amount of tech companies here, with a rising trend in medical-related businesses.
In these fields, wages are moderate to low.
However, in general, for such an expensive city, the job market is decent but the pay is lower than average.
An average monthly salary in Tampa is a bit above 5000$ which is enough for life in this city if you cut your costs here and there.
If you’re planning on visiting this city and staying a while, count on bringing in at least 3000$ for a month.
Tampa Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Tampa Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
- TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
- SCAMS RISK: LOW
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
