Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bellingham, WA and Tampa, FL

For one person, living costs are similar in Bellingham, WA and in Tampa, FL: $3,010 and $3,029 a month, rent and utilities included.

145

Cost of Living Index in Bellingham, WA
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Bellingham, WA Living Index
144

Cost of Living Index in Tampa, FL
Learn more

Tampa, FL Living Index

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Bellingham, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,010

/mo nomad

Tampa, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,029

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bellingham, WA and in Tampa, FL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bellingham, WA and in Tampa, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,010 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $3,029 in Tampa, FL, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $3,010
Tampa, FL $3,029

A couple spends around $4,448 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $4,461 in Tampa, FL, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $4,448
Tampa, FL $4,461

A family of three spends $5,886 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $5,893 in Tampa, FL, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $5,886
Tampa, FL $5,893

Bellingham, WA is about 1% cheaper than Tampa, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Bellingham, WA and Tampa, FL sit above the global median – Bellingham, WA by 121%, Tampa, FL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.70 $24.70

$19.72 $19.72

25.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$76.1 $76.1

32.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.26 $13.26

$12.21 $12.21

8.60%

Cappuccino

$5.94 $5.94

$5.78 $5.78

2.77%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.15 $3.15

0.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.37 $2.37

-7.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.06 $7.06

-2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 $6.90

$8.86 $8.86

-22.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.27 $1.27

-11.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.96 $3.96

-3.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$4.99 $4.99

-1.60%

Eggs

$4.96 $4.96

$3.55 $3.55

39.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.80 $18.80

$14.16 $14.16

32.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.61 $18.61

$11.23 $11.23

65.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.00 $23.00

$20.68 $20.68

11.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.58 $5.58

-7.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.77 $1.77

6.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$3.33 $3.33

59.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$3.80 $3.80

66.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.57 $2.57

40.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.08 $3.08

2.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.45 $2.45

4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.39 $2.39

3.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.44 $12.44

$9.31 $9.31

33.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.95 $14.95

$14.73 $14.73

1.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.60 $2.60

-32.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 $5.74

$5.40 $5.40

6.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.04 $2.04

-2.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.51 $30.51

$65.2 $65.2

-53.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.54 $2.54

5.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.52 $1.52

11.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.27 $30.27

$19.99 $19.99

51.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.03 $1.03

39.81%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.5K $27.5K

$32.9K $32.9K

-16.41%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

-3.46%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$217 $217

$209 $209

3.89%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$57.4 $57.4

$72.3 $72.3

-20.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.3 $81.3

$77.0 $77.0

5.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.0 $62.0

$45.66 $45.66

35.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$20.76 $20.76

-28.61%

Cinema Ticket

$18.31 $18.31

$15.77 $15.77

16.11%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,125 $1,125

$1,451 $1,451

-22.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K $31.7K

$22.0K $22.0K

43.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 $80.5

$55.4 $55.4

45.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.32 $28.32

$44.36 $44.36

-36.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$88.9 $88.9

22.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$120 $120

24.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 $1,707

$2,202 $2,202

-22.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 $1,458

$1,608 $1,608

-9.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,598 $2,598

$3,835 $3,835

-32.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,347 $2,347

$2,781 $2,781

-15.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,441 $4,441

$6,140 $6,140

-27.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,925 $3,925

$2,270 $2,270

72.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,391 $4,391

$4,639 $4,639

-5.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.4

4.37%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bellingham, WA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Tampa, FL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bellingham, WA

$1.5K 48.4%

Tampa, FL

$1.6K 53.1% 10.3% $151

Groceries & Markets

Bellingham, WA

$505 16.8%

Tampa, FL

$424 14% 16.1% $81

Eating Out

Bellingham, WA

$378 12.6%

Tampa, FL

$339 11.2% 10.4% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bellingham, WA

$356 11.8%

Tampa, FL

$358 11.8% 0.7% $2.5

Clothing & Footwear

Bellingham, WA

$165 5.5%

Tampa, FL

$139 4.6% 15.9% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Bellingham, WA

$99 3.3%

Tampa, FL

$77 2.6% 21.7% $21

Getting Around

Bellingham, WA

$50 1.7%

Tampa, FL

$84 2.8% 68.3% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,707 in Bellingham, WA versus $2,202 in Tampa, FL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Tampa, FL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Bellingham, WA versus $76 in Tampa, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $505 vs $424 – making Tampa, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bellingham, WA

🇺🇸 Tampa, FL

🕒 Local time

11:50 11:50 AM

14:50 2:50 PM

3 h ahead of Bellingham, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

91,482

332,888

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Bellingham, WA Tampa, FL 4,120 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Bellingham, WA
Tampa, FL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bellingham, WA vs Tampa, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tampa, FL costs about 1% more than Bellingham, WA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,515 per month in Bellingham, WA and $4,543 in Tampa, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bellingham, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,707 there versus $2,202 in Tampa, FL.

Kindergarten costs $1,125 per month in Bellingham, WA and $1,451 in Tampa, FL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Tampa, FL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,010 in Bellingham, WA and $3,029 in Tampa, FL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Bellingham, WA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Bellingham, WA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tampa, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.