Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Newport News, VA and Tampa, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Newport News, VA: $2,738 a month against $3,101 in Tampa, FL, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Tampa, FL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

133

Cost of Living Index in Newport News, VA
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Newport News, VA Living Index
151

Cost of Living Index in Tampa, FL
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Tampa, FL Living Index

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Newport News, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,738

/mo nomad

Tampa, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,101

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Newport News, VA 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 Newport News, VA and in Tampa, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,738 in Newport News, VA versus $3,101 in Tampa, FL.

Newport News, VA $2,738
Tampa, FL $3,101

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,798 in Newport News, VA versus $4,572 in Tampa, FL.

Newport News, VA $3,798
Tampa, FL $4,572

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,858 in Newport News, VA versus $6,044 in Tampa, FL.

Newport News, VA $4,858
Tampa, FL $6,044

Living in Newport News, VA costs roughly 12% less than in Tampa, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Newport News, VA 103% above, Tampa, FL 130% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.29 $28.29

$19.83 $19.83

42.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 $60.8

$76.1 $76.1

-20.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.44 $10.44

$11.77 $11.77

-11.30%

Cappuccino

$6.17 $6.17

$5.89 $5.89

4.75%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$3.16 $3.16

-17.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.43 $2.43

-15.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$7.18 $7.18

9.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 $7.77

$9.08 $9.08

-14.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.26 $1.26

-24.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.88 $3.88

-9.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$4.95 $4.95

-32.12%

Eggs

$2.86 $2.86

$3.59 $3.59

-20.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 $7.51

$14.07 $14.07

-46.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 $11.13

$11.12 $11.12

0.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.66 $18.66

$19.94 $19.94

-6.42%

Apples (1kg)

$6.95 $6.95

$5.38 $5.38

29.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.83 $1.83

-43.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.41 $3.41

44.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.96 $3.96

2.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.92 $2.92

7.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.36 $2.36

-14.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.34 $2.34

14.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.74 $7.74

$9.30 $9.30

-16.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.06 $16.06

$15.21 $15.21

5.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.68 $2.68

-34.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.60 $5.60

$5.57 $5.57

0.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.94 $1.94

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.13 $40.13

$65.9 $65.9

-39.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.52 $2.52

54.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.46 $1.46

-9.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.22 $25.22

$20.27 $20.27

24.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.03 $1.03

-4.85%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$38.0K $38.0K

-2.53%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$27.3K $27.3K

-3.67%

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

$209 $209

$210 $210

-0.26%

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

$79.9 $79.9

$72.7 $72.7

9.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.8 $78.8

$76.3 $76.3

3.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.56 $39.56

$48.50 $48.50

-18.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.87 $20.87

Cinema Ticket

$13.31 $13.31

$16.60 $16.60

-19.82%

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

$3,164 $3,164

$1,448 $1,448

118.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.7K $40.7K

$21.8K $21.8K

86.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$57.0 $57.0

-4.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.64 $44.64

$44.36 $44.36

0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$89.4 $89.4

14.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$123 $123

0.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 $1,407

$2,282 $2,282

-38.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 $1,299

$1,674 $1,674

-22.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 $2,324

$3,949 $3,949

-41.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 $1,792

$2,921 $2,921

-38.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,245 $2,245

$5,383 $5,383

-58.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,236 $2,236

$2,223 $2,223

0.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,938 $3,938

$4,852 $4,852

-18.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.4

2.19%

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

Last update for Newport News, VA: October 12, 2026

Last update for Tampa, FL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Newport News, VA

$1.3K 47.5%

Tampa, FL

$1.7K 54% 28.8% $375

Eating Out

Newport News, VA

$405 14.8%

Tampa, FL

$341 11% 15.9% $64

Groceries & Markets

Newport News, VA

$391 14.3%

Tampa, FL

$421 13.6% 7.5% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Newport News, VA

$368 13.4%

Tampa, FL

$359 11.6% 2.5% $9.2

Clothing & Footwear

Newport News, VA

$146 5.3%

Tampa, FL

$141 4.6% 3.6% $5.2

Sport & Entertainment

Newport News, VA

$66 2.4%

Tampa, FL

$82 2.6% 23.4% $16

Getting Around

Newport News, VA

$62 2.3%

Tampa, FL

$84 2.7% 34.1% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,407 in Newport News, VA and $2,282 in Tampa, FL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tampa, FL pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in Newport News, VA vs $76.0 in Tampa, FL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $391 vs $421 per month, with Newport News, VA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Newport News, VA

🇺🇸 Tampa, FL

🕒 Local time

10:03 10:03 AM

Same time as Newport News, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

186,247

332,888

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Newport News, VA Tampa, FL 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Newport News, VA
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

Newport News, VA vs Tampa, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Newport News, VA and Tampa, FL differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,738 vs $3,101 including rent). Newport News, VA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Tampa, FL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,407 in Newport News, VA versus $2,282 in Tampa, FL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,738 per month in Newport News, VA versus $3,101 in Tampa, FL – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Newport News, VA runs roughly 64% less than in Tampa, FL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Newport News, VA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Newport News, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Tampa, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.