Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pittsburgh, PA and Tampa, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Pittsburgh, PA: $2,525 a month against $3,101 in Tampa, FL, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Pittsburgh, PA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,525
/mo nomad
Tampa, FL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,101
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,525 per month in Pittsburgh, PA vs $3,101 in Tampa, FL, rent included.

  • Pittsburgh, PA $2,525
  • Tampa, FL $3,101

A couple spends around $3,630 per month in Pittsburgh, PA vs $4,572 in Tampa, FL, rent included.

  • Pittsburgh, PA $3,630
  • Tampa, FL $4,572

A family of three spends $4,736 per month in Pittsburgh, PA vs $6,044 in Tampa, FL, rent included.

  • Pittsburgh, PA $4,736
  • Tampa, FL $6,044

Pittsburgh, PA is about 19% cheaper than Tampa, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Pittsburgh, PA and Tampa, FL sit above the global median – Pittsburgh, PA by 87%, Tampa, FL by 130%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pittsburgh, PA
Tampa, FL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.71 $19.71
$19.83 $19.83
-0.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.1 $60.1
$76.1 $76.1
-21.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.81 $9.81
$11.77 $11.77
-16.65%
Cappuccino
$4.84 $4.84
$5.89 $5.89
-17.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 $2.64
$3.16 $3.16
-16.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 $2.15
$2.43 $2.43
-11.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.59 $6.59
$7.18 $7.18
-8.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.18 $8.18
$9.08 $9.08
-9.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pittsburgh, PA
Tampa, FL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 $1.21
$1.26 $1.26
-3.97%
White Bread (500g)
$3.74 $3.74
$3.88 $3.88
-3.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.84 $4.84
$4.95 $4.95
-2.22%
Eggs
$4.84 $4.84
$3.59 $3.59
34.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.71 $14.71
$14.07 $14.07
4.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.62 $12.62
$11.12 $11.12
13.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.43 $17.43
$19.94 $19.94
-12.59%
Apples (1kg)
$5.15 $5.15
$5.38 $5.38
-4.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 $1.50
$1.83 $1.83
-18.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.04 $4.04
$3.41 $3.41
18.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.52 $5.52
$3.96 $3.96
39.39%
Potato (1kg)
$2.38 $2.38
$2.66 $2.66
-10.53%
Onion (1kg)
$2.52 $2.52
$2.92 $2.92
-13.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.39 $2.39
$2.36 $2.36
1.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.99 $1.99
$2.34 $2.34
-14.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.98 $10.98
$9.30 $9.30
18.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.76 $12.76
$15.21 $15.21
-16.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07 $2.07
$2.68 $2.68
-22.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.97 $3.97
$5.57 $5.57
-28.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Pittsburgh, PA
Tampa, FL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.81 $2.81
$1.94 $1.94
44.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$98.3 $98.3
$65.9 $65.9
49.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.97 $3.97
$2.52 $2.52
57.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 $1.53
$1.46 $1.46
4.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.78 $20.78
$20.27 $20.27
2.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.03 $1.03
3.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.1K $37.1K
$38.0K $38.0K
-2.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$27.3K $27.3K
-5.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pittsburgh, PA
Tampa, FL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$252 $252
$210 $210
19.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.5 $53.5
$72.7 $72.7
-26.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.7 $68.7
$76.3 $76.3
-9.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pittsburgh, PA
Tampa, FL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.26 $44.26
$48.50 $48.50
-8.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.52 $28.52
$20.87 $20.87
36.66%
Cinema Ticket
$11.83 $11.83
$16.60 $16.60
-28.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pittsburgh, PA
Tampa, FL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,752 $1,752
$1,448 $1,448
21.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$34.6K $34.6K
$21.8K $21.8K
58.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pittsburgh, PA
Tampa, FL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.08 $46.08
$57.0 $57.0
-19.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.74 $47.74
$44.36 $44.36
7.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.9 $72.9
$89.4 $89.4
-18.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 $102
$123 $123
-17.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pittsburgh, PA
Tampa, FL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,587 $1,587
$2,282 $2,282
-30.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,112 $1,112
$1,674 $1,674
-33.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,442 $2,442
$3,949 $3,949
-38.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,736 $1,736
$2,921 $2,921
-40.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,169 $3,169
$5,383 $5,383
-41.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,023 $2,023
$2,223 $2,223
-8.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pittsburgh, PA
Tampa, FL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,361 $4,361
$4,852 $4,852
-10.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.52
6.4
1.87%

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

Last update for Pittsburgh, PA: October 10, 2026

Last update for Tampa, FL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Pittsburgh, PA
$1.1K
Tampa, FL
$1.7K 50.5% $562
Groceries & Markets
Pittsburgh, PA
$416
Tampa, FL
$421 1.3% $5.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pittsburgh, PA
$374
Tampa, FL
$359 4% $15
Eating Out
Pittsburgh, PA
$314
Tampa, FL
$341 8.7% $27
Getting Around
Pittsburgh, PA
$121
Tampa, FL
$84 31.1% $38
Clothing & Footwear
Pittsburgh, PA
$121
Tampa, FL
$141 16.9% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Pittsburgh, PA
$68
Tampa, FL
$82 20.3% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,587 in Pittsburgh, PA versus $2,282 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 11% higher in Tampa, FL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Pittsburgh, PA versus $76.0 in Tampa, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 vs $421 – making Pittsburgh, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Pittsburgh, PA
🇺🇸 Tampa, FL
🕒 Local time
08:34 8:34 AM
08:34 8:34 AM
Same time as Pittsburgh, PA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
311,647
332,888
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Pittsburgh, PA Tampa, FL 1,410 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Pittsburgh, PA
  • 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
Pittsburgh, PA vs Tampa, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Pittsburgh, PA or Tampa, FL?
Tampa, FL costs about 23% more than Pittsburgh, PA, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Pittsburgh, PA and in Tampa, FL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,788 per month in Pittsburgh, PA and $4,651 in Tampa, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Pittsburgh, PA or Tampa, FL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Pittsburgh, PA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Pittsburgh, PA and in Tampa, FL?
Kindergarten costs $1,752 per month in Pittsburgh, PA and $1,448 in Tampa, FL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Pittsburgh, PA or in Tampa, FL?
Groceries cost about 1% more in Tampa, FL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Pittsburgh, PA or in Tampa, FL?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,525 in Pittsburgh, PA and $3,101 in Tampa, FL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Pittsburgh, PA or Tampa, FL?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pittsburgh, PA costs $2,525 versus $3,101 in Tampa, FL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Pittsburgh, PA or to Tampa, FL?
If budget matters most, go with Pittsburgh, PA. 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.

Pittsburgh, PA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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