Last update: Oct 2026

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

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

144

Cost of Living Index in Tampa, FL
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Tampa, FL Living Index
145

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

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Tampa, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,029

/mo nomad

Bellingham, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,010

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tampa, FL and Bellingham, WA have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.72 $19.72

$24.70 $24.70

-20.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$101 $101

-24.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$13.26 $13.26

-7.92%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.94 $5.94

-2.69%

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

$3.15 $3.15

$3.16 $3.16

-0.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.19 $2.19

8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$6.87 $6.87

2.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.86 $8.86

$6.90 $6.90

28.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.13 $1.13

12.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 $3.96

$3.82 $3.82

3.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$4.91 $4.91

1.63%

Eggs

$3.55 $3.55

$4.96 $4.96

-28.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$18.80 $18.80

-24.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.23 $11.23

$18.61 $18.61

-39.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.68 $20.68

$23.00 $23.00

-10.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$5.14 $5.14

8.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.89 $1.89

-6.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$5.32 $5.32

-37.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$6.32 $6.32

-39.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.61 $3.61

-28.81%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.16 $3.16

-2.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.55 $2.55

-3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.47 $2.47

-3.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.31 $9.31

$12.44 $12.44

-25.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$14.95 $14.95

-1.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.76 $1.76

47.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 $5.40

$5.74 $5.74

-5.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.99 $1.99

2.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 $65.2

$30.51 $30.51

113.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.68 $2.68

-5.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.70 $1.70

-10.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.99 $19.99

$30.27 $30.27

-33.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.44 $1.44

-28.47%

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

$32.9K $32.9K

$27.5K $27.5K

19.63%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.59%

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

$209 $209

$217 $217

-3.74%

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

$72.3 $72.3

$57.4 $57.4

26.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 $77.0

$81.3 $81.3

-5.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.66 $45.66

$62.0 $62.0

-26.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.76 $20.76

$14.82 $14.82

40.08%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 $15.77

$18.31 $18.31

-13.87%

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

$1,451 $1,451

$1,125 $1,125

29.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K $22.0K

$31.7K $31.7K

-30.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$80.5 $80.5

-31.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.36 $44.36

$28.32 $28.32

56.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 $88.9

$109 $109

-18.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$149 $149

-19.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,202 $2,202

$1,707 $1,707

28.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$1,458 $1,458

10.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,835 $3,835

$2,598 $2,598

47.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,781 $2,781

$2,347 $2,347

18.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,140 $6,140

$4,441 $4,441

38.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,270 $2,270

$3,925 $3,925

-42.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,639 $4,639

$4,391 $4,391

5.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

6.68

-4.19%

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

Last update for Tampa, FL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bellingham, WA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tampa, FL

$1.6K 53.1%

Bellingham, WA

$1.5K 48.4% 9.4% $151

Groceries & Markets

Tampa, FL

$424 14%

Bellingham, WA

$505 16.8% 19.2% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tampa, FL

$358 11.8%

Bellingham, WA

$356 11.8% 0.7% $2.5

Eating Out

Tampa, FL

$339 11.2%

Bellingham, WA

$378 12.6% 11.6% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Tampa, FL

$139 4.6%

Bellingham, WA

$165 5.5% 18.9% $26

Getting Around

Tampa, FL

$84 2.8%

Bellingham, WA

$50 1.7% 40.6% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Tampa, FL

$77 2.6%

Bellingham, WA

$99 3.3% 27.8% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,202 in Tampa, FL versus $1,707 in Bellingham, WA. 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 $76 in Tampa, FL versus $101 in Bellingham, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $424 vs $505 – making Tampa, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Tampa, FL

🇺🇸 Bellingham, WA

🕒 Local time

16:39 4:39 PM

13:39 1:39 PM

3 h behind Tampa, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

332,888

91,482

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

Tampa, FL
Bellingham, WA

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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,543 per month in Tampa, FL and $4,515 in Bellingham, WA. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Tampa, FL and $101 in Bellingham, WA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Bellingham, WA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,029 in Tampa, FL and $3,010 in Bellingham, WA. 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 or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tampa, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.