Cost of Living Comparison Between Tampa, FL and Elizabeth, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Tampa, FL and Elizabeth, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,978 in Tampa, FL versus $3,222 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,368 in Tampa, FL versus $4,513 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,758 in Tampa, FL versus $5,805 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Living in Tampa, FL costs roughly 8% less than in Elizabeth, NJ, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tampa, FL 122% above, Elizabeth, NJ 140% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 $19.75

$20.06 $20.06

-1.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 $80.4

$99.0 $99.0

-18.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 $12.20

$11.95 $11.95

2.09%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$5.69 $5.69

-10.90%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.30 $2.30

18.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.55 $1.55

29.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.21 $7.21

$6.84 $6.84

5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.79 $7.79

$6.90 $6.90

12.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.30 $1.30

-6.15%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 $4.03

$4.14 $4.14

-2.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$5.70 $5.70

-6.67%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$5.30 $5.30

-18.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.83 $15.83

$13.74 $13.74

15.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.66 $11.66

$11.39 $11.39

2.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.67 $15.67

$17.55 $17.55

-10.71%

Apples (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$5.76 $5.76

12.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.57 $2.57

-30.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$4.22 $4.22

1.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$4.29 $4.29

12.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$3.02 $3.02

21.19%

Onion (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.70 $2.70

31.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.83 $2.83

-15.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.43 $2.43

4.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.15 $8.15

$14.73 $14.73

-44.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.94 $14.94

$15.11 $15.11

-1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.61 $2.61

-1.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.51 $3.51

-1.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.89 $2.89

-31.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.1 $67.1

$76.1 $76.1

-11.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.02 $3.02

-19.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.23 $2.23

-31.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.59 $29.59

$42.67 $42.67

-30.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.91 $0.91

2.20%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$23.5K $23.5K

44.37%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$24.5K $24.5K

10.77%

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

$231 $231

$215 $215

7.30%

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

$69.7 $69.7

$52.5 $52.5

32.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 $69.6

$58.4 $58.4

19.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 $37.91

$25.06 $25.06

51.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.91 $12.91

Cinema Ticket

$16.25 $16.25

$20.19 $20.19

-19.51%

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

$1,312 $1,312

$1,722 $1,722

-23.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K $14.1K

0.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 $56.3

$50.7 $50.7

10.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.69 $36.69

$59.8 $59.8

-38.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$87.7 $87.7

10.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$126 $126

10.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 $2,037

$2,184 $2,184

-6.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,540 $1,540

$1,769 $1,769

-12.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,590 $3,590

$2,662 $2,662

34.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,703 $2,703

$2,476 $2,476

9.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,136 $5,136

$1,289 $1,289

298.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,272 $2,272

$1,147 $1,147

98.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,385 $4,385

$5,337 $5,337

-17.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

6.51

-0.46%

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

Last update for Tampa, FL: April 21, 2026

Last update for Elizabeth, NJ: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,037 in Tampa, FL and $2,184 in Elizabeth, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elizabeth, NJ pays 22% 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: $80 in Tampa, FL vs $99 in Elizabeth, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $436 vs $437 per month, with Tampa, FL cheaper across the board.

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 Elizabeth, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tampa, FL and Elizabeth, NJ differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,978 vs $3,222 including rent). Tampa, FL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Elizabeth, NJ earns 22% less. 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: $2,037 in Tampa, FL versus $2,184 in Elizabeth, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,312 in Tampa, FL versus $1,722 in Elizabeth, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Elizabeth, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Tampa, FL 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 Tampa, FL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Elizabeth, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.