Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Tampa, FL and in Elizabeth, NJ: $3,108 and $3,186 a month, rent and utilities included.

150

Cost of Living Index in Tampa, FL
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Tampa, FL Living Index
156

Cost of Living Index in Elizabeth, NJ
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Elizabeth, NJ Living Index

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Tampa, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,108

/mo nomad

Elizabeth, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,186

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tampa, FL and in Elizabeth, NJ

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 Elizabeth, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,108 in Tampa, FL versus $3,186 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Tampa, FL $3,108
Elizabeth, NJ $3,186

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,608 in Tampa, FL versus $4,453 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Tampa, FL $4,608
Elizabeth, NJ $4,453

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,108 in Tampa, FL versus $5,720 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Tampa, FL $6,108
Elizabeth, NJ $5,720

Living in Tampa, FL costs roughly 2% less than in Elizabeth, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tampa, FL 129% above, Elizabeth, NJ 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.71 $19.71

3.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$80.4 $80.4

-5.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 $11.97

$11.89 $11.89

0.67%

Cappuccino

$5.95 $5.95

$5.45 $5.45

9.17%

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

$3.03 $3.03

$2.43 $2.43

24.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.49 $1.49

58.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 $7.08

$7.78 $7.78

-9.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$7.15 $7.15

26.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.27 $1.27

-3.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 $3.87

$4.50 $4.50

-14.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$5.96 $5.96

-16.95%

Eggs

$3.46 $3.46

$6.52 $6.52

-46.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.09 $14.09

$15.31 $15.31

-7.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.09 $11.09

$11.83 $11.83

-6.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.34 $20.34

$19.73 $19.73

3.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$5.95 $5.95

-7.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$3.55 $3.55

-50.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$4.20 $4.20

-19.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$5.42 $5.42

-26.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.99 $2.99

-11.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.95 $2.95

4.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$3.00 $3.00

-22.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.52 $2.52

-4.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 $9.25

$14.62 $14.62

-36.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$15.29 $15.29

-2.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.70 $2.70

-3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.45 $5.45

$3.41 $3.41

59.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.88 $2.88

-32.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 $66.1

$76.0 $76.0

-12.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.92 $2.92

-13.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.11 $2.11

-27.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.26 $20.26

$42.39 $42.39

-52.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.09 $1.09

-7.34%

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

$32.5K $32.5K

$27.9K $27.9K

16.38%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.57%

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

$204 $204

$247 $247

-17.46%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$51.0 $51.0

45.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 $77.0

$50.1 $50.1

53.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.67 $49.67

$24.78 $24.78

100.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.43 $20.43

Cinema Ticket

$15.73 $15.73

$20.03 $20.03

-21.47%

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

$1,462 $1,462

$2,012 $2,012

-27.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K $21.8K

$16.2K $16.2K

34.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 $56.8

$49.63 $49.63

14.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.51 $43.51

$77.6 $77.6

-43.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 $88.0

$87.9 $87.9

0.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,355 $2,355

$2,181 $2,181

8.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,681 $1,681

$1,718 $1,718

-2.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,857 $3,857

$2,668 $2,668

44.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,979 $2,979

$2,492 $2,492

19.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,498 $5,498

$1,297 $1,297

323.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,154 $2,154

$1,143 $1,143

88.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,704 $4,704

$3,997 $3,997

17.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

6.67

-4.05%

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

Last update for Tampa, FL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Elizabeth, NJ: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tampa, FL

$1.7K 54.1%

Elizabeth, NJ

$1.7K 53.9% 2.2% $36

Groceries & Markets

Tampa, FL

$421 13.6%

Elizabeth, NJ

$475 14.9% 12.8% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tampa, FL

$355 11.4%

Elizabeth, NJ

$348 10.9% 2% $6.9

Eating Out

Tampa, FL

$345 11.1%

Elizabeth, NJ

$328 10.3% 5.2% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Tampa, FL

$140 4.5%

Elizabeth, NJ

$152 4.8% 8.5% $12

Getting Around

Tampa, FL

$84 2.7%

Elizabeth, NJ

$101 3.2% 20% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Tampa, FL

$81 2.6%

Elizabeth, NJ

$65 2% 20.1% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,355 in Tampa, FL and $2,181 in Elizabeth, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tampa, FL pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76.0 in Tampa, FL vs $80.0 in Elizabeth, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $421 vs $475 per month, with Tampa, FL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Tampa, FL

🇺🇸 Elizabeth, NJ

🕒 Local time

04:11 4:11 AM

Same time as Tampa, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

332,888

126,179

💱 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

Tampa, FL Elizabeth, NJ 1,600 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Tampa, FL
Elizabeth, NJ

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 Elizabeth, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tampa, FL and Elizabeth, NJ differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($3,108 vs $3,186 including rent). Tampa, FL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Tampa, FL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,355 in Tampa, FL versus $2,181 in Elizabeth, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,462 in Tampa, FL versus $2,012 in Elizabeth, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% 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 3% less than in Elizabeth, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.