Cost of Living Comparison Between Tampa, FL and Fort Worth, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Tampa, FL and Fort Worth, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,105 in Tampa, FL versus $2,791 in Fort Worth, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,637 in Tampa, FL versus $4,105 in Fort Worth, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,169 in Tampa, FL versus $5,419 in Fort Worth, TX.

Living in Tampa, FL is roughly 11% more expensive than in Fort Worth, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tampa, FL 127% above, Fort Worth, TX 104% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.29 $20.29

$19.70 $19.70

2.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 $73.8

$55.0 $55.0

34.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 $11.76

$12.03 $12.03

-2.24%

Cappuccino

$5.93 $5.93

$6.18 $6.18

-4.05%

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

$3.29 $3.29

$2.90 $2.90

13.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.34 $2.34

8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 $6.82

$5.63 $5.63

21.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.19 $9.19

$8.17 $8.17

12.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.88 $0.88

43.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.81 $3.81

$3.87 $3.87

-1.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.07 $5.07

-2.17%

Eggs

$3.44 $3.44

$3.77 $3.77

-8.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.99 $13.99

$10.87 $10.87

28.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.30 $11.30

$15.07 $15.07

-25.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 $19.93

$20.02 $20.02

-0.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$6.42 $6.42

-16.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.58 $2.58

-31.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$5.19 $5.19

-34.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.62 $4.62

-14.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.31 $3.31

-6.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.33 $2.33

5.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.49 $2.49

-3.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.87 $8.87

$9.54 $9.54

-7.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$20.82 $20.82

-28.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.10 $2.10

21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.32 $3.32

62.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.06 $2.06

-1.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 $65.2

$77.0 $77.0

-15.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.97 $2.97

-16.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.78 $1.78

-16.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.68 $19.68

$23.67 $23.67

-16.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.89 $0.89

13.48%

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

$37.5K $37.5K

$37.0K $37.0K

1.27%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

5.96%

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

$210 $210

-0.32%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$93.3 $93.3

-24.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.3 $76.3

$82.3 $82.3

-7.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.93 $48.93

$56.3 $56.3

-13.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.45 $20.45

$20.27 $20.27

0.89%

Cinema Ticket

$16.30 $16.30

$15.91 $15.91

2.45%

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

$1,457 $1,457

$1,931 $1,931

-24.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$28.4K $28.4K

-21.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 $55.9

$59.9 $59.9

-6.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.86 $43.86

$49.48 $49.48

-11.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 $88.6

$126 $126

-29.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$129 $129

-7.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$1,624 $1,624

42.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 $1,686

$1,314 $1,314

28.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,983 $3,983

$2,790 $2,790

42.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 $2,965

$2,247 $2,247

31.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,485 $5,485

$4,160 $4,160

31.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,142 $2,142

$1,861 $1,861

15.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,991 $4,991

$4,403 $4,403

13.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.06

6.07

-0.16%

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

Last update for Tampa, FL: September 14, 2026

Last update for Fort Worth, TX: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,313 in Tampa, FL and $1,624 in Fort Worth, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tampa, FL pays 13% 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: $74.0 in Tampa, FL vs $55.0 in Fort Worth, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $419 vs $455, with Tampa, FL cheaper for home cooking.

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 Fort Worth, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tampa, FL and Fort Worth, TX differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($3,105 vs $2,791 including rent). Fort Worth, TX is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% 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: $2,313 in Tampa, FL versus $1,624 in Fort Worth, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,457 in Tampa, FL versus $1,931 in Fort Worth, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Tampa, FL pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Fort Worth, TX 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 Fort Worth, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Tampa, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.