Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tampa, FL and Hilo, HI

For one person, living is cheaper in Hilo, HI: $2,862 a month against $3,029 in Tampa, FL, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Tampa, FL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

144

Cost of Living Index in Tampa, FL
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Tampa, FL Living Index
136

Cost of Living Index in Hilo, HI
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Hilo, HI Living Index

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Tampa, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,029

/mo nomad

Hilo, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,862

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tampa, FL and in Hilo, HI

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 Hilo, HI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,029 per month in Tampa, FL vs $2,862 in Hilo, HI, rent included.

Tampa, FL $3,029
Hilo, HI $2,862

A couple spends around $4,461 per month in Tampa, FL vs $4,324 in Hilo, HI, rent included.

Tampa, FL $4,461
Hilo, HI $4,324

A family of three spends $5,893 per month in Tampa, FL vs $5,786 in Hilo, HI, rent included.

Tampa, FL $5,893
Hilo, HI $5,786

Tampa, FL costs about 6% more than Hilo, HI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Tampa, FL and Hilo, HI sit above the global median – Tampa, FL by 123%, Hilo, HI by 110%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.72 $19.72

$21.23 $21.23

-7.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$78.7 $78.7

-3.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$12.10 $12.10

0.91%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.81 $5.81

-0.52%

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

$3.15 $3.15

$2.91 $2.91

8.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.54 $2.54

-6.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$6.66 $6.66

6.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.86 $8.86

$7.31 $7.31

21.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.74 $1.74

-27.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 $3.96

$9.67 $9.67

-59.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$4.21 $4.21

18.53%

Eggs

$3.55 $3.55

$6.93 $6.93

-48.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$19.97 $19.97

-29.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.23 $11.23

$17.69 $17.69

-36.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.68 $20.68

$29.70 $29.70

-30.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$8.65 $8.65

-35.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.39 $2.39

-25.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$10.38 $10.38

-67.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$12.03 $12.03

-68.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$8.99 $8.99

-71.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$7.54 $7.54

-59.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$5.60 $5.60

-56.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$3.04 $3.04

-21.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.31 $9.31

$11.98 $11.98

-22.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$22.43 $22.43

-34.33%

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

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 $65.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$4.37 $4.37

-41.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.16 $1.16

31.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.99 $19.99

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.41 $1.41

-26.95%

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

$32.9K $32.9K

$26.5K $26.5K

24.18%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.74%

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

$209 $209

$304 $304

-31.31%

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

$72.3 $72.3

$67.7 $67.7

6.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 $77.0

$124 $124

-38.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.66 $45.66

$36.57 $36.57

24.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.76 $20.76

$25.40 $25.40

-18.27%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 $15.77

$13.05 $13.05

20.84%

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

$1,451 $1,451

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K $22.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$38.09 $38.09

45.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.36 $44.36

$30.52 $30.52

45.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 $88.9

$66.1 $66.1

34.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$84.3 $84.3

42.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,202 $2,202

$1,485 $1,485

48.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$1,139 $1,139

41.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,835 $3,835

$2,369 $2,369

61.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,781 $2,781

$2,084 $2,084

33.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,140 $6,140

$5,660 $5,660

8.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,270 $2,270

$4,632 $4,632

-50.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,639 $4,639

$4,810 $4,810

-3.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

6.62

-3.32%

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

Last update for Tampa, FL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Hilo, HI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tampa, FL

$1.6K 53.1%

Hilo, HI

$1.1K 39.8% 29.2% $470

Groceries & Markets

Tampa, FL

$424 14%

Hilo, HI

$710 * 24.8% 67.6% $286

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tampa, FL

$358 11.8%

Hilo, HI

$496 17.3% 38.5% $138

Eating Out

Tampa, FL

$339 11.2%

Hilo, HI

$346 12.1% 2% $6.7

Clothing & Footwear

Tampa, FL

$139 4.6%

Hilo, HI

$99 3.4% 29% $40

Getting Around

Tampa, FL

$84 2.8%

Hilo, HI

$10 * 0.4% 87.8% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Tampa, FL

$77 2.6%

Hilo, HI

$63 2.2% 18.8% $15

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,202 in Tampa, FL versus $1,485 in Hilo, HI. 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 4% higher in Hilo, HI, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Tampa, FL versus $79 in Hilo, HI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $424 vs $710 – making Tampa, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Tampa, FL

🇺🇸 Hilo, HI

🕒 Local time

18:13 6:13 PM

12:13 12:13 PM

6 h behind Tampa, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

332,888

44,186

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Tampa, FL Hilo, HI 7,340 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Tampa, FL
Hilo, HI

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 Hilo, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tampa, FL costs about 6% more than Hilo, HI, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,543 per month in Tampa, FL and $4,292 in Hilo, HI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hilo, HI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,485 there versus $2,202 in Tampa, FL.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,029 in Tampa, FL and $2,862 in Hilo, HI. That makes Hilo, HI about 6% cheaper.

Interestingly, groceries are about 40% cheaper in Tampa, FL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,029 in Tampa, FL and $2,862 in Hilo, HI. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Hilo, HI has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,862 in Hilo, HI to $3,029 in Tampa, FL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.