Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tampa, FL and Newport News, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Newport News, VA: $2,738 a month against $3,101 in Tampa, FL, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Tampa, FL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

151

Cost of Living Index in Tampa, FL
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Tampa, FL Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Newport News, VA
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Newport News, VA Living Index

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Tampa, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,101

/mo nomad

Newport News, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,738

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tampa, FL and in Newport News, VA

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 Newport News, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,101 in Tampa, FL versus $2,738 in Newport News, VA.

Tampa, FL $3,101
Newport News, VA $2,738

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,572 in Tampa, FL versus $3,798 in Newport News, VA.

Tampa, FL $4,572
Newport News, VA $3,798

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,044 in Tampa, FL versus $4,858 in Newport News, VA.

Tampa, FL $6,044
Newport News, VA $4,858

Living in Tampa, FL is roughly 13% more expensive than in Newport News, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tampa, FL 130% above, Newport News, VA 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.83 $19.83

$28.29 $28.29

-29.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$60.8 $60.8

25.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 $11.77

$10.44 $10.44

12.74%

Cappuccino

$5.89 $5.89

$6.17 $6.17

-4.54%

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

$3.16 $3.16

$2.61 $2.61

21.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.05 $2.05

18.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.18 $7.18

$7.88 $7.88

-8.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.08 $9.08

$7.77 $7.77

16.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.95 $0.95

32.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.53 $3.53

9.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.36 $3.36

47.32%

Eggs

$3.59 $3.59

$2.86 $2.86

25.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$7.51 $7.51

87.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.12 $11.12

$11.13 $11.13

-0.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.94 $19.94

$18.66 $18.66

6.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$6.95 $6.95

-22.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.04 $1.04

75.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$4.94 $4.94

-30.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$4.05 $4.05

-2.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.13 $3.13

-6.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.02 $2.02

16.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.68 $2.68

-12.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.30 $9.30

$7.74 $7.74

20.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 $15.21

$16.06 $16.06

-5.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.76 $1.76

52.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.57 $5.57

$5.60 $5.60

-0.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.91 $2.91

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.9 $65.9

$40.13 $40.13

64.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.90 $3.90

-35.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.32 $1.32

10.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.27 $20.27

$25.22 $25.22

-19.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.98 $0.98

5.10%

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

$38.0K $38.0K

$37.0K $37.0K

2.59%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$26.3K $26.3K

3.80%

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

$210 $210

$209 $209

0.26%

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

$72.7 $72.7

$79.9 $79.9

-9.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.3 $76.3

$78.8 $78.8

-3.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.50 $48.50

$39.56 $39.56

22.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.87 $20.87

Cinema Ticket

$16.60 $16.60

$13.31 $13.31

24.72%

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

$1,448 $1,448

$3,164 $3,164

-54.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K $21.8K

$40.7K $40.7K

-46.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 $57.0

$54.1 $54.1

5.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.36 $44.36

$44.64 $44.64

-0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 $89.4

$103 $103

-13.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$124 $124

-0.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,282 $2,282

$1,407 $1,407

62.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,674 $1,674

$1,299 $1,299

28.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,949 $3,949

$2,324 $2,324

69.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,921 $2,921

$1,792 $1,792

62.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,383 $5,383

$2,245 $2,245

139.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,223 $2,223

$2,236 $2,236

-0.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,852 $4,852

$3,938 $3,938

23.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

6.54

-2.14%

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

Last update for Tampa, FL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Newport News, VA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tampa, FL

$1.7K 54%

Newport News, VA

$1.3K 47.5% 22.4% $375

Groceries & Markets

Tampa, FL

$421 13.6%

Newport News, VA

$391 14.3% 7% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tampa, FL

$359 11.6%

Newport News, VA

$368 13.4% 2.6% $9.2

Eating Out

Tampa, FL

$341 11%

Newport News, VA

$405 14.8% 18.8% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Tampa, FL

$141 4.6%

Newport News, VA

$146 5.3% 3.7% $5.2

Getting Around

Tampa, FL

$84 2.7%

Newport News, VA

$62 2.3% 25.4% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Tampa, FL

$82 2.6%

Newport News, VA

$66 2.4% 19% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,282 in Tampa, FL and $1,407 in Newport News, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tampa, FL pays 23% 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: $76.0 in Tampa, FL vs $61.0 in Newport News, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $421 vs $391 per month, with Newport News, VA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Tampa, FL

🇺🇸 Newport News, VA

🕒 Local time

15:53 3:53 PM

Same time as Tampa, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

332,888

186,247

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Tampa, FL Newport News, VA 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Tampa, FL
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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 Newport News, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tampa, FL and Newport News, VA differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($3,101 vs $2,738 including rent). Newport News, VA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 23% 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: $2,282 in Tampa, FL versus $1,407 in Newport News, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,101 per month in Tampa, FL versus $2,738 in Newport News, VA – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Newport News, VA runs roughly 64% less than in Tampa, FL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Newport News, VA 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 Newport News, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Tampa, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.