Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tampa, FL and Pittsburgh, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Pittsburgh, PA: $2,525 a month against $3,101 in Tampa, FL, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tampa, FL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,101
/mo nomad
Pittsburgh, PA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,525
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tampa, FL and in Pittsburgh, PA

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 Pittsburgh, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,101 per month in Tampa, FL vs $2,525 in Pittsburgh, PA, rent included.

  • Tampa, FL $3,101
  • Pittsburgh, PA $2,525

A couple spends around $4,572 per month in Tampa, FL vs $3,630 in Pittsburgh, PA, rent included.

  • Tampa, FL $4,572
  • Pittsburgh, PA $3,630

A family of three spends $6,044 per month in Tampa, FL vs $4,736 in Pittsburgh, PA, rent included.

  • Tampa, FL $6,044
  • Pittsburgh, PA $4,736

Tampa, FL costs about 23% more than Pittsburgh, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Tampa, FL and Pittsburgh, PA sit above the global median – Tampa, FL by 130%, Pittsburgh, PA by 87%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tampa, FL
Pittsburgh, PA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.83 $19.83
$19.71 $19.71
0.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.1 $76.1
$60.1 $60.1
26.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.77 $11.77
$9.81 $9.81
19.98%
Cappuccino
$5.89 $5.89
$4.84 $4.84
21.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 $3.16
$2.64 $2.64
19.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 $2.43
$2.15 $2.15
13.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.18 $7.18
$6.59 $6.59
8.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.08 $9.08
$8.18 $8.18
11.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tampa, FL
Pittsburgh, PA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 $1.26
$1.21 $1.21
4.13%
White Bread (500g)
$3.88 $3.88
$3.74 $3.74
3.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.95 $4.95
$4.84 $4.84
2.27%
Eggs
$3.59 $3.59
$4.84 $4.84
-25.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.07 $14.07
$14.71 $14.71
-4.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.12 $11.12
$12.62 $12.62
-11.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.94 $19.94
$17.43 $17.43
14.40%
Apples (1kg)
$5.38 $5.38
$5.15 $5.15
4.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.83 $1.83
$1.50 $1.50
22.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.41 $3.41
$4.04 $4.04
-15.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.96 $3.96
$5.52 $5.52
-28.26%
Potato (1kg)
$2.66 $2.66
$2.38 $2.38
11.76%
Onion (1kg)
$2.92 $2.92
$2.52 $2.52
15.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.36 $2.36
$2.39 $2.39
-1.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 $2.34
$1.99 $1.99
17.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.30 $9.30
$10.98 $10.98
-15.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.21 $15.21
$12.76 $12.76
19.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.68 $2.68
$2.07 $2.07
29.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.57 $5.57
$3.97 $3.97
40.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Tampa, FL
Pittsburgh, PA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.94 $1.94
$2.81 $2.81
-30.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.9 $65.9
$98.3 $98.3
-32.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.52 $2.52
$3.97 $3.97
-36.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.53 $1.53
-4.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.27 $20.27
$20.78 $20.78
-2.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.03 $1.03
$1.07 $1.07
-3.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.0K $38.0K
$37.1K $37.1K
2.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K $27.3K
$25.7K $25.7K
6.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tampa, FL
Pittsburgh, PA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 $210
$252 $252
-16.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$72.7 $72.7
$53.5 $53.5
35.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.3 $76.3
$68.7 $68.7
11.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tampa, FL
Pittsburgh, PA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.50 $48.50
$44.26 $44.26
9.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.87 $20.87
$28.52 $28.52
-26.82%
Cinema Ticket
$16.60 $16.60
$11.83 $11.83
40.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tampa, FL
Pittsburgh, PA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,448 $1,448
$1,752 $1,752
-17.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.8K $21.8K
$34.6K $34.6K
-36.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tampa, FL
Pittsburgh, PA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.0 $57.0
$46.08 $46.08
23.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.36 $44.36
$47.74 $47.74
-7.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.4 $89.4
$72.9 $72.9
22.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 $123
$102 $102
20.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tampa, FL
Pittsburgh, PA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,282 $2,282
$1,587 $1,587
43.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 $1,674
$1,112 $1,112
50.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,949 $3,949
$2,442 $2,442
61.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,921 $2,921
$1,736 $1,736
68.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,383 $5,383
$3,169 $3,169
69.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,223 $2,223
$2,023 $2,023
9.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tampa, FL
Pittsburgh, PA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,852 $4,852
$4,361 $4,361
11.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.4
6.52
-1.84%

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

Last update for Tampa, FL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Pittsburgh, PA: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tampa, FL
$1.7K
Pittsburgh, PA
$1.1K 33.6% $562
Groceries & Markets
Tampa, FL
$421
Pittsburgh, PA
$416 1.2% $5.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tampa, FL
$359
Pittsburgh, PA
$374 4.2% $15
Eating Out
Tampa, FL
$341
Pittsburgh, PA
$314 8% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Tampa, FL
$141
Pittsburgh, PA
$121 14.4% $20
Getting Around
Tampa, FL
$84
Pittsburgh, PA
$121 45.1% $38
Sport & Entertainment
Tampa, FL
$82
Pittsburgh, PA
$68 16.9% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,282 in Tampa, FL versus $1,587 in Pittsburgh, PA. 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 11% higher in Tampa, FL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Tampa, FL versus $60.0 in Pittsburgh, PA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $421 vs $416 – making Pittsburgh, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Tampa, FL
🇺🇸 Pittsburgh, PA
🕒 Local time
09:41 9:41 AM
09:41 9:41 AM
Same time as Tampa, FL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
332,888
311,647
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tampa, FL Pittsburgh, PA 1,410 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tampa, FL
  • Pittsburgh, PA

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 Pittsburgh, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tampa, FL or Pittsburgh, PA?
Tampa, FL costs about 23% more than Pittsburgh, PA, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Tampa, FL and in Pittsburgh, PA?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,651 per month in Tampa, FL and $3,788 in Pittsburgh, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Tampa, FL or Pittsburgh, PA?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Pittsburgh, PA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Tampa, FL and in Pittsburgh, PA?
Kindergarten costs $1,448 per month in Tampa, FL and $1,752 in Pittsburgh, PA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Tampa, FL or in Pittsburgh, PA?
Groceries cost about 1% more in Tampa, FL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Tampa, FL or in Pittsburgh, PA?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,101 in Tampa, FL and $2,525 in Pittsburgh, PA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tampa, FL or Pittsburgh, PA?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pittsburgh, PA costs $2,525 versus $3,101 in Tampa, FL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Tampa, FL or to Pittsburgh, PA?
If budget matters most, go with Pittsburgh, PA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tampa, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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