Cost of Living Comparison Between Tampa, FL and Plano, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Tampa, FL and Plano, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,040 in Tampa, FL versus $2,757 in Plano, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,431 in Tampa, FL versus $4,340 in Plano, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,822 in Tampa, FL versus $5,923 in Plano, TX.

Living in Tampa, FL is roughly 10% more expensive than in Plano, TX, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tampa, FL 128% above, Plano, TX 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.66 $19.66

$17.76 $17.76

10.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$75.8 $75.8

5.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 $12.08

$9.93 $9.93

21.65%

Cappuccino

$5.11 $5.11

$4.91 $4.91

4.07%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$2.57 $2.57

1.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.02 $2.02

2.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 $6.90

$6.16 $6.16

12.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.91 $7.91

$7.12 $7.12

11.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.01 $1.01

23.76%

White Bread (500g)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.02 $3.02

32.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$5.06 $5.06

3.36%

Eggs

$4.37 $4.37

$4.14 $4.14

5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 $16.19

$13.04 $13.04

24.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.70 $11.70

$13.99 $13.99

-16.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 $15.92

$17.61 $17.61

-9.60%

Apples (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$6.01 $6.01

6.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.45 $1.45

18.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.40 $4.40

0.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$4.16 $4.16

10.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.77 $3.77

-7.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$3.19 $3.19

16.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.04 $2.04

20.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.37 $2.37

7.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 $8.04

$10.19 $10.19

-21.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 $15.81

$15.19 $15.19

4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.69 $1.69

45.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.46 $3.46

1.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$5.14 $5.14

-60.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 $66.6

$104 $104

-35.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 $2.51

$3.06 $3.06

-17.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.71 $1.71

-14.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.50 $29.50

$23.82 $23.82

23.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$0.76 $0.76

21.05%

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

$33.6K $33.6K

$34.8K $34.8K

-3.53%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$28.1K $28.1K

-2.85%

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

$232 $232

$191 $191

21.50%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$46.20 $46.20

49.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 $69.8

$64.0 $64.0

9.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.02 $38.02

$81.5 $81.5

-53.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.96 $12.96

$50.9 $50.9

-74.55%

Cinema Ticket

$15.89 $15.89

$12.77 $12.77

24.43%

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

$1,319 $1,319

$1,142 $1,142

15.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K $13.9K

$17.7K $17.7K

-21.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 $57.5

$53.4 $53.4

7.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.90 $36.90

$37.99 $37.99

-2.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 $94.5

$102 $102

-7.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$129 $129

5.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 $2,044

$1,638 $1,638

24.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 $1,525

$1,359 $1,359

12.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,657 $3,657

$2,929 $2,929

24.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,677 $2,677

$2,732 $2,732

-2.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,278 $5,278

$2,367 $2,367

122.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,369 $2,369

$2,367 $2,367

0.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,638 $4,638

$5,631 $5,631

-17.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

6.36

1.89%

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

Last update for Tampa, FL: July 21, 2026

Last update for Plano, TX: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,044 in Tampa, FL and $1,638 in Plano, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Plano, TX pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $80.0 in Tampa, FL vs $76.0 in Plano, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $438 vs $416 per month, with Plano, TX cheaper across the board.

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 Plano, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Plano, TX is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Plano, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,044 in Tampa, FL versus $1,638 in Plano, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,319 in Tampa, FL versus $1,142 in Plano, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Tampa, FL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Plano, 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 Plano, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Tampa, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.