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How much does it cost to live in the Tampa Bay area?

We’re sure this upcoming year will be as newsy as ever. | Photo via @growgavan

Let’s talk about the cost of living in Tampa Bay. The median household income in Hillsborough County is $76,687 and $70,768 in Pinellas County according to the US Census Bureau. State-wise, Florida is No.30 in the country for median income at ~$41,459 per household.

But just how expensive is it to live in Tampa Bay? Is it cheaper elsewhere? Let’s crunch the numbers.

Tampa’s cost vs. Miami’s cost

At a glance, you can get a good sense of the Big Guava’s cost by comparing it to our neighbors in the 305. We used NerdWallet’s calculator to give you a look at the numbers:

Income. If you make $50,000 in Tampa, you’d need to make $60,556.72 for a similar lifestyle in Miami.
Housing is 50% higher in Miami than Tampa.
Gas. If you moved to Miami you’d pay 1% more on a gallon of gas.
Food. You’ll pay 4% more on groceries and eating out in Miami than Tampa.

How much is rent?

The median rent in Hillsborough County is $1,757 and $1,776 in Pinellas County — higher than the average rent in Florida: $1,719. Compare that to the median gross rent in the US: $1,406 per the American Community Survey 1-Year estimate.

If you’re looking to buy a home in the Tampa Bay area, we’ve got the stats for that too. The average house in Florida is valued at $382,136. But in Tampa, the average home is valued lower: $375,673, down 4.7 % over the past year.

Compare that to the average US home value at $368,581, up 0.3% over the past year.

How much do groceries cost?

Your grocery bill will vary based on your family size and dietary needs, but we can give you a sense of what you’ll be spending in the checkout line, using Nerdwallet. On average, a dozen eggs will cost you $3.83 in Tampa and a gallon of milk costs $4.63.

How much does it cost to eat out in Tampa Bay? Well, if we’re talking about a Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonald’s, it costs $4.46 according to NerdWallet. Compare that to the national average of $5.39 in 2024.

How much does healthcare cost?

The average doctor’s visit will run you $126.40 in Tampa. Don’t forget the dentist — those visits average at $111.70.

In Hillsborough County, 10.6% of the population does not have health care coverage according to the US Census Bureau. Health insurance costs vary based on factors like age and plan, but it tends to cost ~$454 per month in Tampa for a plan.

How much does transportation and gas cost?

Car owners will likely pay $3.46 per gallon of gas and $307 per month for insurance. If you’re taking the bus, plan to pay $2 per ride on HART buses or $2.25 per ride on PSTA buses.

Worth noting that Tampa’s walk score is 50 and St. Pete’s is 43, in case that’s how you prefer to get around.

A local perspective on the cost of living in TBAY

In Editor Bailey’s experience, air conditioning can get pretty expensive during the Gulf Coast summers, and the sticker shock for lunch at any ol’ sit down spot was hard to get used to — that’s why we recommend looking for true cheap lunch gems where a solid meal won’t run you $20.

City Guides are presented by Water Street Tampa.

What would you tell someone who is considering moving here about the cost of living?

A.Prepare yourself for sticker shock - it’s expensive
B. Prices are reasonable - not exorbitant, not cheap
C. This is a really affordable city to live

LET US KNOW

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Today

A Nightmare on Franklin Street: Ghosts of Tampa Theatre Tour | Fri., Oct. 21 | 11 a.m. | Tampa Theatre, 711 N. Franklin St., Tampa | $15.00 | Get spooked on this 45-minute tour featuring tales of horror from this historic theater’s past.
Amos Lee | Fri., Oct. 21 | 8 p.m. | Seminole Hard Rock, 5223 Orient Rd., Tampa | $60.00 - $90.00 | Amos Lee, a singer-songwriter, pumps out the folk, rock, and soul jams.
Final weekend: ‘The Visit,’ by Yamandú Canosa | Fri., Oct. 21 - Sun., Oct. 23 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | The Dali Museum, 1 Dali Blvd., St. Petersburg | $12.00 - $29.00 | Through the exhibition, Canosa creates a contemplative dialogue between Surrealism and contemporary art.

Saturday

F45 Bootcamp | Sat., Oct. 22 | 9-9:45 a.m. | Armature Works, 1910 N. Ola Ave., Tampa | Free | Please remember to bring your own mat, towel, and water bottle for this 45-minute outdoor workout.
Hauntizaar | Sat., Oct. 22 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg | Free | Wear your best spooky gear to shop for dark arts at this Halloween and Day of the Dead arts bazaar.
6th FRIENDS BUDDY WALK | Sat., Oct. 22 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Al Lopez Park, 4810 N. Himes Ave., Tampa | $10.00 - $20.00 | Join special needs individuals and their families for a walk on a 1.2-mile path with access to playgrounds, a nature trail, and fishing ponds.
Shuffle Trash Pick Up | Sat., Oct. 22 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Shuffle, 2612 N. Tampa St., Tampa | Free | Volunteers get a free drink + t-shirt (for first timers) — bags are provided.

Sunday

Upper Tampa Bay Oktoberfest | Fri., Oct. 21 - Sun., Oct. 23 | 5-11 p.m. | Tampa Bay Downs, 11225 Race Track Rd., Tampa | $5.00 | Enter the Oktoberfest Big Top for an authentic German carnival with a midway, German food, drink, music, dancing, contests, arts and crafts, and a Doxie Derby.

Monday

Pumpkin Painting Open House | Mon., Oct. 24 | 6-8 p.m. | Armature Works, 1910 N. Ola Ave., Tampa | $15.00 | Get spooky + creative with your pumpkin painting masterpiece.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather

76º | Sunny | 1% chance of rain

Sunrise + sunset

Rise: 7:33 a.m.
Set: 6:54 p.m.

Tide
Old Tampa Bay

High: 1:53 a.m. + 1:02 p.m.
Low: 7:05 a.m. + 7:39 p.m.

Clearwater Beach

High: 9:39 a.m. + 10:24 p.m.
Low: 3:39 a.m. + 4:13 p.m.

Award

Tampa International Airport sits on a golden throne. Cintas Toilets just crowned it the “Best Bathroom in America.” TIA received free restroom cleaning services + $2,500 in Cintas products as part of its prize. But, the airport will donate all awards to local Hurricane Ian recovery efforts. 🚽(That’s So Tampa)

Sports

The Tampa Bay Rowdies are back in the playoffs for their fourth consecutive year. Tomorrow on home turf, our No. 3 ranked team takes on in-state rival, the No. 6 seeded Miami F.C. The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available here. ⚽ (i Love the Burg)
Three-time Baseball Manager of the Year + former Tampa Bay Rays coach Joe Madden’s juicy tell-all, “The Book of Joe,” is out now. The book chronicles how he transformed a losing franchise into a 2008 American League East division title-winning family. Catch your copy here. ⚾ (Tampa Bay Times)
We want to make sure that you’re catching all the sports coverage you need to join the conversation. As the fall season gets going, tell us what kind of sports content you want to see in TBAYtoday. The ball is in your court.

Seasonal

Ybor City’s 10th Annual Fantasma Fest is back. Tomorrow there’s pumpkin picking + trick or treating. After, stroll down to 7th Ave. for the Big Monsters Bed Race World Championship. Sunday features Hell on Wheels, a classic car and motorcycle show from 12-4 p.m. 🏍️

DYK

Soon you’ll be able to pick up medical marijuana + pump your gas at the same time. Next year, Green Thumb Industries, one of the largest cannabis producers in the US, plans to lease space from 10 Circle K gas stations around Florida, including in Tampa Bay. 🍁 (Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)

Transit

$243 million. That’s how much the Florida Department of Transportation awarded to Texas-based Southland Holdings to reconstruct a stretch of U.S. Highway 19 in Clearwater — between State Road 580 + County Road 95. The project will expand the roadway into six lanes with frontage roads. Construction should begin next year. 🚧 (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
This year TECO looks to shatter ridership records with more than a million riders this fiscal year. The long-running TECO Streetcar has witnessed the city’s transformation over the last 20 years from Cigar City to a lively hub of activity . But now, even TECO’s longest-serving streetcar operator, Connie Cosme, says it’s struggling to keep up with demand. Buy tickets here. (Tampa Bay Times)

Travel

Swoop, there it is. This December, non-stop flights from St. Pete-Clearwater Airport to Toronto resume with Canada’s ultra-low-cost carrier Swoop Airlines. The flights will operate three times weekly with one-way fares starting at ~$139. The airline is also expanding to Orlando, London, and Cancun. 🇨🇦 (i Love the Burg)

Shop

Here’s a friendly reminder that Halloween is almost here. Have you bought your costume yet? What about the candy? And if you want to be the coolest parent or grandparent on the block — while increasing your trick-or-treater’s nighttime visibility — grab this affordable 100-pack of glow sticks.*

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Sports

The storm is back

The jerseys are coming mid-November. | Photo by @tblightning

Yesterday, the NHL released the Reverse Retro 2.0 jerseys in collaboration with Adidas Hockey. The Lightning jersey is a return to the infamous old storm jerseys the squad wore for away games in the late 1990s.

Picture this: the white jersey is decorated with the original Lightning logo at the center of the chest. The black sleeves feature white bolts lined with bright yellow. Blue and gray storm surge waves splash up toward the waist. The vibe is youthful and high energy (kinda like the fan base)— with the jagged lines and font.

Be patient, as you’ll have to wait a bit to get your hands on this collab — it goes on sale mid-November.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Bailey.

Editor’s pick: Have you seen that Tampa’s original beer, La Tropical, is back? I’m eager to try the Tropiflaca Lite Lager (one of the first three varieties made with the historic formula). But first, I need to find somewhere that serves it. Let me know where you’ve found it.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Dive into stone crab season, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Bailey LeFever, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Kaylee Holland, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Kailey Burke | Advertise with us.

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