Should you visit Boca Raton or Tampa?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Boca Raton and Tampa can help you decide which place is right for you.
Boca Raton
An affluent city with a reputation for catering to the well-to-do, Boca Raton is a beautiful city in Southern Florida with plenty to offer for all tastes and budgets. Boca's warm weather climate has visitors flocking to its many beaches and parks each day, while others take advantage of the golf courses, spas, annual events, festivals, live shows, museums, shopping, dining, and more.
Tampa
On the north shore of Tampa Bay, across the water from Saint Peterburg, is the city of Tampa. The city has a population of almost 350,000. The metropolitan area includes Tampa, St. Peterburg, and Clearwater. It has about 2.9 million residents and is the second largest metropolitan area in the state. The city is a popular destination for outdoor activities and in 2008 it was ranked the 5th best outdoor city by Forbes.
Which city is cheaper, Tampa or Boca Raton?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Boca Raton is $226, while the average daily cost in Tampa is $119. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Boca Raton and Tampa in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $272 in Boca Raton For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Travelers usually pay around $120 for a double occupancy room in Tampa If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The average traveler spends about $54 per day in Boca Raton for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
In Tampa travelers spend around $35 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Boca Raton
$54
Tampa
$35
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Boca Raton than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $61 on transportation in Boca Raton on average per day.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Tampa than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $38 on transportation in Tampa on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boca Raton
Also for Boca Raton, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Boca Raton to Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL)- Departure Private Transfer:
$98
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Boca Raton to Miami Airport (MIA) - Departure Private Transfer:
$153
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tampa
Also for Tampa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Departure Transfer - to Tampa Airport (TPA):
$28
-
Private Arrival Transfer - from Tampa Airport (TPA):
$32
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Tampa to Tampa International Airport (TPA):
$44
-
Private Transfer from Tampa Airport to Land O' Lakes Florida:
$60
-
Private Airport Transfer: Tampa International Airport (TPA) to Tampa:
$61
-
Transfer from Tampa International Airport to Tampa:
$75
-
Tampa Airport (TPA) to Tampa hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer:
$82
-
Tampa hotel or address to Tampa Airport (TPA) - Departure Private Transfer:
$82
-
Tampa Airport (TPA) to St Petersburg hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer:
$83
-
Tampa Airport (TPA) to Clearwater Beach - Arrival Private Transfer:
$83
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Boca Raton, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $22 per day, per person.
Sightseeing expenses in Tampa, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $15 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Tampa
Here are a few actual costs in Tampa for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Nature Lovers Combo Tour:
$136
-
Skip the Line: The Florida Aquarium in Tampa Bay Ticket:
$26
-
Tampa Celebrity Homes Boat Tour:
$30
-
Tampa History Cruise:
$31
-
1.5-hour Dolphin Sightseeing Cruise from Tampa:
$31
-
VIP Ghost Hunters Tour Semi Private:
$35
-
Skip the Line: ZooTampa at Lowry Park Admission Ticket:
$45
-
Historic Ybor City Food and Drink Walking Tour:
$59
-
2-hour Tiki Boat BYOB Cruise in Tampa:
$60
-
Adventure Island Water Park Ticket:
$63
Alcohol
The average person spends about $32 on alcoholic beverages in Boca Raton per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
The average person spends about $20 on alcoholic beverages in Tampa per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Tampa
Also in Tampa, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Tampa Bar Hunt: Tampa Takeover Bar Crawl:
$12
-
Haunted Tampa Ghost and Pub Walking Tour - Ybor City:
$26
-
Private Tampa Brewery Tour - Party Bus:
$600
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Boca Raton and Tampa, we can see that Boca Raton is more expensive. And not only is Tampa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tampa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tampa and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Boca Raton would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Boca Raton than you might in Tampa.
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