Should you visit Fort Lauderdale or Tampa?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Fort Lauderdale and Tampa. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is located on the Atlantic coast of Florida, not far from Miami, and is famous for its beaches and boating culture. An elaborate system of canals runs through the city, adding to the charm and coastal lifestyle. Plenty of restaurants, shops, watersports, and other things to do can be found here in addition to the beautiful beaches. The city is family-friendly and also caters to older travelers as well as younger generations. While it's not an inexpensive place to visit, the prices are on par with other cities in southeastern Florida. The beach is lined with high-rise condos and hotels that tend to be expensive, while a few blocks back from the shore you'll find plenty of nice houses along with shops, restaurants, and fun activities for all ages. And since Fort Lauderdale is part of the Miami metro area, you can easily get to all of the other beach areas, cities, and activities in the nearby metropolitan areas as well.
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 Fort Lauderdale?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Fort Lauderdale is $146, 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 Fort Lauderdale and Tampa in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $154 for a double occupancy room in Fort Lauderdale.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $120 in Tampa For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Fort Lauderdale food costs typically run travelers around $39 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
On average, meal and food prices in Tampa cost around $35 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $14.
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Food
Meals for one day
Fort Lauderdale $39
Tampa $35
Typical Food prices in Fort Lauderdale
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Fort Lauderdale:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Fort Lauderdale
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Fort Lauderdale.
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Mai-Kai Dinner and Polynesian Show:
$47
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All You Can Eat BBQ Dinner and Show at Tropical Isle with Sightseeing Cruise:
$60
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Fort Lauderdale is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $41 per person, per day, on local transportation in Fort Lauderdale.
Tampa's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $38 per person, per day on transportation in Tampa.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Fort Lauderdale
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Fort Lauderdale:
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Transfer in executive car from Fort Lauderdale Airport(FLL) to Miami downtown:
$64
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Transfer in Executive Private Vehicle from Fort Lauderdale City to Airport:
$57
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Transfer in Executive Private Vehicle from Fort Lauderdale Airport to City:
$57
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Transfer from Port Everglades to Miami International Airport:
$130
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Transfer from Port Everglades to Miami Beach:
$130
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Transfer from Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International to Fort Lauderdale:
$100
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Transfer from Fort Lauderdale Airport to Port Of Miami:
$125
-
Transfer from Fort Lauderdale Airport to Orlando:
$750
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Transfer from Fort Lauderdale Airport to Miami Beach:
$130
-
Transfer from Fort Lauderdale Airport to Miami:
$130
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Transfer From Fort Lauderdale to Airport/Port:
$25
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Round-Trip Transfer in Executive Private Car from-to Airport in Fort Lauderdale:
$113
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tampa
Also for Tampa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Airport Transfer: Tampa International Airport (TPA) to Tampa:
$61
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Tampa to Tampa International Airport (TPA):
$44
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Private Arrival Transfer - from Tampa Airport (TPA):
$32
-
Private Departure Transfer - to Tampa Airport (TPA):
$28
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Private Tampa Area to Orlando Area Transfer up to 11 One Price Mercedes Sprinter:
$300
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Private Tampa Transfer: Airport to Hotel or Cruise Port:
$113
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Private Tampa Transfer: Cruise Port to Airport or Hotel:
$113
-
Private Tampa Transfer: Hotel to Airport or Cruise Port:
$113
-
Private Transfer from Tampa Airport to Anna Maria Island:
$120
-
Private Transfer from Tampa Airport to Bradenton:
$110
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Private Transfer from Tampa Airport to Land O' Lakes Florida:
$60
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Private Transfer from Tampa Airport to Sarasota:
$120
Is it cheaper to fly into Fort Lauderdale or Tampa?
Prices for flights to both Tampa and Fort Lauderdale change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Fort Lauderdale typically cost an average of $12 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Tampa can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $15 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Tours and Activities in Fort Lauderdale
Here are a few actual costs in Fort Lauderdale for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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1 Hour Central Park Guided Electric Bike Tour:
$49
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1-Hour Bike Tour of Hugh Taylor Birch State Park:
$47
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1-Hour Interactive Pirate Adventure Cruise in Fort Lauderdale (Family-Friendly):
$23
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2 Hour Fort Lauderdale Guided Electric Bike Tour:
$60
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2 Hour Venice Of America Jet Ski Adventure & Exploration Tour of Fort Lauderdale:
$225
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3 Hour All Inclusive 007 Millionaires Row Jet Ski Adventure Fort Lauderdale:
$307
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5-Day Miami+Key West+Palm Beach+Fort Lauderdale Tour (Miami Departure)(MIA5-A):
$579
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90-Minute Narrated Sightseeing Cruises:
$23
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90-Minute Snorkel & Seabob Underwater Guided Reef Tour in Fort Lauderdale:
$139
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Airport to Cruise Shuttle Private Group Transportation:
$580
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Beach Cruiser Bike Rentals in Fort Lauderdale:
$11
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Champagne Sunset Cruise Ft. Lauderdale:
$58
Tours and Activities in Tampa
For Tampa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Skip the Line: The Florida Aquarium in Tampa Bay Ticket:
$26
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Tampa Celebrity Homes Boat Tour:
$30
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Tampa History Cruise:
$31
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1.5-hour Dolphin Sightseeing Cruise from Tampa:
$31
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VIP Ghost Hunters Tour Semi Private:
$35
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Skip the Line: ZooTampa at Lowry Park Admission Ticket:
$45
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Historic Ybor City Food and Drink Walking Tour:
$59
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2-hour Tiki Boat BYOB Cruise in Tampa:
$60
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Adventure Island Water Park Ticket:
$63
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Tampa Indoor Skydiving Experience with 2 Flights & Personalized Certificate:
$70
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Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket:
$110
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Nature Lovers Combo Tour:
$136
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Fort Lauderdale may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $27 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typically, people visiting Tampa spend on average $20 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typical Alcohol prices in Fort Lauderdale
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Fort Lauderdale are as follows:
Sample the Local Flavors in Tampa
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Tampa:
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Tampa Bar Hunt: Tampa Takeover Bar Crawl:
$12
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Haunted Tampa Ghost and Pub Walking Tour - Ybor City:
$26
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Private Tampa Brewery Tour - Party Bus:
$600
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Fort Lauderdale and Tampa, we can see that Fort Lauderdale 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 Fort Lauderdale would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fort Lauderdale than you might in Tampa.
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