Should you visit Fort Lauderdale or Tampa?
Should I visit Fort Lauderdale or Tampa? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is located in the state of Florida along the Atlantic coast. It has a population of more than 170,000 people and is famous for its beaches and boating culture. There is also an elaborate system of canals in the city. Fort Lauderdale proper is considered to be part of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan area that has a population of more than 5.5 million people.
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.
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 $39 per day in Fort Lauderdale 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
Fort Lauderdale
$39
Tampa
$35
Typical Food prices in Fort Lauderdale
Some typical examples of dining costs in Fort Lauderdale are as follows:
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.
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 Fort Lauderdale
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Fort Lauderdale:
-
Transfer From Fort Lauderdale to Airport/Port:
$25
-
Private Airport Transfer: Fort Lauderdale Int. Airport (FLL) to Fort Lauderdale:
$28
-
Private Airport Transfer: Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale Int. Airport (FLL):
$28
-
Fort Lauderdale Airport to Miami Cruise Port Transfer:
$34
-
Private Arrival Transfer: FLL Fort Lauderdale Airport to Fort Lauderdale City:
$41
-
Private Departure Transfer from Fort Lauderdale City to Fort Lauderdale Airport:
$41
-
Private Arrival Transfer: Fort Lauderdale Airport to Miami City or Miami Beach:
$55
-
Transfer in Executive Private Vehicle from Fort Lauderdale Airport to City:
$57
-
Transfer in Executive Private Vehicle from Fort Lauderdale City to Airport:
$57
-
Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL) to Port Everglades - Arrival Private Transfer:
$62
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
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Tampa Airport (TPA) to St Petersburg hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer:
$83
-
Tampa Airport (TPA) to Clearwater Beach - Arrival Private Transfer:
$83
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 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 Fort Lauderdale
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Fort Lauderdale are as follows:
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Jungle Queen Afternoon Sightseeing Cruise:
$29
-
Everglades Eco Adventure: 2-Hour Sawgrass Recreation Park:
$25
-
Florida Keys: Full-Day Kayak and Snorkel Reef Adventure:
$239
-
Beach Cruiser Bike Rentals in Fort Lauderdale:
$11
-
Fort Lauderdale Historical Walking Tour:
$12
-
1-Hour Interactive Pirate Adventure Cruise in Fort Lauderdale (Family-Friendly):
$23
-
90-Minute Narrated Sightseeing Cruises:
$23
-
Fort Lauderdale Daily Sightseeing Cruise - On the Venice of America:
$27
-
Everglades Airboat Tour & Gator Boys Alligator Rescue Show from Fort Lauderdale:
$37
-
Island Time Boat Cruise:
$45
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 $27 on alcoholic beverages in Fort Lauderdale 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.
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
Also in Tampa, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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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 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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