Should you visit Tampa or New York City?
Should I visit Tampa or New York City? 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.
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.
New York City
The most populated city in the United States, New York City, sits at the mouth of the Hudson River and encompasses both the island of Manhattan as well as the surrounding land on Long Island, most of which is known as Brooklyn. It's a cultural, culinary, theatrical, and art center that has much to offer domestic and international travelers alike. The city covers an area of 305 square miles and has a population of about 8.2 million people in the city proper with 18.7 million in the metropolitan area.
Which city is cheaper, New York City or Tampa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Tampa is $119, while the average daily cost in New York City is $238. 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 Tampa and New York City in more detail.
Accommodation
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.
For a normal double-occupancy room in New York City, $274 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in New York City, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $137, such as in a hostel.
Food
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.
New York City food costs typically run travelers around $37 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Tampa $35
New York City $37
Typical Food prices in New York City
For New York City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in New York City
For New York City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Greenwich Village History, Culture, and Food Tour with Local Expert:
$129
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JAPANESE guided tour! Bateaux Dinner Cruise tour with hotel transportation. The best way to enjoy the Manhattan night view from the river & sea. Full course French dinner, live band music included.:
$333
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Limo trip Hotel to Dinner round trip in NEW MKT Limousine:
$481
Local Transportation
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.
To get around in New York City, the average visitor spends $39 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tampa
Also for Tampa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Transfer from Tampa International Airport to Tampa:
$75
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Tampa hotel or address to Tampa Airport (TPA) - Departure Private Transfer:
$82
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Tampa Airport (TPA) to Tampa hotel or address - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$164
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Tampa Airport (TPA) to Tampa hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer:
$82
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Tampa Airport (TPA) to St Petersburg hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer:
$83
-
Tampa Airport (TPA) to St Petersburg - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$167
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Tampa Airport (TPA) to Clearwater Beach - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$167
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Tampa Airport (TPA) to Clearwater Beach - Arrival Private Transfer:
$83
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Private Transfer from Tampa to Port Canaveral:
$526
-
Private Transfer from Tampa to Orlando-Sanford (SFB) Airport:
$457
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Private Transfer from Tampa to Orlando (MCO) Airport:
$393
-
Private Transfer from Tampa Airport to Sarasota:
$120
Typical Local Transportation prices in New York City
Some typical examples of transportation costs in New York City are as follows:
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Subway
$4.50
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Taxi Ride
$8.00
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Subway
$2.50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in New York City
Also for New York City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Very affordable Car and Luxury Airports Transfer located in New York City:
$140
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Transfer Aeroporto-Hotel NYC até 4 pessoas:
$160
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Shared Transfer from Hotel to JFK Airport:
$137
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Round Trip John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) Transfer to New York City Center:
$147
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Private arrival OR departure transfer in New York (hotel OR airport pick-up):
$142
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Private Transfer from New York City to LaGuardia Airport:
$85
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Private Transfer from Manhattan to John F Kennedy Airport JFK by Luxury Car:
$111
-
Private Sedan New York City Airport Departure Transfer:
$115
-
Private SUV New York City Airport Departure Transfer:
$190
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Private New York airport transfer: New York airport to Manhattan and Brooklyn:
$83
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Private New York City Transfer: New York City Hotel to LGA Airport:
$128
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Private New York City Transfer: New York City Hotel to JFK Airport:
$144
Is it cheaper to fly into Tampa or New York City?
Prices for flights to both New York City and Tampa 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
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.
In New York City, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $77 per person, per day.
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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1.5-hour Dolphin Sightseeing Cruise from Tampa:
$31
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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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Bayshore Drive Motorbike Tour:
$199
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Bicycle Tour Orlando, Over Tampa Bay Ride:
$150
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Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket:
$110
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Historic Ybor City Food and Drink Walking Tour:
$59
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Motorcycle Tour of Sunshine Skyway Bridge:
$299
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Nature Coast Private Day Tour From Tampa with Photographer , Max Group of 4:
$250
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Nature Lovers Combo Tour:
$136
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Skip the Line: The Florida Aquarium in Tampa Bay Ticket:
$26
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Skip the Line: ZooTampa at Lowry Park Admission Ticket:
$45
Typical Entertainment prices in New York City
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for New York City's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Comedy Show Tickets
$56
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City Map
$8.00
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Broadway Musical
$111
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Broadway Show Program
$10
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Magazine
$6.99
Tours and Activities in New York City
For New York City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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24-Hour NYC Downtown Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Statue of Liberty Cruise:
$35
-
4-Day Tour of America from New York City:
$713
-
9/11 Memorial & Ground Zero Tour with Optional Skip-the-Line 9/11 Museum Ticket:
$35
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9/11 Memorial Museum Admission Ticket:
$28
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9/11 Tribute Museum Admission Ticket:
$12
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American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket:
$23
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American Museum of Natural History Tickets:
$23
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Amish Country Private Tour from New York plus Outlet Shopping:
$999
-
Art Studio Tour of New York City:
$140
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Attraction entrance tickets:
$200
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Best NYC VIP Luxury Photography Sightseeing Leisure Tour ( Up to 4 People ):
$5,500
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Best of NYC Private Half-Day Lower Manhattan Limousine Tour:
$775
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Tampa spend on average $20 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typically, people visiting New York City spend on average $23 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
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 Tampa and New York City, we can see that New York City 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 New York City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in New York City than you might in Tampa.
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