Which place is cheaper, Niagara Falls or Tampa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Tampa or Niagara Falls?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Tampa or Niagara Falls? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Tampa or Niagara Falls?
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.
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, Ontario sits on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, across the border from Niagara Falls, New York. Together these cities have claimed themselves to be the "Honeymoon Capital of the World" a status that is probably little more than a marketing ploy. That said, Niagara Falls, Ontario, is perhaps a quainter and more natural version of its American counterpart. The town has existed as a tourist destination for hundreds of years, with its main attraction, obviously, being Niagara Falls. Today, millions of visitors come to see the falls every year. It's truly an impressive sight, and there is no shortage of entertainment options while you're in the area.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United States of America, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada, and The Best Camping Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTampa $179Niagara Falls $122
The average daily cost (per person) in Tampa is $179, while the average daily cost in Niagara Falls is $122. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Tampa and Niagara Falls in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTampa $85Niagara Falls $74
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTampa $170Niagara Falls $148
Compare Hotels in Tampa and Niagara Falls
Looking for a hotel in Tampa or Niagara Falls? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Tampa Hotel Prices and Niagara Falls Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tampa $69Niagara Falls $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tampa
Also for Tampa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private transfer: From Tampa to airport and vice versa : $18
- Private Arrival Transfer - from Tampa Airport (TPA): $36
- Tampa Bay Cruise Port to Tampa hotels - Arrival Private Transfer : $50
- Tampa hotels to Tampa Bay Cruise Port-Departure Private Transfer : $50
- Tampa Airport (TPA) to Lakeland / Winter Haven - Arrival Private Transfer: $54
- Private Transfer to/from Tampa Airport (TPA): $69
- Departure Private Transfer: Tampa City to Tampa Airport TPA in Business Car: $72
- Arrival Private Transfer: Tampa Airport TPA to Tampa City in Business Car: $72
- Tampa Bay Cruise Port to Tampa Hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $100
- Tampa Airport (TPA) to Tampa Bay Cruise Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $100
- Tampa Airport (TPA) to Lakeland / Winter Haven - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $107
- Private Transfer from Tampa Airport to Clearwater: $120
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Niagara Falls
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Niagara Falls:
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Niagara Falls Ontario to Toronto (YYZ) Airport: $159
- Transfer Niagara-on-the-Lake,Canada to Buffalo Niagara Int Airport (BUF): $107
- Transfer Niagara-on-the-Lake Canada to Toronto Pearson International Airport YYZ: $160
- Transfer Niagara Falls, Canada to Toronto, Canada (Downtown): $178
- Transfer Niagara Falls, Canada to Toronto Pearson International Airport YYZ: $160
- Transfer Buffalo Niagara International Airport BUF to Niagara-on-the-Lake,Canada: $107
- Transfer Buffalo Niagara International Airport BUF to Niagara Falls,Canada: $103
- Shared Airport Transfer: Buffalo Niagara International Airport to Niagara Falls NY: $99
- Round-Trip Private-Safe Transfer Between Buffalo Airport & Niagara Falls Canada: $262
- ROUNDTRIP Ground Transfer Buffalo Niagara Int Airport (BUF)-Niagara Falls Canada: $207
- Private-Safe Transfer from Niagara Falls, Canada to Buffalo Intl, Airport (BUF): $111
- Private Transfer: Niagara Int’l Airport (IAG) USA to Niagara Falls, ON: $194
Is it cheaper to fly into Tampa or Niagara Falls?
Prices for flights to both Niagara Falls 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayTampa $53Niagara Falls $28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tampa
For Tampa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Class near Disney in Tampa Florida: $88
- Ybor City Food Tour On Sundays: $89
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Niagara Falls
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Niagara Falls.
- The Wing Ride: The Hidden History of Chicken Wings Food Tour: $105
- Walking Food Tour in Niagara Falls: $108
- Niagara Falls Sightseeing Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $130
- Sunset Wine Tour with Dinner Niagara On The Lake: $146
- Guided Night Tour w/ Dinner & Hotel Transfer: $149
- Light up The Falls Small Group Tour with Fallsview Dinner: $155
- Evening Lights Tour with Skylon Tower Dinner: $177
- Sunset Niagara-on-the-Lake Small Group Wine Tour with Dinner: $178
- Niagara Wine Tasting and three courses Dinner: $192
- Niagara Falls Evening Lights Tour With Skylon Tower Dinner: $192
- Night on Niagara Walking Tour with Fireworks Cruise + Dinner: $200
- Small Group Night Tour w/ Dinner & Light Show: $204
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tampa $20Niagara Falls $20
Tours and Activities in Tampa
For Tampa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Ybor City Immigrant influence Smart Phone guided App (GPS) walking tour: $6.50
- Tampa Riverwalk: A Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $7.31
- Smartphone Audio Private Walking Tour in Tampa Riverwalk: $7.99
- Tampa Terrors Ghost Tour: $26
- Tampa Terrors Ghost Tour By US Ghost Adventures: $30
- Shared Ybor City Historic Walking Tour: $30
- Downtown Tampa Historic Walking Tour: $30
- The Official Downtown Tampa Ghost Tour: $30
- 1.5-hour Dolphin Sightseeing Cruise from Tampa: $31
- Tampa Celebrity Homes Boat Tour: $31
- Tampa History Cruise: $31
- The Florida Aquarium Ticket: $33
Typical Entertainment Prices in Niagara Falls
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Niagara Falls are as follows:
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Maid of the Mist$37
Tours and Activities in Niagara Falls
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Niagara Falls are as follows:
- Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds Made in America Tour: $92
- Niagara Falls USA Winter Tour Cave, Tower, winery & Much More : $90
- Private Custom Niagara Falls, Canada Winery Tour from Buffalo,NY: $298
- 1 Hour Private Vineyard Dome Experience in Niagara-on-the-Lake: $45
- 30 Minute Niagara Falls Airplane Tour: $156
- 45 Minutes Whirlpool Tour in Niagara Falls: $32
- 7 Hour Niagara Falls USA Tour from Buffalo: $269
- All American Tour : $99
- All Attractions Niagara Falls American Tour with Boat Much More: $120
- All Inclusive Niagara Falls USA Tour W/Boat Ride,Cave & Much MORE: $126
- All Niagara Falls USA Tour Maid of Mist Boat & So Much More : $130
- All inclusive Niagara Evening Light Show, Boat Ride & Cave Tour: $140
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTampa $26Niagara Falls $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Tampa
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Tampa:
- Tampa Bar Crawl on a 2023 Street Legal Golf Cart: $40
- Haunted Pub Crawl: $40
- Ybor City Private Brewery Tour by Custom Golf Cart: $200
Sample the Local Flavors in Niagara Falls
Also in Niagara Falls, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Niagara Wine Tour and Tastings with Included Transportation : $56
- Small Group Niagara-on-the-Lake Wine Tasting Tour: $96
- Sip, Swirl and Savour Chocolate & Wine Tour : $103
- Niagara Craft Brewery Tour Niagara Falls: $110
- 3.5 Hours NOTL E-Bike Wine Tour: $111
- Niagara All American All inclusive Boutique Wine Tour : $114
- Half Day Wine & Cheese Tour - Niagara On The Lake Wine Tour: $119
- Full-Day Group Wine Tour (with cheese and charcuterie) in Niagara-on-the-Lake: $141
- myWineCountry Experience Premium Wine Tours and Tastings: $148
- Relaxing three courses Lunch & Wine Tour through Niagara's Wine Country: $148
- Niagara-on-the-Lake Small Group Wine Tour with Picnic Lunch: $149
- Luxury Buffalo Brewery Tour: $149
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tampa and Niagara Falls, we can see that Tampa is more expensive. And not only is Niagara Falls much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Niagara Falls would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Niagara Falls 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 Tampa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tampa than you might in Niagara Falls.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tampa Expensive? and Is Niagara Falls Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tampa or Niagara Falls?
Tampa has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Niagara Falls. When comparing the sizes of Tampa and Niagara Falls, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Tampa or Niagara Falls?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Tampa or Niagara Falls in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Tampa as well as Niagara Falls. The summer months attract visitors to Tampa because of the beaches, snorkeling, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Tampa is generally a little warmer than Niagara Falls. Daily temperatures in Tampa average around 82°F (28°C), and Niagara Falls fluctuates around 23°C (74°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Niagara Falls. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Tampa this time of the year. In the summer, Tampa often gets less sunshine than Niagara Falls. Tampa gets 265 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Niagara Falls receives 306 hours of full sun.
Tampa receives a lot of rain in the summer. Tampa usually gets more rain in July than Niagara Falls. Tampa gets 8.4 inches (214 mm) of rain, while Niagara Falls receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyTampa 82°F (28°C)Niagara Falls 23°C (74°F)
Should I visit Tampa or Niagara Falls in the Autumn?
Both Niagara Falls and Tampa are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The city's sights and attractions are the main draw to Tampa this time of year.
Tampa is much warmer than Niagara Falls in the autumn. The daily temperature in Tampa averages around 75°F (24°C) in October, and Niagara Falls fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Tampa. Tampa usually receives more sunshine than Niagara Falls during autumn. Tampa gets 234 hours of sunny skies, while Niagara Falls receives 148 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Tampa usually receives around the same amount of rain as Niagara Falls. Tampa gets 2.6 inches (65 mm) of rain, while Niagara Falls receives 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberTampa 75°F (24°C)Niagara Falls 12°C (54°F)
Should I visit Tampa or Niagara Falls in the Winter?
Both Niagara Falls and Tampa during the winter are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Tampa for the cuisine.
Niagara Falls can get quite cold in the winter. In the winter, Tampa is much warmer than Niagara Falls. Typically, the winter temperatures in Tampa in January average around 60°F (15°C), and Niagara Falls averages at about -4°C (26°F).
It's quite sunny in Tampa. In the winter, Tampa often gets more sunshine than Niagara Falls. Tampa gets 200 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Niagara Falls receives 89 hours of full sun.
Tampa usually gets more rain in January than Niagara Falls. Tampa gets 2.3 inches (59 mm) of rain, while Niagara Falls receives 52 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryTampa 60°F (15°C)Niagara Falls -4°C (26°F)
Should I visit Tampa or Niagara Falls in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Tampa and Niagara Falls. Many visitors come to Tampa in the spring for the beaches and the activities around the city.
In April, Tampa is generally much warmer than Niagara Falls. Daily temperatures in Tampa average around 71°F (22°C), and Niagara Falls fluctuates around 10°C (49°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Niagara Falls this time of the year. In Tampa, it's very sunny this time of the year. Tampa usually receives more sunshine than Niagara Falls during spring. Tampa gets 299 hours of sunny skies, while Niagara Falls receives 203 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Tampa usually receives less rain than Niagara Falls. Tampa gets 2.1 inches (53 mm) of rain, while Niagara Falls receives 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilTampa 71°F (22°C)Niagara Falls 10°C (49°F)
Typical Weather for Niagara Falls and Tampa
| Tampa | Niagara Falls | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 60°F (15°C) | 2.3 inches (59 mm) | -4°C (26°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Feb | 61°F (16°C) | 2.9 inches (73 mm) | -3°C (28°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| Mar | 67°F (19°C) | 3.9 inches (99 mm) | 2°C (36°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Apr | 71°F (22°C) | 2.1 inches (53 mm) | 10°C (49°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| May | 77°F (25°C) | 2.4 inches (61 mm) | 15°C (59°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jun | 81°F (27°C) | 6.5 inches (165 mm) | 20°C (68°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jul | 82°F (28°C) | 8.4 inches (214 mm) | 23°C (74°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| Aug | 82°F (28°C) | 8 inches (203 mm) | 22°C (72°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Sep | 81°F (27°C) | 6.3 inches (161 mm) | 18°C (65°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
| Oct | 75°F (24°C) | 2.6 inches (65 mm) | 12°C (54°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Nov | 68°F (20°C) | 1.8 inches (45 mm) | 6°C (43°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Dec | 62°F (17°C) | 2.2 inches (56 mm) | -0°C (31°F) | 75 mm (2.9 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.