A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Tampa vs. Tucson for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Tampa or Tucson?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Tampa or Tucson? 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 Tucson?

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.

Tucson

Tucson, Arizona is the second largest city in the state and sits at an elevation of 2,400 feet. It's temperature is slightly milder than Phoenix and it is a pleasant place to visit. Most people arrive in the city by car, but Amtrak does travel through Tucson, as does Greyhound. The area is also served by the Tucson International Airport. Once in the city, you'll likely want to have access to a car, as the city is not very pedestrian friendly and public transportation is very much lacking. Many popular and beautiful sights are also outside of town in the surrounding desert, so having access to a vehicle is paramount if you hope to visit any of the places.

Which city is cheaper, Tucson or Tampa?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Tampa is $136, while the average daily cost in Tucson is $126. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Tampa and Tucson in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Tampa $68
    Tucson $75
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Tampa $136
    Tucson $150
Compare Hotels in Tampa and Tucson

Looking for a hotel in Tampa or Tucson? 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.

Hotels in Tampa


Hotels in Tucson


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 Tucson Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Tampa $58
    Tucson $22

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tampa

Also for Tampa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer from Tampa International Airport to Tampa: $75
  • Tampa hotel or address to Tampa Airport (TPA) - Departure Private Transfer: $82
  • Tampa Airport (TPA) to Tampa hotel or address - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $164
  • Tampa Airport (TPA) to Tampa hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $82
  • Tampa Airport (TPA) to St Petersburg hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $83
  • Tampa Airport (TPA) to St Petersburg - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $167
  • Tampa Airport (TPA) to Clearwater Beach - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $167
  • Tampa Airport (TPA) to Clearwater Beach - Arrival Private Transfer: $83
  • Private Transfer from Tampa to Port Canaveral: $526
  • Private Transfer from Tampa to Orlando-Sanford (SFB) Airport: $457
  • Private Transfer from Tampa to Orlando (MCO) Airport: $393
  • Private Transfer from Tampa Airport to Sarasota: $120

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tucson

Also for Tucson, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Tucson Intl Airport (TUS) to Tucson Downtown area - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $129
  • Tucson Intl Airport (TUS) to Tucson Downtown area - Arrival Private Transfer: $65
  • Tucson International Airport One Way Transfer: $53
  • Tucson Downtown area to Tucson Intl Airport (TUS) - Departure Private Transfer: $65
  • Private transfer: Tucson to Tucson Airport (TUS): $622
  • Private transfer: Tucson Airport (TUS) to Tucson: $622
  • Private Tucson Transfer: Hotel to Airport: $96
  • Private Tucson Transfer: Airport to Hotel: $96

Is it cheaper to fly into Tampa or Tucson?

Prices for flights to both Tucson 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Tampa $34
    Tucson $29

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Tampa $15
    Tucson $13

Tours and Activities in Tampa

For Tampa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 1.5-hour Dolphin Sightseeing Cruise from Tampa: $31
  • 2-hour Tiki Boat BYOB Cruise in Tampa: $60
  • Adventure Island Water Park Ticket: $63
  • Bayshore Drive Motorbike Tour: $199
  • Bicycle Tour Orlando, Over Tampa Bay Ride: $150
  • Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket: $110
  • Historic Ybor City Food and Drink Walking Tour: $59
  • Motorcycle Tour of Sunshine Skyway Bridge: $299
  • Nature Coast Private Day Tour From Tampa with Photographer , Max Group of 4: $250
  • Orlando: Aquatica Water Park Admission Ticket: $128
  • Skip the Line: The Florida Aquarium in Tampa Bay Ticket: $26
  • Skip the Line: ZooTampa at Lowry Park Admission Ticket: $45

Tours and Activities in Tucson

For Tucson, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Historic Bike Tour in Tucson: $60
  • Mural Bike Tour: $60
  • Oasis Tour of Tucson: $50
  • Taco Bike Tour: $85
  • Tucson Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $21

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Tampa $20
    Tucson $13

Sample the Local Flavors in Tampa

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Tampa:

  • 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

About these numbers

When comparing the travel costs between Tampa and Tucson, we can see that Tampa is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.
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Tampa vs. Tucson Travel Comparison

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