Which place is cheaper, Bonaire or Tampa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Tampa or Bonaire?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Tampa or Bonaire? 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 Bonaire?
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.
Bonaire
An island municipality of the Netherlands, Bonaire resides in the Caribbean, east of Central America and north of Venezuela. It is a part of the ABC Islands together with Aruba and Curaçao, and is best known as a tropical vacation destination with many great dive spots, beaches, lagoons, and wildlife.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage.
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Tampa Prices
USA PricesBonaire Prices
Caribbean Netherlands Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTampa $218Bonaire $299
The average daily cost (per person) in Tampa is $218, while the average daily cost in Bonaire is $299. 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 Bonaire in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTampa $85Bonaire $155
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTampa $170Bonaire $310
Compare Hotels in Tampa and Bonaire
Looking for a hotel in Tampa or Bonaire? 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 Bonaire Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tampa $69Bonaire $65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tampa
Also for Tampa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- TPA Airport Private Transfer to Tampa(downtown): $33
- Private Arrival Transfer - from Tampa Airport (TPA): $36
- St. Pete–Clearwater Airport (PIE) to Clearwater Beach - Arrival Private Transfer: $41
- Clearwater Beach to St.Pete–Clearwater Airport (PIE) -Departure Private Transfer: $41
- One Way Airport Transfer Service: $50
- Private Transfer from Tampa Bay Cruise Port to Tampa hotels: $59
- St Petersburg to Tampa Airport (TPA) -Departure Private Transfer: $60
- Lakeland / Winter Haven to Tampa Airport (TPA) - Departure Private Transfer: $60
- Tampa hotel or address to Tampa Airport (TPA) - Departure Private Transfer: $60
- Tampa Airport (TPA) to Tampa hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $60
- Tampa Airport (TPA) to Lakeland / Winter Haven - Arrival Private Transfer: $60
- Tampa Airport (TPA) to Clearwater Beach - Arrival Private Transfer: $60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bonaire
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bonaire:
- Private Transfers between Bonaire airport and any local address : $40
- Private Transfer from Kralendijk Port to Bonaire Airport (BON): $59
- Private Transfer from Kralendijk Cruise Port to Kralendijk city : $59
- Airport Transfer Return Included: $80
Is it cheaper to fly into Tampa or Bonaire?
Prices for flights to both Bonaire 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 $92Bonaire $101
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tampa
For Tampa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Ybor City Food Tour with 5 Local Delicacies Tastings: $100
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bonaire
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bonaire.
- Dinner at Sea: $95
- Discover the Flavors of Bonaire with the Bonaire Snack Food Tour: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tampa $20Bonaire $40
Tours and Activities in Tampa
For Tampa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Historic Ybor City Self Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Ybor City Immigrant influence Smart Phone guided App (GPS) walking tour: $9.75
- Tampa's Highlights Self Guided Audio Walking Tour: $9.99
- Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Tampa by Crazy Dash: $10
- Tampa Riverwalk Private Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $11
- Experience the season with a scavenger hunt in Tampa with Holly Jolly Hunt: $20
- Tampa Bay Lightning Ice Hockey Game Ticket: $23
- Tides of Tethered Terror: Tampa Ghost Tours: $24
- Selfie WRLD Admission Ticket: $25
- ZooTampa at Lowry Park Ticket with After Hours Option: $30
- Tampa Celebrity Homes Boat Tour: $31
- Tampa History Cruise: $31
Tours and Activities in Bonaire
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bonaire are as follows:
- 2 Hours Private Kitesurfing Adventure: $265
- 4 Hours Open Air Party Bus Tour with Beach Stop in Caribbean: $39
- 4 hour Individual Island Tour for 1 to 12 persons: $180
- Aquaspace Sunset Sail and Snorkel Tour on Bonaire with Diner: $130
- Bonaire Cave Tour: Walk, Climb & Swim: $75
- Bonaire CaveTour Climb, Snorkel & Explore the Hidden Gems : $83
- Bonaire Essentials Island Tour: $49
- Bonaire Landsailing Adventures: $79
- Bonaire Shore Excursion: The Bonaire Highlights Tour: $83
- Bonaire island adventure: $110
- Discover Scuba Diving Experience: $164
- North & South Highlights Guided Group Tour: $100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTampa $26Bonaire $33
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
- Naples Bar Crawl Experience: $15
- Tampa Terrors: Spirits & Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl: $30
- Tampa Terrors Spirits & Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl: $36
- Wine Tasting Experience in Historic Ybor: $40
- Tampa Bar Crawl on New Street Legal Golf Cart: $40
- Downtown 3-Hour Food and Wine Tour: $145
- Tampa's Top Dive Bar Tour Experience by Golf Cart: $275
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tampa and Bonaire, we can see that Bonaire is more expensive. And not only is Tampa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tampa is in North America and Bonaire is in Caribbean Islands, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Bonaire would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bonaire than you might in Tampa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tampa Expensive? and Is Bonaire Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tampa or Bonaire?
Tampa has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Bonaire. When comparing the sizes of Tampa and Bonaire, 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.
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.