Trying to rent an affordable apartment or home in the Tampa Bay area can be rough, especially if you’re on a budget. It’s no secret that the cost of living in Tampa Bay has skyrocketed over the past few years. Thankfully, we found this list from Zumper.com of the most affordable places to rent in the Tampa Bay area. Note these are for 1 bedroom apartments. Prices get a little higher when searching for 2 bedroom places.
Related: Tampa Suburb Named As Best Place To Live In Florida
According to Zumper, the one bedroom median rent in Florida for the month of July was $1,674. The monthly national median rent is $1,702 (according to RentCafe). So we guess it could be slightly worse. One would normally guess the most expensive city for rentals is in the Miami area. But actually, the most expensive city to rent a one bedroom apartment in Florida is Venice. You’ll have to cough up $2,260 a month for a one-bedroom apartment. Don’t expect these prices to stay “affordable” for long. Zumper predicts that these rental prices will increase 27.6% increase year-over-year.
Why move to Florida?
You may be asking, if it’s so expensive, why would someone even move to Florida? Well the year-round sunshine sure does beat shoveling snow for 6 months of the year. Plus you never really get tired of all the water activities like snorkeling, jet skiing, or just tanning in the hot sun at our gorgeous beaches. We also love to root for our champion winning sports teams and dining at some of the country’s best restaurants. Not to mention that no state income tax comes in handy when your rent is almost on par/more than the national average.
Here are the 7 Tampa Bay area cities with the most affordable rental prices
6. Largo
Expect Largo to be another fast growing Florida city. With it’s central location to Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Pete, it makes it a great location for newcomers. Plus, they’ll have the first drive-thru Wawa in Florida! Not that that should be the highest priority on your list, but it is a bonus! The median rent for a one bedroom apartment in Largo is $1,560. Two bedrooms are only about $300 more.
5. Clearwater
That’s right, the home to the best beach in the south is also one of the more affordable Tampa Bay area cities for rental. That is, if you don’t plan on living directly on the beach. The median one bedroom rental price in Clearwater is $1,510. But expect to pay over $600 more for a two bedroom place.
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4. South Bradenton
Same perks as Bradenton, just a little more inland. This means that the one bedroom rental prices are about $200 cheaper. The median price according to Zumper is $1,380.
1. Winter Haven
The number 1 city in the Tampa Bay area with the cheapest rent is Winter Haven. This area has 50 lakes within its borders, including its famous Chain of Lakes. It’s also super close to some other popular fresh-water springs. The median price for a one-bedroom apartment here is $1,250 and is $1,460 for a two bedroom!
