Cities in North America: Travel Cost Rankings

What are the cheapest cities to visit in North America?

The following travel cost rankings for cities in North America are calculated based on the travel budgets of real travelers. Also referred to as a Travel Cost Index, or a Backpacker Index, the cities below are in order from least to most expensive by their average daily travel price, per person, per day

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  • 1
    $46.01
  • 2
    Mazatlan, Mexico
    $78.91
  • 3
    $79.97
  • 4
    $80.71
  • 5
    $82.90
  • 6
    Banff, Canada
    $85.43
  • 7
    Merida, Mexico
    $87.13
  • 8
    Williamsburg, United States of America
    $112.42
  • 9
    $113.83
  • 10
    Halifax, Canada
    $115.41
  • 11
    Rapid City, United States of America
    $116.01
  • 12
    Cozumel, Mexico
    $116.90
  • 13
    Tulum, Mexico
    $120.85
  • 14
    $123.51
  • 15
    Virginia Beach, United States of America
    $125.50
  • 16
    Whistler, Canada
    $125.91
  • 17
    Quebec City, Canada
    $127.13
  • 18
    Yosemite National Park, United States of America
    $129.20
  • 19
    San Antonio, United States of America
    $132.12
  • 20
    Asheville, United States of America
    $132.93
  • 21
    Albuquerque, United States of America
    $134.61
  • 22
    $137.89
  • 23
    Dallas, United States of America
    $140.54
  • 24
    Austin, United States of America
    $141.89
  • 25
    Vancouver, Canada
    $142.44
  • 26
    Reno, United States of America
    $143.94
  • 27
    Hood River, United States of America
    $145.05
  • Hood River Hood River, Oregon
    The city of Hood River is the seat of Hood River County, Oregon, United States. It is a port on the Columbia River, and is named for the nearby Hood River. The dynamic town of Hood River is one of the best windsurfing and kiteboarding destinations in the world. Strong river currents, prevailing westerly winds and a vast body of water provide the perfect conditions for these wind sports, attracting...
  • 28
    Isla Mujeres, Mexico
    $146.94
  • 29
    Cancun, Mexico
    $147.25
  • 30
    Calgary, Canada
    $156.15
  • 31
    Saint Augustine, United States of America
    $159.30
  • 32
    Savannah, United States of America
    $159.69
  • 33
    Juneau, United States of America
    $159.98
  • 34
    Santa Barbara, United States of America
    $162.41
  • 35
    Monterey, United States of America
    $169.63
  • 36
    Charleston, United States of America
    $169.73
  • Charleston A Plantation Estate near Charleston, South Carolina
    Charleston is a beautiful, southern city and seaport town in South Carolina. It has a wonderful, historic downtown area that the city government works hard to maintain. Located on a peninsula that is created by two rivers, the city is a stunning setting with much character. It is a popular place to visit for its culture, architecture and cuisine. In recent years Charleston has gained popularity and it continues to...
  • 37
    Nashville, United States of America
    $172.09
  • Nashville Nashville, Tennesse
    Nashville, Tennessee, known as Music City USA and home to the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame, is waiting for vacationers and tourists. Even though musical attractions may be Nashville's main showcases, there are still plenty of other places and activities to check out, like hiking along shorelines, visit urban parks filled with entertainment, fishing, zoos, museums, take in shows in a variety of venues and...
  • 38
    Atlanta, United States of America
    $172.75
  • 39
    Myrtle Beach, United States of America
    $173.37
  • 40
    Tampa, United States of America
    $179.19
  • 41
    Portland, United States of America
    $179.65
  • 42
    Edmonton, Canada
    $181.27
  • 43
    Fort Lauderdale, United States of America
    $182.07
  • 44
    Victoria, Canada
    $183.66
  • 45
    Philadelphia, United States of America
    $188.41
  • 46
    Anchorage, United States of America
    $191.11
  • 47
    Boulder, United States of America
    $191.33
  • 48
    Washington, United States of America
    $198.30
  • Washington The Lincoln Memorial during the Cherry Blossom Festival - Washington, D.C.
    Washington, DC is the capital city of the United States of America. It is also a city rich in history and culture. The city dates back to 1791 when the states of Maryland and Virginia donated the land to create the capital. In 1846, Congress returned the land that was ceded by Virginia and in 1871 it created a single municipal government with the remaining area. Today, Washington, DC has...
  • 49
    San Diego, United States of America
    $201.70
  • San Diego San Diego, California
    For many visitors and locals alike, San Diego is a paradise. Located in southern California, not far from Los Angeles, it has the perfect climate, wonderful beaches, and a culturally rich environment. It's surrounded by beautiful landscape and has a strong focus on wildlife conservation and eco-friendly living. Home to about 1.3 million residents, it is California's second largest city. It also has many universities, a large tech industry, and...
  • 50
    Seattle, United States of America
    $204.62
  • Seattle Seattle, Washington
    Situated on the Puget Sound in the state of Washington, Seattle is the largest city in the United States Pacific Northwest. It's a beautiful city surrounded by the water and mountains and filled with evergreen trees. It's also the home of some famous American institutions including Starbucks Coffee, Amazon, and Microsoft. The population of almost 700,000 continues to grow. As of 2014, the city was considered the fastest growing major...
  • 51
    Toronto, Canada
    $205.28
  • 52
    Miami, United States of America
    $205.98
  • 53
    Montreal, Canada
    $211.09
  • 54
    Mexico City, Mexico
    $212.30
  • 55
    Denver, United States of America
    $217.88
  • 56
    San Francisco, United States of America
    $222.38
  • San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
    San Francisco is a beautiful city that is famous for it's picturesque neighborhoods, liberal character, and stunning location on the bay. Some people describe San Francisco as the United State's most "European City." This title most likely comes from its compact development and its easy walkability. It also has no shortage of parks and public spaces where you can pass some time. The city sits on the end of a...
  • 57
    New Orleans, United States of America
    $238.56
  • 58
    Salt Lake City, United States of America
    $245.89
  • 59
    Boston, United States of America
    $254.66
  • 60
    Los Angeles, United States of America
    $258.15
  • 61
    Houston, United States of America
    $261.90
  • 62
    Fairbanks, United States of America
    $272.43
  • 63
    Honolulu, United States of America
    $283.60
  • 64
    Chicago, United States of America
    $287.57
  • 65
    Napa Valley, United States of America
    $287.93
  • 66
    Las Vegas, United States of America
    $310.15
  • 67
    Orlando, United States of America
    $320.58
  • Orlando Orlando, Florida
    Orlando is a haven for tourists from the entire United States and abroad. The most famous sight in Orlando, Walt Disney World, is not actually located in the city at all, but in nearby Lake Buena Vista. The area attracts over 50 million visitors a year and the city's sprawling development has created amenities and entertainment options for tourists of all ages. The climate in Orlando is typical of the...
  • 68
    New York City, United States of America
    $325.81
  • 69
    Moab, United States of America
    $388.38
  • 70
    Key West, United States of America
    $551.09
Affordable Travel in North America
A historical melting pot of cultures and identities, North America features some of the world's most multicultural art. From red-rock deserts to lush tropical rainforests, North America has the rare claim of covering every climatic zone. Towering forests, undulating fields, high-plain deserts, pulsating metropolises and offbeat oases, whatever your travel dreams, North America offers a range of cultures, cuisines, landscapes, history and adventures that are bound to fulfill. There is such a wide range of things to see and do in North America. Prices vary greatly depending on location, as major cities like San Francisco and New York are always going to be more expensive options. However there is some good news in terms of hostel prices, especially in New York and San Francisco, where some new and popular hostels have suddenly made these cities more within reach of backpackers.

The U.S. can be a fairly expensive destination because of high transportation and accommodation costs, but these costs can vary greatly from state to state with prices running highest on the coasts, in the national parks, and in Hawaii. Thankfully, the U.S. has a wide range of options to suit most tastes, and is still a country that can be travelled enjoyably on a relatively low budget. A genuine travel bargain is New Orleans, which has affordable accommodation as well as fantastic food and drinks that are cheaper than most other large cities, even at some of the fancier places. Miami Beach, and parts of the nearby city of Miami, has really transformed itself into more of a luxury playground in the past two decades, yet there are still some good deals for the backpacking crowd. Washington DC is quite expensive for hotels, and finding cheap restaurants isn't always easy when you are in the main tourist zones. However, nearly all of the museums in the city are free, giving visitors a bit more to spend on food and drinks. Surprisingly, those who can avoid gambling, can actually stretch their funds in amazing ways in Las Vegas, where hotel rooms can be found for as low as USD$15 per night. Canada is growing in popularity with international travelers thanks to an awesome working visa option and wide open beauty. Montreal isn't necessarily cheap but thanks to some good hostels at reasonable prices and the many free things to do and see, it can be quite affordable for backpackers. Similar to Montreal, Toronto isn't really a cheap city by international standards, but it is an impressive and affordable city worth a visit. Another Canadian city that is still plenty worth a visit even though it's a bit pricey is Vancouver. Hostels have become more expensive in the last couple of years, so keeping your budget down is a challenge.

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.
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