How much does it cost to travel to Austin?
You should plan to spend around $142 per day on your vacation in Austin. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $35 on meals
- $47 on local transportation
- $113 on hotels
A one week trip to Austin for two people costs, on average, $1,987. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Austin has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Austin expensive to visit?
Prices in Austin are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.
Within North America, which is known to be an expensive region, Austin is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Dallas or Wisconsin Dells.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Austin Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Austin?
The average Austin trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Austin travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
|
Category
|
Cost
|
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
$113
|
|
Local Transportation 1
|
$47
|
|
Food 2
|
$35
|
|
Entertainment 1
|
$28
|
|
Alcohol 2
|
$14 -
42
|
Accommodation Budget in Austin
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Austin is $56. For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Austin is $113. This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Austin? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Austin
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Austin is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $47 per person, per day, on local transportation in Austin.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$47
How much does it cost to go to Austin? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Austin will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Food Budget in Austin
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Austin can vary, the average cost of food in Austin is $35 per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Austin should cost around $14 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Austin is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$35
Entertainment Budget in Austin
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Austin typically cost an average of $28 per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$28
Typical prices for Entertainment in Austin are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Austin, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
Alcohol Budget in Austin
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $28 on alcoholic beverages in Austin per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$28
Austin On a Budget
Austin, Texas
Located in the Texas Hill Country, Austin is the capital city of the state. It is a relatively small city with a compact downtown area and many sprawling suburbs stretching out along the interstate. Austin prides itself on its eclectic culture and alternative vibe which is epitomized by the city's unofficial slogan "Keep Austin Weird." The University of Texas at Austin is also located downtown. The school's large student population helps give the city a youthful feel with a lively nightlife and no shortage of activities on weekends. The city is also the self proclaimed live music capital of the country. As such, it has many music venues and bars, most of which are clustered around the 6th Street area downtown. There are also many free outdoor concerts, particularly during the summer months.
Austin's climate is humid subtropical. The summers are very hot and the winters are mild. Average high temperatures during the summer months often reach into the high 90s and winter lows occasionally fall below freezing. Winter is typically dry and snow is very uncommon.
Sights
Visiting Austin is more about taking in the city's atmosphere than it is about seeing specific attractions. Make sure you visit some local bars and head to an outdoor festival if there are any while you're in town.
Specific sights in the city include several museums as the University of Texas at Austin such as the Blanton Museum of Art, the Harry Ransom Center, and the Texas Memorial Museum of Science and History. The LBJ Presidential Library also has interesting exhibits as well. Austin is also famous for the beautiful Texas State Capital Building. The building is covered in pink granite and is actually fourteen feet taller than the U.S. Capital Building in Washington DC. The building is open to the public seven days a week.
Many people make a point of seeing the Austin bats while visiting the town. Along Congress Avenue bridge there are more than a million Mexican free-tailed bats that are most active at dusk between the months of March and November.
Neighborhoods
As a tourist, the most interesting part of Austin is the downtown area. This is the central business district and also where you'll find most of the city's live music venues, bars and restaurants. The area around the University of Texas is where you'll find the highest concentration of students. There are also some museums and cheap places to eat. North Central Austin has historic residential neighborhoods and East Austin is a diverse area with a mix of cultures and a vibrant art scene. Most of the city's tech businesses are located in Northwest Austin. South Austin is worth a visitor and you should make a point of visiting South Congress, with its eclectic shopping and eateries.
Activities
There are many festivals in Austin throughout the year, but the two largest events are South by Southwest (SXSW) in March and Austin City Limits in October. SXSW has both a film and music component. Austin City Limits is a three day outdoor music festival that brings many people to town.
Other activities around town include swimming in the spring fed pool at Barton Springs in South Austin, seeing a show, or going to a music concert. The area around Austin also has many outdoor activities including swimming, rock climbing and hiking.
Food and Dining
Most of the food culture in Austin is based on either Tex Mex or barbecue, both of which are ubiquitous and delicious. Favorite restaurants around town include Franklin Barbecue, Garrido's, and Chuy's Restaurant. If you're looking for other food options however, they may be more difficult to come by. This is particularly if you're looking for ethnic food besides Tex Mex.
Austin is also credited with bringing trailer park eateries into popularity. There are many trailers around town that sell any number of food options from tacos to sushi to snow cones.
Transportation
Downtown Austin is easily covered by walking. It is compact and really only stretches over a few blocks. If you're hoping to visit any other neighborhoods, which you should, you really need to have access to a car. There is a bus system in Austin but it is not efficient and is quite slow. There is also a light rail system, but it does little more than connect the suburbs to the downtown area. To fully explore Austin and the surrounding hill country, a car is an absolute must.
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We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.
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.