Should you visit Atlantic City or New York City?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Atlantic City and New York City. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Atlantic City
Atlantic City, on the southeastern coast of New Jersey, is a popular destination for gambling, partying, and generally having fun. The beach is lined with casinos, many with famous names, and there's a boardwalk that offers a diverse experience. Most people don't head to Atlantic City for the beaches - it's the casinos and partying that draws a crowd. This is a popular spot for bachelor and bachelorette parties, or anybody looking for an affordable place to gamble.
New York City
The most populated city in the United States, New York City, sits at the mouth of the Hudson River and encompasses both the island of Manhattan as well as the surrounding land on Long Island, most of which is known as Brooklyn. It's a cultural, culinary, theatrical, and art center that has much to offer domestic and international travelers alike. The city covers an area of 305 square miles and has a population of about 8.2 million people in the city proper with 18.7 million in the metropolitan area.
Which city is cheaper, New York City or Atlantic City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Atlantic City is $123, while the average daily cost in New York City is $238. 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. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Atlantic City and New York City in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $116 for a double occupancy room in Atlantic City.
For a normal double-occupancy room in New York City, $274 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in New York City, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $137, such as in a hostel.
Food
The average traveler spends about $40 per day in Atlantic City for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
New York City food costs typically run travelers around $37 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Atlantic City $40
New York City $37
Typical Food prices in New York City
For New York City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in New York City
For New York City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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New York: Dumbo Food Tour:
$13
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SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown Lunch or Dinner Tour:
$48
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Chinatown Food Tour:
$50
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Brooklyn: 3-Hour Williamsburg Bites Food Tour:
$56
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New York Pizza, Beer, and History Tour:
$69
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Midtown Manhattan: Sights & Bites Food Tour:
$69
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New York Lower East Side Food Tour:
$75
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Lonely Planet Experiences: Brooklyn Small-Group Food Tour:
$79
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Brooklyn: 4.5-Hour Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour:
$82
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Food Tour of Chinatown New York:
$89
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New York City Food Tour:
$89
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New York Chinatown and Downtown Walking and Food Tour:
$114
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Atlantic City is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $32 per person, per day, on local transportation in Atlantic City.
To get around in New York City, the average visitor spends $39 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Atlantic City
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Atlantic City:
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Private Transfer: Atlantic City to JFK or Laguardia Airports:
$665
Typical Local Transportation prices in New York City
Some typical examples of transportation costs in New York City are as follows:
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Subway
$4.50
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Taxi Ride
$8.00
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Subway
$2.50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in New York City
Also for New York City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Airport Limousine Transfer one-way - John F Kennedy Airport - Lincoln MKT:
$239
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Airport Limousine Transfer one-way - LaGuardia Airport - Lincoln MKT:
$194
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Airport Limousine Transfer one-way - Newark Liberty International Airport - MKT:
$256
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EWR Private 1-Way Transfer from NYC City Center Hotels:
$144
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EWR to NYC City Center Hotels: 1-Way Private Transfer:
$161
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JFK - Executive Class Airport Sedan/SUV/Van Transfer:
$119
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JFK to Manhattan Cruise Port: Private Car Transfer:
$135
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JFK to NYC City Center Hotels: 1-Way Private Transfer:
$157
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LGA Private 1-Way Transfer from NYC City Center Hotels:
$126
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LGA to NYC City Center Hotels: 1-Way Private Transfer:
$141
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LaGuardia - Manhattan Cruise Port Private Transfers:
$99
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LaGuardia Airport-Brooklyn Cruise Port Private Transfer:
$96
Is it cheaper to fly into Atlantic City or New York City?
Prices for flights to both New York City and Atlantic City 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.
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Atlantic City typically cost an average of $35 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
In New York City, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $77 per person, per day.
Typical Entertainment prices in New York City
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for New York City's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Comedy Show Tickets
$56
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City Map
$8.00
-
Broadway Musical
$111
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Broadway Show Program
$10
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Magazine
$6.99
Tours and Activities in New York City
For New York City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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New York: Brooklyn Heights & DUMBO Self-Guided Walking Tour:
$6.00
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NYC: Battery Park and Statue of Liberty Self-Guided Tour:
$6.00
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Grand Central Terminal Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$9.00
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9/11 Tribute Museum Admission Ticket:
$12
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Central Park Zoo General Admission Ticket:
$14
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New York Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$14
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Brooklyn Museum General Admission Ticket:
$14
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9/11 Tribute Museum Ticket:
$15
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NYC: 9/11 Tribute Museum & Optional Memorial Walking Tour:
$15
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New York: 2-Hour Superhero Walking Tour:
$18
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New York: The Rubin Museum of Art Admission Ticket:
$19
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New York Aquarium Admission Tickets:
$20
For more ideas for your next trip, check out The Best Things to do in New York City with Kids, Things to Do in Central Park in NYC, and The Best Museums in New York City.
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Atlantic City may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $31 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typically, people visiting New York City spend on average $23 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Atlantic City
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Atlantic City:
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All Bets Are Off: Atlantic City Bar Crawl:
$12
Sample the Local Flavors in New York City
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in New York City:
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Greenwich Village Pub Crawl:
$20
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Pub Crawl Tour of Historic Stone Street:
$40
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New York Hell's Kitchen 3-Hour Pub Crawl:
$75
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Wine Tasting Sail Aboard The Classic Schooner Shearwater:
$101
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Long Island Wine Tour:
$105
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Atlantic City and New York City, we can see that New York City is more expensive. And not only is Atlantic City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Atlantic City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Atlantic City 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 New York City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in New York City than you might in Atlantic City.
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