Should you visit Boston or New York City?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Boston 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.
Boston
Boston is one of the oldest and most historic cities in New England. It is also the capital of the state of Massachusetts and the largest city in the region. The city proper covers 48 square miles and has a population of more than 600,000. The Greater Boston area has 4.5 million people and is the tenth largest metropolitan area in the country.
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 Boston?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Boston is $203, 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 Boston and New York City in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $264 for a double occupancy room in Boston.
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.
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Boston is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $28 per person, per day, on local transportation in Boston.
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.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Boston
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Boston are as follows:
-
Taxi
$35
-
Subway Daily Pass
$9.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boston:
-
Transfer in private vehicle from Boston City Downtown to Boston Airport (BOS):
$69
-
Transfer in private vehicle from Boston Airport (BOS) to City Downtown:
$69
-
Transfer from Boston Logan International Airport to Boston:
$85
-
Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Boston Airport:
$30
-
Shared Arrival Transfer: Boston Airport to Hotel:
$30
-
Round trip transfer in private vehicle from Boston city -to Boston Airport (BOS):
$138
-
Round trip Airport Transfer: Logan - Boston:
$181
-
Private transfer: Boston to Boston Airport (BOS):
$622
-
Private transfer: Boston Airport (BOS) to Boston:
$622
-
Private transfer from or to BOS Boston, MA:
$113
-
Private arrival OR departure transfer in Boston (hotel OR airport pick-up):
$132
-
Private Transfer from Boston City to Boston (BOS) Airport:
$117
Typical Local Transportation prices in New York City
Some typical examples of transportation costs in New York City are as follows:
-
Subway
$4.50
-
Taxi Ride
$8.00
-
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:
-
Private Departure Transfer Manhattan to NYC Airports JFK EWR LGA:
$22
-
Private Departure Transfer Brooklyn to NYC Airports (JFK) (LGA) (EWR):
$29
-
New York City Shared Shuttle Departure Transfer: Hotel to NYC Airports:
$30
-
Private All Inclusive New York Transfer: Airport or Manhattan to Cruise Port:
$71
-
Private New York airport transfer: New York airport to Manhattan and Brooklyn:
$83
-
Private Transfer from New York City to LaGuardia Airport:
$85
-
Private transfer: New York to New York Airport (LGA):
$86
-
Private All Inclusive New York City Airport Arrival Transfer:
$90
-
Private All Inclusive New York City Airport Departure Transfer:
$90
-
Manhattan Private Luxury Transfer to NYC Airports:
$98
-
New York Airport Luxury Departure Transfer via Stretch Limousine, SUV, Sedan:
$100
-
Private Transfer from Manhattan to John F Kennedy Airport JFK by Luxury Car:
$111
Is it cheaper to fly into Boston or New York City?
Prices for flights to both New York City and Boston 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
In Boston travelers spend around $40 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Boston $40
New York City $37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Boston
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Boston.
-
Boston's North End "Little Italy" Pizza, Cannoli, and Freedom Trail Walking Tour:
$49
-
Boston's North End Small-Group Walking Food Tour:
$71
-
Fenway Neighborhood Food Tour (Boston):
$79
-
Buffet Lunch or Dinner Cruise on Boston Harbor:
$81
-
Private Tour: Secret Food Tours Boston North End:
$103
-
Spirit of Boston Sunset Dinner Cruise with Buffet:
$105
-
Boston Odyssey Dinner Cruise:
$118
-
Lunch or Dinner Cruise on the Odyssey:
$122
-
North End Neighborhood Food Tour:
$150
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:
-
New York Pizza, Beer, and History Tour:
$69
-
Greenwich Village History, Culture, and Food Tour with Local Expert:
$129
-
Private New York City Food Tour of East Village and Greenwich Village:
$147
-
JAPANESE guided tour! Bateaux Dinner Cruise tour with hotel transportation. The best way to enjoy the Manhattan night view from the river & sea. Full course French dinner, live band music included.:
$333
-
Limo trip Hotel to Dinner round trip in NEW MKT Limousine:
$481
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Boston typically cost an average of $26 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 Boston
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Boston are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Boston
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boston are as follows:
-
2-Day Trip Philadelphia City Tour from Boston:
$519
-
6-Day Economy East Coast Tour ( Boston Departure) ( BOAP6E):
$448
-
6-Day Economy East Coast Tour (Boston departure)(BO6E):
$448
-
6-Day Tour East Coast Tour ( Boston Departure) ( BOAP6D):
$560
-
6-Day Tour East Coast Tour (Boston Departure)(BO6):
$560
-
6-Day U.S East Coast Tour (Boston departure) BO6U:
$560
-
7-Days Tour US east coast and Canada tour (Boston Departure) (BO7C):
$706
-
Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure: Boston Harbor:
$44
-
Beer Tour:
$80
-
Best of Boston Tour - Private Safe Tour:
$185
-
Boston Back Bay Tourist Scavenger Hunt:
$36
-
Boston Chocolate Tours w/ Private Tour Option:
$204
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:
-
Comedy Show Tickets
$56
-
City Map
$8.00
-
Broadway Musical
$111
-
Broadway Show Program
$10
-
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:
-
New York: Brooklyn Heights & DUMBO Self-Guided Walking Tour:
$6.00
-
9/11 Tribute Museum Admission Ticket:
$12
-
Central Park Zoo General Admission Ticket:
$14
-
New York Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$14
-
Brooklyn Museum General Admission Ticket:
$14
-
New York: The Rubin Museum of Art Admission Ticket:
$19
-
New York Aquarium Admission Tickets:
$20
-
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ticket:
$21
-
American Dream: TiLT Interactive Museum Admission Ticket:
$21
-
American Museum of Natural History Ticket:
$23
-
New York Botanical Garden Admission Ticket:
$23
-
American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket:
$23
For more ideas for your next trip, check out Free Things to Do in Boston, Must-See Monuments and Memorials In Boston, The Best Things To Do in Boston with Kids, 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
The average person spends about $22 on alcoholic beverages in Boston per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typically, people visiting New York City spend on average $23 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Boston
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Boston:
-
Haunted Boston Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$27
-
Historic Pub Crawl Tour along the Freedom Trail:
$56
-
Sip of Boston Guided Brewery Tour:
$90
Sample the Local Flavors in New York City
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in New York City:
-
Pub Crawl Tour of Historic Stone Street:
$40
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Boston and New York City, we can see that New York City is more expensive. And not only is Boston much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Boston would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boston 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 Boston.
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