Should you visit Dallas or New York City?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dallas and New York City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Dallas
Located in the north central part of the state, Dallas is a prominent city in Texas and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in the United States of America. The business reputation of Dallas rose from its historical status as the center for cotton and oil industries. It was also positioned among numerous railroads.
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 Dallas?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Dallas is $103, 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 Dallas and New York City in more detail.
Accommodation
Dallas's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $116. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $58.
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 price of a meal in Dallas can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $28 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $11 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
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
Dallas $28
New York City $37
Typical Food prices in Dallas
Some typical examples of dining costs in Dallas are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dallas
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Dallas.
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Live from Eggs Benedict Brunch Cooking Class with Bri from MasteChef:
$33
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Live from Eggs Benedict Cooking Class with Bri from MasterChef:
$33
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Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament Admission Ticket in Dallas:
$73
-
Secret Food Tour of Dallas w/ Private Tour Option:
$221
-
Dallas Secret Food Tour:
$224
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: Dumbo Food Tour:
$13
-
SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown Lunch or Dinner Tour:
$48
-
Chinatown Food Tour:
$50
-
Brooklyn: 3-Hour Williamsburg Bites Food Tour:
$56
-
New York Pizza, Beer, and History Tour:
$69
-
Midtown Manhattan: Sights & Bites Food Tour:
$69
-
New York Lower East Side Food Tour:
$75
-
Lonely Planet Experiences: Brooklyn Small-Group Food Tour:
$79
-
Brooklyn: 4.5-Hour Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour:
$82
-
Food Tour of Chinatown New York:
$89
-
New York City Food Tour:
$89
-
New York Chinatown and Downtown Walking and Food Tour:
$114
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Dallas is $23 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
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 Dallas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dallas:
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Transfer in private minivan from Dallas Love Field Airport to City Center:
$93
-
Transfer in private minivan from Dallas City Center to Love Field Airport:
$93
-
Transfer in private minivan from Dallas City Center to Fort Worth Airport:
$93
-
Transfer in executive private car from Dallas Love Field Airport to City Center:
$73
-
Transfer in executive private car from Dallas City Center to Love Field Airport:
$73
-
Transfer in executive private car from Dallas City Center to Fort Worth Airport:
$70
-
Transfer from Dallas Love Field to Dallas:
$100
-
RoundTrip transfer in executive private car from-to Love Field Airpt-Dallas City:
$147
-
Round trip transfer in private minivan from-to Love Field Airport in Dallas City:
$187
-
Private transfer: Dallas to Dallas Airport (DAL):
$622
-
Private Transfer Downtown Dallas to Fort Worth Airport DFW Luxury Vehicle:
$63
-
Private Transfer Dallas Airport DAL to Las Colinas, Irving by Luxury Vehicle:
$54
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
-
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:
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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
-
Manhattan Island-Manhattan Cruise Port Private Transfer:
$82
-
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
-
New York: Private Transfer to/from LaGuardia Airport (LGA):
$92
-
LaGuardia Airport-Brooklyn Cruise Port Private Transfer:
$96
Is it cheaper to fly into Dallas or New York City?
Prices for flights to both New York City and Dallas 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
Dallas's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $10 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
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.
Tours and Activities in Dallas
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Dallas are as follows:
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2-Hour Dallas and JFK Limousine Tour:
$70
-
2-Hour Historic Dallas Segway Tour:
$59
-
3-Hour Small-Group Dallas Cowboys Stadium Tour:
$90
-
Best of Dallas Sightseeing Bus Tour: Reunion Tower GeO-Deck or CityPass:
$60
-
Create Your Own Dallas Ft. Worth Combination Tour:
$129
-
Dallas City Highlights Tour:
$29
-
Dallas City Tour:
$51
-
Dallas Cruizer Tour:
$25
-
Dallas Food and Culture Tour:
$36
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Dallas Highlights Tour:
$69
-
Dallas JFK and West Village Restaurant Walking Tour:
$78
-
Dallas Shopping Tour:
$106
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
-
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:
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New York: Brooklyn Heights & DUMBO Self-Guided Walking Tour:
$6.00
-
NYC: Battery Park and Statue of Liberty Self-Guided Tour:
$6.00
-
Grand Central Terminal Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$9.00
-
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
-
9/11 Tribute Museum Ticket:
$15
-
NYC: 9/11 Tribute Museum & Optional Memorial Walking Tour:
$15
-
New York: 2-Hour Superhero Walking Tour:
$18
-
New York: The Rubin Museum of Art Admission Ticket:
$19
-
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
The average person spends about $9.82 on alcoholic beverages in Dallas 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 Dallas
Also in Dallas, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Dallas Bar Hunt: Dallas Dynasty Bar Crawl:
$12
-
Haunted Dallas Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$27
-
Party Bike Pub Crawl in Deep Ellum and Downtown Dallas:
$55
Sample the Local Flavors in New York City
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in New York City:
-
Greenwich Village Pub Crawl:
$20
-
Pub Crawl Tour of Historic Stone Street:
$40
-
New York Hell's Kitchen 3-Hour Pub Crawl:
$75
-
Wine Tasting Sail Aboard The Classic Schooner Shearwater:
$101
-
Long Island Wine Tour:
$105
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dallas and New York City, we can see that New York City is more expensive. And not only is Dallas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Dallas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dallas 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 Dallas.
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