Should you visit Miami 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 Miami and New York City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Miami
Miami is a popular tourist destination and a modern city in South Florida. It has beautiful white beaches, crystal blue waters, cosmopolitan neighborhoods, impressive shopping, and excellent dining opportunities. It is also a gateway to the Florida Keys, which is another popular destination in South Florida.
Miami is the second most populated city in Florida and the metropolitan area is the most populated in the state with more than 5.4 million people. It's also the 7th largest metro area in the country. The city sits between the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Everglades to the west. It covers 110 miles north to south but is a narrow 20 miles east to west.
Miami sits at a low latitude, giving it a subtropical savannah climate. There are two seasons; the warm and dry season between November and April and the hot and wet season between May and October. The coldest months are between December and March when highs are in the upper 70 or low 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The summer months have highs in the upper 80s or 90s and lows in the mid 70s with high humidity.
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 Miami?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Miami is $165, 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 Miami and New York City in more detail.
Accommodation
Miami's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $212. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $106.
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
On average, meal and food prices in Miami cost around $33 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $13.
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
Miami $33
New York City $37
Typical Food prices in Miami
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Miami:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Miami
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Miami.
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Little Havana 2-Hour Food Tour:
$59
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South Beach Miami Culinary Walking Tour Lunch or Dinner:
$59
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Little Havana Street Food Tours:
$61
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Taste of Little Havana Food Tour by Bicycle:
$69
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Haitian Cooking Experience:
$85
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Private Little Havana Cuban Food Tour:
$99
-
4th of July Fireworks Cruise & Hard Rock Dinner:
$159
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4th of July Fireworks from Catamaran & Hard Rock Café Dinner:
$159
-
Private VIP Historical Citywide Food Tour:
$159
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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Greenwich Village History, Culture, and Food Tour with Local Expert:
$129
-
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
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Miami is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $32 per person, per day, on local transportation in Miami.
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 Miami
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Miami are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Miami
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Miami:
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Universal Studios Ticket & Transfer from Miami:
$249
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Transfers to Port of Miami:
$28
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Transfer: Miami Beach to Airport, Port or Palm Beach:
$25
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Transfer in Private Vehicle from Miami Downtown to Miami Airport:
$46
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Transfer in Private Vehicle from Miami Airport to Miami Downtown:
$46
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Transfer in Private Vehicle from Miami Airport to Miami Beach:
$46
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Transfer in Private Minivan from Miami Downtown to Miami Airport:
$70
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Transfer in Private Minivan from Miami Airport to Miami Downtown:
$70
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Transfer in Private Minivan from Miami Airport to Miami Beach:
$70
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Transfer in Executive Private Vehicle from Miami Downtown to Miami Airport:
$53
-
Transfer in Executive Private Vehicle from Miami Airport to Miami Downtown:
$53
-
Transfer in Executive Private Vehicle from Miami Airport to Miami Beach:
$53
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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Manhattan Private Luxury Transfer to NYC Airports:
$98
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New York Airport Luxury Departure Transfer via Stretch Limousine, SUV, Sedan:
$100
-
New York Airport Luxury Transfer : New York City to Newark Airport:
$181
-
New York Airport Private Luxury Departure transfer via Sedan, Limousine or SUV:
$159
-
New York Airport Transfers: New York to J.F. Kennedy Airport JFK in Business Car:
$124
-
New York City Shared Shuttle Departure Transfer: Hotel to NYC Airports:
$30
-
Private Airport Transfer in New York:
$180
-
Private All Inclusive New York City Airport Arrival Transfer:
$90
-
Private All Inclusive New York City Airport Departure Transfer:
$90
-
Private All Inclusive New York Transfer: Airport or Manhattan to Cruise Port:
$71
-
Private Arrival Transfer From JFK Airport to NYC Hotel:
$166
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Private Departure Transfer From NYC Hotel to EWR Airport:
$165
Is it cheaper to fly into Miami or New York City?
Prices for flights to both New York City and Miami 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 Miami typically cost an average of $25 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.
Tours and Activities in Miami
Here are a few actual costs in Miami for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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"Cigar Factory Tour":
$35
-
1 Hour Private Helicopter Tour of Miami and South Florida:
$518
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1-Day Key West Tour ( Miami Departure ) ( MIA1-B ):
$138
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1-Day Miami+Everglades Naitonal Park Tour ( Miami Departure )( MIA1-A ):
$80
-
1/2 Hour Jet Ski Island Adventure:
$5.00
-
10-Day Surf Adventure from Brisbane to Sydney Including Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay and Gold Coast:
$2,371
-
2 Hour Cycle Boat Tour:
$50
-
2-hour boat tour with Aquarius Boat Rental:
$195
-
3 Hour Private Sunset Sailboat Tour for up to 6 Complimentary beverages, snacks:
$550
-
3-hour tour with Aquarius Boat Rental:
$248
-
3.5-Hour Ultimate Learn to Surf Adventure:
$35
-
30 Minute Private Luxury Helicopter Sightseeing Tour of Miami:
$299
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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9/11 Tribute Museum Admission Ticket:
$12
-
Central Park Zoo General Admission Ticket:
$14
-
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ticket:
$21
-
Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: Ticket Options with Ferry:
$21
-
American Museum of Natural History Tickets:
$23
-
American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket:
$23
-
St Patrick's Cathedral Official Tour- NOW OPEN:
$24
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Skip the Line: Shake, Rattle and Roll Dueling Pianos Show Ticket:
$25
-
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Ticket:
$25
-
The Museum of Modern Art Admission Ticket:
$25
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Whitney Museum of American Art Admission Ticket:
$25
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NOW OPEN: Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry Ticket optional Upgrade:
$28
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Miami may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $18 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typically, people visiting New York City spend on average $23 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typical Alcohol prices in Miami
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Miami are as follows:
Sample the Local Flavors in Miami
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Miami:
-
Pub Crawl South Beach 3-Hour Tour:
$30
-
Miami Beach Rockstar Bar Crawl:
$69
-
Making Your Own Gin Distillery Tour and Tasting Experience:
$190
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Miami and New York City, we can see that New York City is more expensive. And not only is Miami much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Miami would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Miami 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 Miami.
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