A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Nassau vs. New York City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Nassau or New York City?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Nassau or New York City, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Nassau or New York City?

Nassau

There are few vacation destinations more famous than the Bahamian city of Nassau. This capital city is full of laid back locals, relaxed tourists and the iconic pastel pink government houses.

As the largest city in the Bahamas, Nassau can hold plenty of people. Not only are there hundreds of tourists on any given day, the city is also home to 260,000 people – that is 80 percent of the Bahamas' total population.

Founded around 1650, Nassau's location made it a great spot on the trade route. So great, in fact, that it also became a popular destination for pirates – including the infamous Blackbeard.

Pack light because it's going to be pretty steamy in Nassau. The climate is essentially identical to southern Florida. It is warm and humid all year with the occasional cold snap in the winter.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Bahamas, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Bahamas, The Best 2-Week Tours from New York City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Anchorage.


Which place is cheaper, New York City or Nassau?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Nassau Prices
    Bahamas Prices
    New York City Prices
    USA Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Nassau $227
    New York City $363

The average daily cost (per person) in Nassau is $227, while the average daily cost in New York City is $363. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Nassau and New York City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Nassau $109
    New York City $175
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Nassau $218
    New York City $350
Compare Hotels in Nassau and New York City

Looking for a hotel in Nassau or New York City? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Nassau


Hotels in New York City


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Nassau Hotel Prices and New York City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Nassau $32
    New York City $49
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nassau

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Nassau are as follows:


  • Water Taxi
    $8.02
  • Taxi to Cable Beach
    $25
  • Taxi from Airport
    $30

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nassau

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nassau:

  • Transfer Service in Nassau Bahamas: $95
  • Round-Trip Private Transfer: $300
  • Round trip Airport Private Transfer (Nassau Limousine): $160
  • Round Trip Private Airport To Hotel Transfer in Nassau: $68
  • Private Transfer from Nassau Airport (NAS) to Nassau Hotel or Cruise Port: $134
  • Private SUV One way Airport Transfer/Grocery & Liquor stop included: $200
  • Private Roundtrip Sedan Cruiseport Transfer to Downtown Nassau: $99
  • Private Roundtrip Minivan Airport Transfer to Paradise Island: $199
  • Private Roundtrip Minivan Airport Transfer to Cable Beach: $179
  • Private Roundtrip Minivan Airport Transfer: $179
  • Private One-Way Transfer from Lynden Airport to Bahamas: $45
  • Private Bahamian Baking Class and Transfers with Chef Gabbi: $210

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:

  • Manhattan to LGA One Way Shared Departure Transfer: $25
  • JFK to Manhattan: One Way Shared Arrival Transfer: $28
  • Manhattan to JFK One Way Shared Departure Transfer: $28
  • Manhattan to Newark Airport: Shared Departure Transfer: $30
  • Shared transfer Newark Airport to Manhattan: $30
  • Private Transfer from Manhattan to NYC Airports (JFK/EWR/LGA): $37
  • Private Departure Transfer Brooklyn to NYC Airports (JFK) (LGA) (EWR): $41
  • Private Transfer from Cape Liberty Cruise Port to New York City: $44
  • Private Transfer from New York Airport (LGA) to Manhattan Port: $44
  • Private Transfer from Newark Airport (EWR) to Cape Liberty Port: $44
  • LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Cape Cruise Port - Arrival Transfer: $44
  • Cape Cruise Port to J.F. Kennedy Airport (JFK)-Departure Transfer: $44

Is it cheaper to fly into Nassau or New York City?

Prices for flights to both New York City and Nassau 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Nassau $91
    New York City $87

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nassau

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nassau.

  • Conch Salad Cooking Lesson and Tasting in Nassau: $80
  • Sunset Dinner Cruise: $119
  • Nassau Sunset Dinner Cruise: $129
  • Dinner and Dancing: $130
  • Flavors of Nassau Food Tour: $135
  • All Inclusive Sunset Dinner Cruise in Nassau Bahamas: $138
  • Saturday Bahamian Cooking Class in Downtown Nassau: $149
  • Experience Breakfast,Lunch or Dinner in the sky of Nassau Bahamas: $176

Typical Food Prices in New York City

For New York City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Gelato
    $7.50
  • Snacks for Two at Yankees Game
    $34
  • Coffee
    $6.53
  • Smoothie
    $6.95

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:

  • The Lower East Side Food Tour: $34
  • New York Union Square Sweetest Food Tour: Choose Your Own Donuts: $35
  • The Greenwich Village Food Tour: $39
  • Private Pizza Experience (5 tastings) in Manhattan: $45
  • Brooklyn's must-try Pizza Crawl experience (5 top rated slices!): $46
  • Lower East Side Food Tour: Iconic Eats & NYC History Walking Tour: $51
  • Homemade Pizza Party: $63
  • New York City's Best Pizza tour - You be the judge!: $65
  • East Village Food Tour | Tasty Tours NYC: $68
  • Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO Food Tour: Local Eats & Iconic Views: $70
  • New York Union Square Food Tour: Delicious Donuts & Sweet Treats: $70
  • East Village Food Tour: $70

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Nassau $37
    New York City $180
Typical Entertainment Prices in Nassau

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Nassau are as follows:


  • Jet Ski
    $50
  • 4 Hr Kayak Tour
    $70
  • 1/2 Day Snorkel Trip
    $75

Tours and Activities in Nassau

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Nassau are as follows:

  • 3 Islands Tour, Swim with Pigs, Turtles, Snorkelling & lunch: $175
  • 3 V's Guided Scooter or ATV Tour in Nassau: $250
  • 3 islands Lux Paradise Tour Snorkel Pigs Turtles and lunch 4hrs: $199
  • 4-Island Tour Swimming Pigs, turtles, snorkeling , rose island,: $175
  • A Taste Of The Island Tour: $60
  • ATV Guided Historical Site Tours Nassau: $175
  • ATV Half Day City Tour in Guided Tour With Free Samples: $200
  • Atv Guided Tours Nassau Bahamas: $250
  • Audio Driving Tour Around St. Simons Island: $9.99
  • Bahamas Adventure: Number 1 Scooter and Side by Side rentals: $140
  • Bahamas Cabbage Beach Jet Ski Adventure: $120
  • Bahamas Cabbage Beach Parasailing Adventure: $120

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's Hidden Gems: Self-Guided City Tour: $3.52
  • New York Walking Tour: Self-Guided City Game: $4.98
  • Central Park Stolen Archives: NY Exploration Game and Tour: $4.98
  • The Battery: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Bowling Green Park to Stone St: $5.00
  • Broadway: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of the World's Iconic Theatre District: $5.00
  • A New York Date Night Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
  • New York: Central Park Walking Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
  • New York City Self Guided Audio Experience: $6.00
  • New York Celebrity Chef Self Guided Tour and Exploration Game: $6.34
  • New York West Village Audio Tour: $6.58
  • New York City Greenwich Village Haunted Self Guided Walking Tour: $6.95
  • NYC Superhero Academy: Self-Guided Comic Adventure: $7.04

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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Nassau $19
    New York City $29
Typical Alcohol Prices in Nassau

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Nassau are as follows:


  • Cocktail
    $6.52

Sample the Local Flavors in Nassau

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Nassau:

  • Bottle Your Own at John Watling's Distillery: $20
  • Rum Tasting Experience at John Watling's Distillery: $80
  • Mixology Experience at John Watling's Distillery: $80
  • Rum Tasting Experience at John Watling's Distillery: $80

Sample the Local Flavors in New York City

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in New York City:

  • Brooklyn Distillery Tour: $22
  • NYC Bar Crawl: Games, Live Music & Underground Nightlife: $28
  • New York Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
  • NYC Pub Crawl Tour: $30
  • Top Shelf Distillery Tour: $33
  • NYC Pub Crawl & Rooftop Clubbing Experience: $34
  • Cheers to Chinatown Tour and Bar Crawl: $40
  • NYC Pub Crawl: Midtown/Times Square VIP Access & Prof Photos: $45
  • Brooklyn Literary Pub Crawl: $49
  • Best of NYC Drag - Drag Bar Crawl with Drink: $49
  • Greenwich Village Literary Pub Crawl: $49
  • Greenwich Village Piano Bar Crawl: $50


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nassau and New York City, we can see that New York City is more expensive. And not only is Nassau much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Nassau is in Caribbean Islands and New York City is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Nassau would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Nassau 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 Nassau.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Nassau Expensive? and Is New York City Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Nassau or New York City?

New York City has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Nassau. When comparing the sizes of Nassau and New York City, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.


When is the best time to visit Nassau or New York City?

New York City has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Nassau experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Nassau or New York City in the Summer?

Both New York City and Nassau during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Nassau because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, many visitors come to New York City in the summer for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.

Nassau is around the same temperature as New York City in the summer. The daily temperature in Nassau averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and New York City fluctuates around 77°F (25°C).

New York City gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Nassau. Nassau usually gets more rain in July than New York City. Nassau gets 151 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while New York City receives 4.5 inches (114 mm) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Nassau 28°C (82°F) 
    New York City 77°F (25°C)

Should I visit Nassau or New York City in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Nassau and New York City. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Nassau year-round. Furthermore, most visitors come to New York City for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.

In the autumn, Nassau is much warmer than New York City. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Nassau in October average around 26°C (79°F), and New York City averages at about 57°F (14°C).

Nassau gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Nassau usually receives more rain than New York City. Nassau gets 184 mm (7.2 in) of rain, while New York City receives 3.1 inches (78 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Nassau 26°C (79°F) 
    New York City 57°F (14°C)

Should I visit Nassau or New York City in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Nassau as well as New York City. Nassau attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, the winter months attract visitors to New York City because of the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine.

The weather in New York City can be very cold. In January, Nassau is generally much warmer than New York City. Daily temperatures in Nassau average around 21°C (70°F), and New York City fluctuates around 31°F (-1°C).

Nassau usually gets less rain in January than New York City. Nassau gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while New York City receives 3.4 inches (86 mm) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Nassau 21°C (70°F) 
    New York City 31°F (-1°C)

Should I visit Nassau or New York City in the Spring?

Both New York City and Nassau are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Nassau throughout the year. Also, the activities around the city and the natural beauty are the main draw to New York City this time of year.

Nassau is much warmer than New York City in the spring. The daily temperature in Nassau averages around 23°C (74°F) in April, and New York City fluctuates around 52°F (11°C).

In April, Nassau usually receives less rain than New York City. Nassau gets 53 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while New York City receives 3.8 inches (98 mm) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Nassau 23°C (74°F) 
    New York City 52°F (11°C)

Typical Weather for New York City and Nassau

Nassau New York City
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 21°C (70°F) 51 mm (2 in) 31°F (-1°C) 3.4 inches (86 mm)
Feb 21°C (70°F) 45 mm (1.8 in) 33°F (1°C) 3 inches (77 mm)
Mar 22°C (72°F) 43 mm (1.7 in) 42°F (6°C) 3.9 inches (98 mm)
Apr 23°C (74°F) 53 mm (2.1 in) 52°F (11°C) 3.8 inches (98 mm)
May 25°C (77°F) 116 mm (4.6 in) 63°F (17°C) 4.1 inches (105 mm)
Jun 27°C (80°F) 237 mm (9.3 in) 72°F (22°C) 3.2 inches (82 mm)
Jul 28°C (82°F) 151 mm (5.9 in) 77°F (25°C) 4.5 inches (114 mm)
Aug 28°C (82°F) 211 mm (8.3 in) 76°F (24°C) 3.9 inches (99 mm)
Sep 27°C (81°F) 171 mm (6.7 in) 68°F (20°C) 3.7 inches (93 mm)
Oct 26°C (79°F) 184 mm (7.2 in) 57°F (14°C) 3.1 inches (78 mm)
Nov 24°C (75°F) 55 mm (2.2 in) 47°F (8°C) 3.9 inches (99 mm)
Dec 22°C (71°F) 60 mm (2.4 in) 36°F (2°C) 3.4 inches (88 mm)