Which place is cheaper, Tucson or New York City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit New York City or Tucson?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for New York City and Tucson. 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, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: New York City or Tucson?
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.
Tucson
Tucson, Arizona is the second largest city in the state and sits at an elevation of 2,400 feet. It's temperature is slightly milder than Phoenix and it is a pleasant place to visit. Most people arrive in the city by car, but Amtrak does travel through Tucson, as does Greyhound. The area is also served by the Tucson International Airport. Once in the city, you'll likely want to have access to a car, as the city is not very pedestrian friendly and public transportation is very much lacking. Many popular and beautiful sights are also outside of town in the surrounding desert, so having access to a vehicle is paramount if you hope to visit any of the places.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours Under $1000 in United States of America, The Best Luxury Tours to United States of America, The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America, and The Best Contiki Tours to United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNew York City $326Tucson $157
The average daily cost (per person) in New York City is $326, while the average daily cost in Tucson is $157. 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 New York City and Tucson in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNew York City $175Tucson $93
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNew York City $350Tucson $186
Compare Hotels in New York City and Tucson
Looking for a hotel in New York City or Tucson? 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.
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: New York City Hotel Prices and Tucson Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.New York City $49Tucson $27
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:
- Transfer in private Minivan from New York (Manhattan) Airport to City: $122
- Skip-the-line Tickets to Bronx Zoo with Private Transfers: $410
- Skip-the-line One World Observatory Tour with Transfers: $296
- Skip-the-line Metropolitan Museum of Art Tour with Transfers: $276
- Skip the line One World Observatory Private Tour with Transfers : $296
- Private transfer: LGA Airport to New York City: $81
- Private transfer from New York JFK Airport to New York City: $64
- Private arrival OR departure transfer in New York (hotel OR airport pick-up): $286
- Private Transfers between LGA Airport and New York City: $105
- Private Transfers between EWR Airport and New York City: $140
- Private Transfer: between Manhattan and Philadelphia: $524
- Private Transfer: Newark Airport EWR to New York by Luxury SUV: $162
Is it cheaper to fly into New York City or Tucson?
Prices for flights to both Tucson and New York 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayNew York City $50Tucson $36
Typical Food Prices in New York City
For New York City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Gelato$7.50
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Snacks for Two at Yankees Game$34
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Coffee$6.53
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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:
- New York, Queens Culinary Stroll : Food Tour on Foot: $23
- New York City Pizza Crawl: Best of Manhattan route: $37
- Lower East Side and Essex Market Multicultural Food Tour: $39
- Half-Day Private Pizza Crawl in Manhattan: $40
- Shared Food Tour Bohemian Greenwichvillage: $45
- East Village Food Tour: $60
- NYC: Greenwich Village Guided Food Tour: $63
- Pizza Walking Tour of Downtown Brooklyn: $65
- East Village Pizza Walk: $65
- West Village Pizza Walk: $65
- Greenwich Village Pizza Walk: $65
- Downtown Brooklyn Pizza Walking Tour: $65
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.New York City $180Tucson $16
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
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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:
- 2-Days Niagara Falls USA, Watkins Glen and Scenic Hotel Tour : $257
- 3 Hour Session at Williamsburg's Adventure Park Area 53: $42
- 9/11 Memorial Tour with Skip-the-Line Museum Ticket: $55
- BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir and Amish FarmNHouse Tour from NY: $137
- Classic 1-Hour Central Park Pedicab Tour : $69
- Grand Central Terminal Walking Tour: $35
- New York City Ghost Tour of Greenwich Village: $36
- Official Central Park Pedicab Tours: $50
- THE VIP CARRIAGE RIDE with photo stops (50min) ~ Skip the line : $150
- & Juliet on Broadway Ticket : $110
- & Juliet on Broadway Ticket with VIP Experience and Lunch: $299
- 1 Day Tour to Philadelphia and Hershey's Chocolate World: $179
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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNew York City $29Tucson $16
Sample the Local Flavors in New York City
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in New York City:
- NYC West Village Pub Crawl: $19
- NYC West Village Pub Crawl: $21
- New York Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $34
- NYC: Brooklyn Nightlife Pub Crawl: $34
- NYC Pub Crawl and Rooftop Clubbing Experience: $35
- NYC: Boos & Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $38
- New York Rooftop Pub Crawl: $39
- NYC: Manhattan's Only Whiskey Distillery Tour & Tasting: $42
- Broadway Prohibition Pub Crawl: $64
- Little Italy Prohibition Pub Crawl: $64
- East Village Gangster Ghost Pub Crawl: $64
- Lower East Side Prohibition Pub Crawl: $74
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between New York City and Tucson, we can see that New York City is more expensive. And not only is Tucson much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tucson would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tucson 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 Tucson.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is New York City Expensive? and Is Tucson Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, New York City or Tucson?
New York City has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Tucson. When comparing the sizes of New York City and Tucson, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.