Should you visit Savannah or New York City?
Should I visit Savannah or New York City? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Savannah
Savanah is a reasonably priced city by U.S. standards. With a wide range of accommodation and food options, it's possible to experience this historical city on a cheaper budget, or, if you like, to live it up in luxury without spending an inordinate amount of money.
The oldest city in the state of Georgia, Savannah sits right on the Savannah River, a historic commercial port dating back to the Thirteen Colonies. The old port of the city still lies along this river, paved in traditional cobblestone roads and radiating with old southern charm. Savannah is also known for its many small parks, tunnels of oak trees and magnolias draped in southern moss, romantic horse-drawn carriages, as well as some of the most ornate antebellum architecture to be found in the south.
Whether you are interested in the past of a historically prosperous seaport or wish to enjoy the enchanting atmosphere that it still holds, Savannah is a quaint destination full of beauty with an arsenal of historic appeal to match.
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 Savannah?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Savannah is $122, 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 Savannah and New York City in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $67. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Savannah the cost is $134 on average.
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 Savannah cost around $40 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 $16.
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
Savannah $40
New York City $37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Savannah
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Savannah.
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2-Hour Southern Food Tour:
$47
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Savannah Southern Fried Expectations Walking Food Tour:
$47
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3-Hour First Squares Food Tour:
$57
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Famous and Secret East Side Food Tour:
$57
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Savannah's Historic & Secret East Side Walking Food Tour:
$61
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Savannah Culinary & Cultural Walking Food Tour:
$61
-
Savannah Riverboat Gospel Music Dinner Cruise:
$72
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Riverboat Dinner Cruise with Live Entertainment:
$77
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Savannah Riverboat Dinner Cruise:
$79
-
Savannah Walktails & Bar Bites Guided Food Tour:
$80
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 Savannah is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $22 per person, per day, on local transportation in Savannah.
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 Savannah
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Savannah:
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Savannah to Savannah Hilton Airport (SAV) - Departure Private Transfer:
$62
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Savannah Hilton Airport (SAV) to Savannah - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$124
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Savannah Hilton Airport (SAV) to Savannah - Arrival Private Transfer:
$62
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SAV Airport Transfer To & From South Carolina:
$120
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Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Savannah Airport:
$157
-
Private Departure Transfer to Savannah Airport SAV:
$73
-
Private Arrival Transfer: Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport to Hotel:
$157
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Savannah Airport SAV:
$73
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
-
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 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
-
Private Sedan New York City Airport Departure Transfer:
$115
-
Private Minivan Transfer from New York to JFK Airport:
$120
Is it cheaper to fly into Savannah or New York City?
Prices for flights to both New York City and Savannah 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 Savannah typically cost an average of $13 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 Savannah
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Savannah are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Savannah
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Savannah are as follows:
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"Pedal through Savannah" 2-Hour Bike Tour:
$30
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10:00 pm Restless Souls Tour:
$29
-
13 Ghosts of Christmas: Savannah Ghost Tour:
$26
-
60-Minute Guided Segway History Tour of Savannah:
$49
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8:00 pm Voices of the Dead Tour:
$29
-
90-Minute Segway History Tour of Savannah:
$71
-
America's Most Haunted City Savannah, Georgia Interpreter Tour:
$179
-
Bonaventure Cemetery Walking Tour with Transportation:
$30
-
Botanical Walking Tour of Savannah:
$32
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Cayman Honey Beekeeping Adventure:
$67
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Colonial Park Cemetery Segway and Walking Tour:
$69
-
Custom Savannah Private Tour:
$103
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
-
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
-
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
The average person spends about $28 on alcoholic beverages in Savannah 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 Savannah
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Savannah:
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Epic Savannah Bar Crawl: By Let’s Roam:
$12
-
90 Minute Savannah Haunted Pub Crawl:
$15
-
Spanish Moss Haunted Savannah Pub Crawl:
$20
-
Savannah Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour:
$24
-
Haunted Pub Tour:
$28
-
Haunted Savannah Ghost & Pub Walking Tour:
$28
-
Bad Kitty Haunted Pub Crawl - The Best Savannah Ghost and Spirits Experience:
$29
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Spooky Savannah Haunted Pub Crawl and Walking Ghost Tour:
$30
-
Creepy Crawl Night-Time Haunted Pub Walking Tour of Savannah's Historic District:
$30
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Haunted Savannah Pub Crawl:
$30
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Haunted Savannah Pub Crawl:
$30
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Drag Queen Guided Pub Crawl with Sing-a-Longs:
$34
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Savannah and New York City, we can see that New York City is more expensive. And not only is Savannah much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Savannah would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Savannah 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 Savannah.
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