How much does it cost to travel to Boston?
You should plan to spend around $255 per day on your vacation in Boston. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $49 on meals
- $37 on local transportation
- $331 on hotels
A one week trip to Boston for two people costs, on average, $3,565. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Boston has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Boston expensive to visit?
Prices in Boston are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.
Within North America, which is known to be an expensive region, Boston is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Big Island of Hawaii or Winnipeg.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Boston Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Boston?
The average Boston trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Boston travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
|
Category
|
Cost
|
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
$331
|
|
Local Transportation 1
|
$37
|
|
Food 2
|
$49
|
|
Entertainment 1
|
$33
|
|
Tips and Handouts 1
|
$3 -
8
|
|
Alcohol 2
|
$14 -
41
|
Accommodation Budget in Boston
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Boston is $166. For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Boston is $331. This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Boston? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Boston
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Boston is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $37 per person, per day, on local transportation in Boston.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$37
How much does it cost to go to Boston? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Boston will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Typical prices for Transportation in Boston are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Boston, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
-
Taxi
$35
-
Subway Daily Pass
$9.00
Food Budget in Boston
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Boston can vary, the average cost of food in Boston is $49 per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Boston should cost around $20 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Boston is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$49
Entertainment Budget in Boston
Calculated from travelers like you
Typical prices for Entertainment in Boston are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Boston, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
Tips and Handouts Budget in Boston
Calculated from travelers like you
Alcohol Budget in Boston
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $27 on alcoholic beverages in Boston per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$27
Water Budget in Boston
Calculated from travelers like you
-
On average, people spend $2.11 on bottled water in Boston per day. The public water in Boston is considered safe to drink.
-
Water2
Bottled water for one day
$2.11
Last Updated: Mar 11, 2024
Boston on a Budget
Boston Harbor
Boston is one of the oldest and most historic cities in New England. It is also the capital of the state of Massachusetts and the largest city in the region. The city proper covers 48 square miles and has a population of more than 600,000. The Greater Boston area has 4.5 million people and is the tenth largest metropolitan area in the country.
The city itself is quite beautiful, particularly during the fall months when the leaves on the trees turn to beautiful, bright colors. Spring is also beautiful, after the snow melts and the flowers come into bloom. The city's beauty and rich history make it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area. It gets an estimated 16.3 million visitors a year.
Boston is also home to many famous colleges including Harvard, MIT, and Tufts University. The large number of universities mean the general population in Boston is actually quite young. As such, this means there are endless activities and events you can attend as a visitor.
Sights
There are a large number of museums throughout Boston including the
Boston Children's Museum, the
Museum of Fine Arts, the Harvard Art Museum, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Institute of Contemporary Art, MIT Museum, and the impressive
New England Aquarium. Also be sure and head to Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, which are two of Boston's oldest markets. Today they are primarily geared toward tourists. There are also some wonderful walking tours you can take in Boston. Do the Freedom Trail, which will take you by some of Boston's most famous historic sights and landmarks and offer you a basic history lesson.
Neighborhoods
Boston is a city of neighborhoods. Back Bay is an upscale area popular for shopping. Beacon Hill is famous for its gas-lit street lanterns. Charlestown is home to the Bunker Hill Monument. The Downtown area has the majority of the tourist attractions including Faneuil Hall, the Freedom Trail, Boston Public Garden and Boston Common. North End is the city's Italian neighborhood. It has some excellent restaurants. Chinatown has great Asian restaurants and herbalists. South End has many of the famous Victorian brownstones and South Boston is a residential area with a waterfront. It also has the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Other notable neighborhoods include Dorchester, East Boston, Fenway-Kenmore, the Financial District, Jamaica Plain, Mission Hill, Roxbury.
Activities
There is no shortage of festivals in Boston throughout the year. Some of the most famous are the St. Patrick's Day events, the Boston Marathon, Boston Pride, The Feast of St. Anthony, and the Head of the Charles Regatta.
Food and Dining
Food in Boston is great, but expensive. Some of the cheapest restaurants tend to be bars which offer standard bar fare including burgers and sandwiches. If you want something more interesting, particularly the city's famous seafood, you will definitely have to pay more, but it is well worth it. Seafood specialties include cod, lobster and clam chowder. For ethnic restaurants head to the neighborhoods of Chinatown, Allston, North End and Coolidge Corner. The North End has some of the area's best Italian eateries.
Transportation
You should really avoid driving in Boston as the streets can be crowded and confusing. Parking is also expensive and frustrating. Boston is really quite walkable within its neighborhoods and you can travel between neighborhoods on the "T", which is the city's public transportation system. It includes a subway, bus system, water shuttles and a commuter rail. The subway has four color-coded rail lines that efficiently travel through most of the city. Do take note that "Inbound" means toward Park Street or State and "Outbound" means away from Park Street or State.
Taxis may be your only option late at night, but remember they can be quite expensive and may even reach $30 for trips that are no more than a few miles. Traffic and construction can cause the price to rise unexpectedly high.
Related
Check out this
itinerary for 2 days in Boston.
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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.
The history is great here! There are also many great restaurants.