Is Boston expensive to visit?
Boston is a moderately priced destination with an average daily cost of $291. Compared to the rest of North America, which is known to be an expensive region, it is a moderately priced place to visit. It's ranked in the top 50% of cities in North America for its travel costs, comparable to places like New Orleans and Los Angeles.
Boston Harbor
How expensive is Boston?
On average, visitors spend about $291 per day when visiting Boston (U.S. Dollars). Two travelers together would spend an average of $582 per day. Prices vary dramatically by travel style and length of trip, but if you stay at moderately priced hotels, eat at affordable restaurants, and use public transportation when possible, you can expect to stay close to this budget. See more travel costs for Boston here.
How expensive is a weekend trip (three days) to Boston?
A weekend trip to Boston costs about $872 per person on average, based on the previous expenses of other travelers. This includes accommodation, sightseeting activities, transportation, food, and nightlife. For two people, a weekend trip costs $1,745.
How expensive is a one week (7-day) trip to Boston?
Based on the travel expenses of others, a one week trip to Boston costs around $2,035 on average, per person. This includes food, sightseeing, local transportation, accommodation, and nightlife. For two people, a one week trip costs $4,071.
Is it expensive to backpack in Boston?
Boston is a fairly popular backpacker destination with more than 5 hostels around town. Dorm beds in hostels cost around $50 per night on average. There's a wide range in prices though, with the cheapest beds costing about $38 and the most expensive dorm beds costing around $75. (See hostel prices in Boston here.)
Here are a few sample prices from popular hostels in Boston.
- $38 for a dorm bed at HI Boston
- $61 for a dorm bed at Backpackers Hostel & Pub
- $38 for a dorm bed at Boston Homestel
Are hotels expensive in Boston?
Hotel prices in Boston are moderately priced and fairly even compared to hotels in other cities. You can expect to spend about $233 per night for a room on average. There are around 9 five star hotels in the city and they average $512 per night. Three star hotels average $233 a night and two star hotels average $123 per night.
Hotels by star rating in Boston
| Rating | Number of Hotels | Average Hotel Price |
|---|---|---|
| 5 stars | 9 | $512 |
| 4 stars | 48 | $246 |
| 3 stars | 55 | $233 |
| 2 stars | 9 | $123 |
| No rating | 1 | $160 |
How expensive are sightseeing activities in Boston?
Activities and things to do in Boston can vary in price depending on the type of activity, length, and location. Below are a number of popular activities to give you an idea of what to expect when visiting. Generally, previous travelers have spent $33 per day on sightseeing activities and things to do when visiting, which is less than the country's average of $55.
- Boston: Underground Railroad History Tour of Beacon Hill: $35
- Boston: Votes for Women History Tour of Back Bay: $35
- Iconic Boston Food and History Small-Group Walking Tour: $115
- Boston Seafood & Freedom Trail Walking Tour: $172
- Guided Walking Tour of the Freedom Trail in Historic Boston: $30
- Tour Boston's Rock & Roll Past and Present by Soundscape Tours: $35
- Back Bay Chocolate and Art Galleries Tour: $65
- Private Boch Center Wang Theatre & Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame Tour: $182
Is food expensive in Boston?
Food in Boston can vary in price depending on the restaurant and food options available. Generally, other travelers have spent $86 on food per person per day, which is less than the country's average of $96. To save money, eat at less expensive restaurants, try street food, or cook your own meals when possible.
- North End Boston Food Tour: $98
- Boston Food Tour: Food and Cultural Tour of Boston's Chinatown: $125
- Boston - Harvard & Cambridge Walking Food Tour: $119
- Self Guided "The North End Pizza, Cannoli and Picnic" Solo Walking Tour : $5.50
- Morning Walks with Salem Food Tours: $34
- Boston Food Tour: Local Gems of Boston's South End: $125
Is transportation expensive in Boston?
Local transportation in Boston can vary in price depending on the type of transit used. Generally, other travelers have spent $37 on local transportation per person per day, which is less than the country's average of $46. To save money, take public transit whenever possible, as it will almost always be cheaper than a taxi or private driver.
More for Boston
If you're planning a trip to Boston, Massachusetts, check out these other informative travel guides.
We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.
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.