How much does a trip to New York City Cost?

The Cost of a Trip to New York City

A trip to New York City for one person usually costs between $115 and $1,017 per day and $231 to $2,035 for two people. This is a wide range of costs, and the daily average per person from our data is $326 per person. This average includes food, accommodation, sightseeing, and local transportation expenses contributed from other travelers. Prices can vary based on travel style and activities. While the overall price for a trip to New York City is dependent on your personal travel style and the specific places you visit, if you book standard accommodation and travel with an average level of convenience, then your budget should be somewhere close to this average cost. Later in this article, you can find a breakdown of travel expenses by category, plus a general price range of accommodation and activity costs for your visit. Also, the prices for individual attractions and hotels may vary, but generally fall somewhat close to the price ranges described in this article.

How much money should you budget for your trip to New York City?

If you're planning an Independent trip to New York City, budget travelers should plan to spend around $115 per day for their trip. This average includes hostels and budget hotels, affordable meal options, local transportation, and activities. If you're on a mid-range budget, plan for around $326 a day which covers the cost of typical hotels, normal restaurants, and a variety of popular attractions. Luxury travelers should allow for $1,017 a day, which would cover higher-end hotels, nicer restaurants, and more private tour options. All of these price ranges are based on our extensive travel cost data for New York City from other travelers, along with hotel and tour data from travel companies.


Average Daily Costs, Per Person, by Category
Budget Mid-Range Luxury
Accommodation1 $63 $175 $532
Local Transportation1 $18 $49 $144
Food2 $21 $50 $115
Water2 $2 $4 $7
Entertainment1 $44 $180 $846
Souvenirs1 $26 $71 $201
Communication2 $34 $90 $252
Living Expenses2 $64 $175 $514
Scams, Robberies, and Mishaps1 $16 $39 $94
Alcohol2 $12 $29 $66
Tips and Handouts1 $3 $9 $24


How much does a weekend trip to New York City cost?

On average, travelers spend around $977 per person during a three-day trip to New York City. This average includes expenses for sightseeing, hotels, food, and local transportation. To align with this average price range, consider opting for mid-range hotels and dining at mid-level restaurants, while also allocating funds for entry tickets to popular attractions. For those seeking a more budget-friendly approach, it is possible to find lower-cost accommodations, dine at less expensive restaurants, and explore free activities. Also, many visitors choose to spend a higher travel budget, as New York City offers a range of high-end hotels and restaurants for those seeking a more luxurious experience.



New York City

How much does a five day trip to New York City cost?

With five days in New York City, you can expect to spend about $1,629 total, not including transportation to and from the city. It's possible to stay close to this daily average by booking mid-range hotels, eating at normal restaurants, and paying for some entry tickets to popular attractions. It's possible to find lower-cost accommodations, eat at less expenive restaurants, and find more free activities if you want to spent less money.

How much does a one week trip to New York City cost?

Most visitors spend between $808 and $7,121 for a one week trip to New York City, with the average being $2,281. This includes sightseeing, local transportation, food, and hotels. One week is enough time to have a more in-depth experience in New York City. Also, one week allows you to be more flexible with your time and money, so you can potentially save money on some aspects of your trip while spending more on others.

Hostel Prices in New York City

With more than 10 hostels in New York City, the average price is $53 per night for a dorm bed. The cheapest hostel costs $20 and the most expensive is $80. Usually popular with younger travelers, hostels are a great way to save money while also being social. But not all hostels are the same, and we've analyzed the prices of both dorms and private rooms to find the average prices and best places to stay. You can see more details about the hostel prices in New York City here.

Here are a few sample prices from popular hostels in New York City.

  • $39 for a dorm bed at HI NYC Hostel in New York
  • $57 for a dorm bed at The Local NYC in New York
  • $50 for a dorm bed at International Student Center in New York

Hotel Prices in New York City

Based on our calculations from available hotels in the New York City, the average price for a hotel room is $175 per night. To save money, or if you're planning a more luxurious trip, it's important to look at hotel prices based on the overall star-rating as well as guest reviews. Also, prices can vary by amenities and location. Check out more details from our analysis of hotel prices in New York City here, and below is a breakdown of hotel prices by star-rating.


Hotels by star rating in New York City
Rating Number of Hotels Average Hotel Price
5 stars 50 $464
4 stars 195 $207
3 stars 197 $158
2 stars 136 $141
1 star 7 $92
No rating 12 $224

119 W 45th St, New York City
Overall Rating 9.3
136 West 55th Street, New York City
Overall Rating 9.3


New York City

Should you do a tour in New York City?

Many visitors enjoy the convenience of booking tours and activities while they visit, and New York City has a wide array of things to do. These activities often include knowledgable guides and unique experiences. Tours range in price from $20 for the Walking tour in Manhattan Brooklyn Bridge and Waterfront to $1,000 for the New Year's Day Bateaux New York Dinner Cruise.


    • Central Park Photography Tour with Local Photographer: $100
    • Central Park Highlights Running Tour: $44
    • Brooklyn NYC Food & Walking Tour with a 5th Generation New Yorker: $68
    • The Best of Brooklyn Walking Tour: "The Brooklyn Revolution!": $50
    • 5 Neighborhoods NYC Walking Tour: $68
    • Private Central Park Tour with Native and Professional PhotoShoot: $173
    • Highlights of the Met Museum Tour: $110
    • Death in New York Walking Tour: $45
    More for New York City

    If you're planning a trip to New York City, New York, 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.



    1 Categories averaged on a per-item basis.
    2 Categories averaged on a per-day basis.
    For example, the Food2 daily average is for all meals for an entire day, while Entertainment1 is for each individual purchase. Thus, the overall daily average cost is not a summation of the individual categories.

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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.

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