Determining a budget for a trip to New York is quite complicated. It would help if you considered various expenses, and some are more important than others.
Anyhow, I’ll try to give you some clues. First, I will define three types of budgets (tight, average, and large) for a couple who decides to stay a week in New York (7 nights).
For each budget, I will consider the following elements:
Flight + accommodation + food + departures + visits + shopping + extras
It is an estimate based on my own experience. At least I will try to give you an idea of how much your budget should be.
Factors to think about as you prepare your budget for a trip to New York City
Firstly, you must consider when you want to go to New York City. The flights and accommodation rates vary depending on the season.
The cheapest season is from January to March.
The seasons that attract more tourists are when there are school holidays (Easter, summer, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year).
The accommodation is another factor to care about. The place where you will stay and the comfort and services you want. You can start at around $90 a night up to $250-300 or a few thousand dollars for high-end hotels.
The lifestyle you want in New York also matters. You may don’t mind eating sandwiches, going out at night, or shopping; your budget may be more limited than a couple who wants to dine in restaurants, see a show on Broadway, and visit many places.
The 7 factors that seem most important to me are:
– the flight (round trip)
– accommodation (hostels, hotels, apartment…)
– transportation (from the airport, taxis, metro…)
– meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
– visits, attractions and shows
– shopping
– extra expenses (bars, cakes…).
How much does a flight cost to New York?
I know you read me from different countries, and I cannot easily compare the cost of a flight ticket from London, Sydney, or Berlin. For those who read me from the United States, the price categories that I will give below do not apply because domestic flights are usually much cheaper than international flights.
However, if you go on vacation outside school holidays, you will get cheaper rates. But still, you can review the fares of some airlines which propose offers throughout the year. The key is to check rates often. Sometimes it can be helpful to register for an airline’s newsletter and receive special offers notifications.
I prepared a list of airlines in this article. Do not hesitate to review it and compare the rates 😉
If you notice a promotion, you can also inform me, and I’ll publish it in this post.
I determine three types of budget:
From $450 to $600 per person, or $900 to $1200 for a round trip if you go with your partner.
The median fare for airline tickets ranges from $650 to $800 per person, or $1300 to $1600 for a couple.
You can spend much more in high seasons or if you want to travel in higher classes, in this case, consider a budget of about $900 to $1200 per person, or $1800- $2400 for a round trip for a couple.
How much does it cost to stay in New York?
Again, it is a bit difficult to give you a very precise cost.
New York City attracts a lot of tourists, the rates vary from month to month.
You can find a room at $150 off-season, and pay $250- $300 for the same room during the high season!
In addition, you have to take into account where you would like to stay, the number of travelers, comfort, and services.
You can find a room in a house (on NY Habitat or AirbnB), stay in a hostel (see in Booking). The night costs from $45 to $50 per person per night, or $630 to $700 for a week with your partner.
If you prefer to stay in an apartment or hotel near Manhattan (Queens, Brooklyn, Harlem Long Island City), or if you want a budget apartment in Manhattan, you can find something between $130 to $200 per night, or $910 to $1400 a week for a couple.
If you want a hotel well located in Manhattan, or a high-end apartment, you could spend about $250 per night in a Times Square hotel up to $8000 a night in a suite of a large hotel in the city. Let’s say, usually, prices range from $250 to $400 per night, or $1750 to $2800 per week for a couple.
How much does transportation cost in New York?
The first expense you will have in New York is the transfer between the airport and your accommodation (JFK, Newark, La Guardia). The cheapest way is public transportation with the Airtrain and subway because it is equivalent to $15.75person round trip, or $31 for a couple.
You can also book a taxi shuttle, about $ 23/person, or about $90 per couple, the round trip.
Another option is the taxi or a limousine. It can cost from $50 to $170 for a one-way trip.
Once in New York, if you stay a week, it is best to buy an Unlimited Metrocard. It costs $32 per person.
Yellow cabs can be very practical … and they are so mythical! They are available 24 hours a day in Manhattan. A trip can cost between $8 and $10, it obviously depends on the distance. There are also green taxis, I give you more information in this article. They cost the same, the difference is that they go to areas where yellow taxis do not.
I want to draw attention to those who decide to stay in New Jersey. They must add the price of the PATH (train from New Jersey to NYC), it costs $29 /person, unlimited travel for 7 days. If you don’t stay close to a PATH station, you can take a bus, rates vary depending on the distance.
If you leave the airport using the Airtrain + metro, for the roundtrip, and only use the Metrocard in NYC, it will cost you $128 for the week if you go out with your partner.
If you reserve a shuttle for the airport transfers, buy the Unlimited Metrocard for NYC, and take 2 to 3 times a taxi, count an expense of $170 to $185 for a week with your partner.
If you prefer to book a limousine from the airport to your hotel, then a taxi to return to the airport, the Metrocard unlimited 7 days, and take a taxi 5 to 10 times during the week, your budget would be between $400 and $524 for a week with your partner.
How much money could you spend for meals?
It is another difficult point to determine. Some may be satisfied with a $3 hot dog, and others prefer $200 meals at a good restaurant.
Breakfast at a Starbucks costs $5 to $6 per person (a simple coffee and pastry). You can spend less at a 7 Eleven, Dunkin Donuts, Prêt-à-Manger…
Eating at a fast-food restaurant varies from $8 to $10 for a main dish + drink + dessert.
There are small restaurants or Deli’s, in which the main course (pizza, pasta, meat, …) costs from $10 to $12 per person. A full meal costs $20 – $26 per person.
As for restaurants, likewise any big city, some can be very expensive. But there are many with complete menus (entrees + main dish + dessert) between $50 and $60 per person.
Note: some hotels have breakfast included in the room rate, with a large selection of food.
For three meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner). dinner), my estimate is:
One breakfast and two fast-food, or $25 to $30/day/person, or $275 to $460 per week with your partner.
For a breakfast, a fast-food and a small restaurant, count about $30-45 per person per day, or $460 to $650 per week with your partner.
If you want a good breakfast, a small restaurant for lunch and a nicer one for Dinner, consider $50-90 per person per day, or $700 to $1260 for the week with your partner.
How much do visits, attractions and shows cost in New York?
First of all, I think that for a first visit of New York, the purchase of a Pass is very useful, like the New York CityPASS since it offers the main visits and attractions in NYC.
Then, if you want to see an NBA game, whether it’s the New York Knicks or the Brooklyn Nets, you could find tickets at $26-40. For a baseball game, it’s starting at $20-25, a football game is starting at $40-50. You can read more information here.
If you like shows and plays, you can go see a musical on Broadway, starting at $ 65-90 per person.
One of the must-see activities in New York is a helicopter flight, starting at $215 per person. It is impressive and allows you to see the whole city from an extraordinary point of view.
In short, there are thousands of things that can be done in New York, not to mention concerts, museums, bus tours, boats, guided tours…
The key is to buy a visitor’s pass, such as the New York CityPASS, it costs $120 per person, or $240 for a couple, and you have 9 days to use it.
You also could buy the New York CityPASS, add 2-3 activities as a game, a musical and a helicopter tour. It would cost between $330 and $650 per couple.
If you want to make a maximum of activities, in addition to the New York CityPASS, a game, a musical, a helicopter tour, one bus tour and more, it would cost you $650 or more from $1300 per couple for a week.
How much does a shopping session in New York cost?
It is one of the most difficult budgets to anticipate. Even if your not a regular shopper, the prices in New York are so attractive that one quickly falls into the shopping fever.
Most tourists buy souvenirs from $ 1 to $ 10 (key chains, I Love NY t-shirt …) but they also buy at least a pair of sneakers (Converse, New balance, Nike) from $40 to $50, a pair of jeans from $40 to $50, 2-3 t-shirts at $10 each…
You can save money going to one of the outlet stores near NYC. For nice souvenirs at “wallet friendly” prices, you can go to Cocoblues.
If you do not buy much more than souvenirs, count from $30 to $65.
With a shopping session in stores like Century 21 and common brands, count from $250 to $400 per couple for the whole week.
If you like the high-end clothes, or the shops of 5th Avenue, you may easily spend around $650- $1300 per couple.
What are the other expenses that can be spent in New York?
Within these expenses I include going to a bar at the end of the day, passing by a bakery during the afternoon… expenses that are not necessary but are part of the vacations.
A cupcake, muffin or cookie, can cost at least 3 to 4 dollars, a beer costs $6-10, a cocktail is from 9 to 13 dollars, if it is on a rooftop (on the terrace of a building) it is at least $ 13…
In this category you can count the administrative expenses (ESTA -$14 person- or visa, it depends on the countries in terms of price), the passport (the price depends on the countries), and are required to enter the American territory.
So, if from time to time you want to eat a typical US cupcake, have a coffee and go to a rooftop at least once a week, count $50 to $65 for a week for two people.
If you want to have an “extra” several times a week, consider a budget of $130 to $200 per couple for a week.
If you want to go out every day for coffee, go to a bar without forgetting a sweet treat everyday, count from $250 to $330 per couple for the whole week.
How much money should you budget for a week trip to New York City?
I prepared a table so you can better read the budgets calculated above.
| Flight | |||
| Housing | |||
| Transportation | |||
| Meals | |||
| Tours | |||
| Shopping | |||
| Extras | |||
| TOTAL |
As you can see, you can go to New York with your partner with a little over $2000, reserving the flight and accommodation as soon as possible and limiting your expenses in the city.
However, I recommend that you go with a budget of minimum $2200 per couple, to truly enjoy your stay. I would say a minimum of $3500-$4000.
In this article, I am not talking about the agencies that offer flight-hotel packages. You can get a good deal on websites like Expedia.
To prepare your budget, you can also calculate how much money you spend per week when you are at home: meals, transportation to work, shopping, gas and electricity for example.
In conclusion, I hope I have helped you a little with this article, so you can prepare your trip to New York with ease.
Commentaires et questions sur
How much money should you budget for a week trip to New York City?
Des questions ou des remarques sur cet article ? Faites-nous en part dans les commentaires, nous nous ferons un plaisir de vous répondre et de vous aider !
I was going to take 2,000 spending money for myself to cover food, transport, shopping. Will this be enough for me?
Yes, I think it should be enough. How do you plan to pay for you activities? Have you considered a pass?
I would be grateful for some help with putting an itinery together. My husband and I are coming to New York from the UK for a week from 25 October 2023, we’re staying near Times Square.
Things we would like to do:
*Natural History Museum
*Library
*Central Station
*Central Park / Carriage Ride
*Zoo
*Movie Tour
*Greenwich Village
*Empire State Building
*The Edge
*Statue of Liberty
*9/11 Memorial
*High Line
*Little Italy
*China Town
*Dumbo/Brooklyn
*Coney Island
*A couple of shows
*Halloween Parade
*Old fashioned cinema for Halloween movie
*St Patrick’s Cathedral Catacombs Tour
*Plaza
*Local Rock music club
These were just some of the things we were interested in doing. I don’t know if it is over ambitious, but any help would be much appreciated
I would you be able to recommend any local restaurants, diners & bars, keen to avoid tourist traps.
Kind regards
Sarah
Yes, I think that you can easily do all the activities you are planning. The most important thing to do is to locate all of this places in a map, and organize your itinerary based on these locations.
Have you checked my 4 itineraries? Here they are: https://www.new-york-city-travel-tips.com/week-planning-visit-new-york-4-different-types-plan/. You can download the itineraries, add your activities, and send it back to me so I can make suggestions.
I look forward to receiving your itinerary!
I am planning a visit with my girlfriend from 08-09Feb to 16-17 Feb 2024. After all flights and accommodation was wondering if a 1500$ budget will be OK for us. Looking at some accommodation Marcus Garvey Park and it’s first tine in New York and want to experience a but of everything, if that makes sense
Thank you
Is there a specific reason for staying by Marcus Garvey Park? I found interesting offers to stay near Midtown. It will easier for you to stay in a central point to visit NYC.
Some examples I’ve found are in your price range, taxes included. booking.com/searchresults.en-us
Let me know and I can help you 🙂
I’m staying in NYC for 6 nights, how much money would you recommend taking please.
It all depends on what you plan to do in NYC. Do you have an idea for your itinerary? Is there any show that you want to see?
You are not a nuisance at all, I’ll be happy to help you.
$3800 for six days should be enough. The best you can do is to prepare an itinerary and compare the different pass offers. Some include helicopters, but you can also book one separately. Count about $400 per person as you need to add the heliport fee and taxes.
I am looking to visit NY in November for 4 nights with my husband and son we have found flights and accommodation for £2,550, on an average budget how much would you recommend for food, travel, sightseeing tours? Any other info you may think is helpful would be greatly appreciated:)
I always count an average of $50 per day per person for food, but it can be more as everything is more expensive now in NYC. But you can always save a bit on breakfast if you have it where you stay. There are many convenience stores where you can get water for the day, and a little snack in between visits.
A Metrocard will be your best option to travel all around the city. You can get an unlimited card for 1 person that is cost-effective starting at 13 rides. If you don’t plan to take that many rides, you can purchase a regular Metrocard. Up to 4 people can use that card, and you just add money to it.
For tours, I strongly recommend that you prepare an itinerary. Knowing the places you want to visit, you can compare the different pass offers and get the one that better suits your budget. It’s an average of $130 per person. It could be less as there are “à la carte” passes, you only pay for what you want to visit.
Please let me know if I can help you with the itinerary, I can also compare the passes for you. Sometimes I find coupon codes to get a discount.
Let’s keep in touch!
and i was wondering would 1000 us be good for food and outings
How long are you staying in NYC?
You’re saying that the 4000 are for the plane only? I think it was a bit expensive for 3 people. But well, I can help you find great rates for hotels. To get to your hotel, depending on the distance, it can cost you about 60-80 dollars with a private taxi, and a bit less with a regular yellow cab. However, with a private taxi, you won’t have to wait for long, and when you’re traveling with teens, after a long flight, you just want to get to the hotel as soon as possible 😀 If you feel comfortable, you can even use public transportation to transfer from your hotel to the airport.
The visa you’re talking about is the ESTA. It’s an authorization to travel to the US, and it’s a visa waiver. It’s cheaper than a visa and easier to obtain. But follow my recommendations to only get the ESTA on the official website.
If your son is disabled, you can rent a wheelchair in NYC. That may help him some days.
For a lot of sightseeing, the best you can do is to prepare an itinerary to visit NYC. I have 4 on my blog. I can help you make your own, and from there, compare the different passes so you can save some money on your visits.
Where do you want to start? 😀
Yes, you should be good. Have you compared the different passes for your visits? They can make you save even more 😉
Take a look at my post on How to chose the best pass to visit NYC.
Don’t hesitate if you need help with your itinerary 🙂
That should be enough. You can also count on a quick trip on a cab or Uber. Sometimes they are needed if you’re too tired lol.
What do you plan to visit? I can see you’re very well organized.
Thanks for getting back to me. That’s great.
Yes, we were thinking that too, especially if the weather isn’t great. We’re planning on visiting the following places –
– Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island
– 9/11 Memorial & Museum
– The High Line
– Chelsea Market
– Rockerfeller (and Ice Skating)
– Times Sqaure (just to see it)
– Central Park
– Grand Central and Library
– Empire State
– Brooklyn and DUMBO
– Edge
– Broadway
Hopefully we can fit it all in!
In your opinion, do you think the Empire State building or Top of the Rock is best? I’ve seen conflicting reports.
We’re looking for a nice restaurant for my husband’s birthday and also a bar with great views of the city at night. We like steak, but also enjoy most other food. Would you have any recommendations at all?
Thank you
I’ll say that the Empire State Building is a must, a classic visit. Plus, before getting to the top you walk through interesting permanent expositions telling you the story of NYC, and the construction of the building, and there are fun rooms like the one with King Kong.
The Top of the Rock has an incredible view over the Empire State Building. The pictures are always incredible from there. It is very hard to choose one over another. I talk about it here: https://www.new-york-city-travel-tips.com/empire-state-building-versus-top-of-the-rock/
Here are some suggestions to build your itinerary:
– Day 1: Wall street Bull, Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island, 9/11 Memorial, Oculus, st Paul Chapel, take A or C train from Fulton to High St, walk towards Squibb Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Empire Stores, Washington St, then walk towards the Brooklyn Bridge foot on underneath the underpass to find the stairway up and onto the pedestrian bridge pathway.
– Day 2: Edge in the morning, Hudson yards, High line, Little Island, Chelsea Market, Greenwich, Washington Sq, Union Sq, madison Sq, Empire State Building at night, or vice versa.
– Day 3: Rockefeller Center in the morning, Central park, Roosevelt Island, NYC Ferry to 34th landing, United Nations, tudor City Bridge, walk on the 42nd, get into the Chrysler Building, Grand Central Terminal, NYC Public library, Bryant park, Times Sq.
In only 3 days, you can fit all of this. You have time to visit any museum, visit Harlem, SoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown, Williamsburg, the street art neighborhood in Buswick…
I’m heading to NY in March for 4 days. I’m going to have a budget of $250+275 after flights and housing.
Do you reckon that would be enough for one person.
Prices of everything went up in NYC, however, I think you should be good.
What do you plan to visit? There are passes that grant you entrance to several activities, making you save money.
Thanks
it all depends on what you want to see and visit. Your best option is to purchase a pass that costs an average of $130/per person. For food, the prices are now higher with the inflation, but you may count about $50-$75 per person per day.
Concerning the hotel, some areas are less expensive than others. I like Long Island City because it’s only 10-15 minutes away from Times Square with the subway, and the rates are great if you don’t want to spend too much on the hotel.
Tell me more about your plans, and I can help you organize your trip depending on your taste and budget.
Memo.
The best you can do is to take the subway from one point to another. That will save you some time. I have this article on how to visit NYC in 1 day. Is more about what to see in 1 day 😀
But well, let me know what you think about it and I can help you refine the itinerary depending on what you want to see.
Here you will find more info: Visit NYC in 1 day
Thankyou
Sarah
The prices will be similar in NYC, for Starbucks, fast food, and any other little extra. I always say it’s easy to spend $50/day/person only for food in NYC. And I don’t include a cocktail, they always are about $20 on average.
The tube could be an option for your trip from the airport to your hotel. However, it depends on your final destination. Some places are not so well connected and you may change lines to get to your final destination. Tell me where is your hotel and I can tell you more about your options 🙂
Yes, there are always ways to save a bit.
What do you call a “tourist tax”?
Yes, inflation is hitting us all! You can still find inexpensive meals if you go to Mc Donalds. However, it’s not a solution when you’re planning to spend two weeks in NYC!
I always count a minimum of $50/day/person for food while in NYC. Now there are different factors to consider, such as the following:
– the neighborhood,
– the food quality,
– the amount of food. The portions tend to be bigger in the US than in Europe.
So if you want a quick meal between two visits, you may spend about $15-20. But if you want to sit at a table in a restaurant, an entrée will be $15-20! I also would add that alcoholic beverages are more expensive in NY too.
As your daughter is staying for two weeks, my recommendation is to go to convenience stores/pharmacies/supermarkets/outdoor markets to get food for breakfast that she can eat at the hotel or on her way to a visit. For lunches, I like to improvise picnics in the city as there are many parks. Don’t forget that one can always ask for doggy bags! Because portions are bigger, ask for a box to take the food that you can later warm at the hotel if there’s a microwave available in the room.
First time thinking of going NYC in July 2023 but people saying its smelly in July, can you please advise? Is it that bad?
Thanks
I don’t know why. The temperatures are very high and it cam be exhausting to visit the city. But I don’t think there’s a specific smell.
Please let me know if you need any assistance to plan your trip.
Can you tell nenif New York was smelly in July/August?
Thanks
It s just costing soo much money at the moment.
Had to book a different hotel for another week so the marriage is legal back in the uk.
Yes, what do you want to book?
Yes, it is a great amount of money. I assume that it includes the hotel?
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Me and my friend will be there for the last week of August, it will be our first time in the US so it’s nice to know these things.
Please let me know if you have questions.
I think that your budget is good. If you stay at a motel, you can save a lot of money.
What are your dates?
Public transportation will be your best option. Now the difference between Uber and a Yellow taxi depends on the distance, rush hours… Yellow taxis can charge a bit more.
Cant say much … But sincere thanks …
I have a 6 days plan for new york at the end of this month. Just dont want to stay only in the city …
Where would you recommend me to have a very silent pure village like life (5-6 hours away from NYC is OK) preferably with home made food for my last two days ?
You should consider Lancaster and its Amish communities.
Do you plan to rent a car?
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