How Much Does It Cost To Vacation In New York City
New York City is not exactly a cheap place to visit. The cost of living in the city averages $3.39 per person. This cost translates into the vacation experience. New York City is one of few places that almost requires the traveler to buy a pass to get into attractions and museums.
If your family is anything like mine, the subject of vacation looms large on the horizon. My sister-in-law just returned from a 2 weeks in Africa, my wife plans on being in Spain for a month this summer and my brother hopes to spend 7 weeks backpacking across Europe without losing any appendages to frostbite (fingers?). It may be quite some time before your household books its next getaway, but that needn’t stop you from planning ahead. You might even save yourself heartache (emotional or financial) if you plan well. The chances are that whatever you decide to spend your hard-earned vacation time on will no doubt involve an element of expenditure – so the question is not whether or not there will be costs involved but how much exactly does it cost to vacation in New York City? The good news is that many people would argue that one of the best ways to spend your vacation is by taking in some of the city’s famous landmarks and attractions. In fact, it could well be argued that New York City tourism is one of the biggest money spinners around. According to the US Travel Association, more than 54 million Americans chose to visit New York City and its surrounding areas in 2015 alone. That kind of
How Much Does It Cost To Vacation In New York City
When people think of vacationing in New York City, they often picture the bright lights, beautiful scenery, world famous museums and exciting shopping options. But most people do not realize that tourist attractions can be very expensive. They may also not consider how much it will cost to spend a vacation in some of the most luxurious hotels in New York City. So if you are planning on taking a holiday to New York City, it is important to consider the cost of both your accommodations as well as the cost of seeing the many attractions around town. New York is an expensive place to live so it’s no surprise that when people want to take a vacation, they often look elsewhere and not at other places in the United States like California or Florida. New York is one of the most visited cities in the world and because of this many people from foreign countries choose to vacation there.
Cost of a Trip to New York, NY, US & the Cheapest Time to Visit New York
The average price of a 7-day trip to New York is $2,057 for a solo traveler, $3,694 for a couple, and $6,926 for a family of 4. New York hotels range from $74 to $506 per night with an average of $196, while most vacation rentals will cost $250 to $610 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to LaGuardia Airport (LGA) are between $688 and $1,170 per person for economy flights and $2,159 to $3,671 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $68 to $154 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit New York, NY, US
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to LGA and stay in a New York hotel:
- January 15th to March 11th
- August 6th to December 9th
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in New York is usually mid to late September.
Average New York Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit New York for a week is$1,697-$3,332($242-$476 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $68 to $154 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $417 to $1,030 for economy
Lodging: $134 to $143 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $167 to $204 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit New York for a week is$3,132-$5,720($447-$817 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $136 to $308 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $834 to $2,060 for economy
Lodging: $134 to $143 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $167 to $204 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit New York for a week is$4,976-$10,268($711-$1,467 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $272 to $616 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,668 to $4,120 for economy
Lodging: $268 to $286 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $234 to $306 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to New York
How cheap can you make a vacation to New York? The cheapest trip to New York is about $112 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 1% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $21 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $59.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit New York for a week is$781-$1,950($112-$279 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $34 to $68 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $417 to $1,030 for economy
Lodging: $59 to $74 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $21 to $61 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit New York for a week is$1,436-$3,456($205-$494 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $68 to $136 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $834 to $2,060 for economy
Lodging: $59 to $74 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $21 to $61 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit New York for a week is$2,812-$6,912($402-$987 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $136 to $272 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,668 to $4,120 for economy
Lodging: $118 to $148 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $32 to $85 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very difficult to travel to New York cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury New York Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in New York.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit New York for a week is$3,095-$11,958($442-$1,708 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $122 to $339 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,005 to $2,997 for first class
Lodging: $206 to $506 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $610 to $1,098 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit New York for a week is$4,954-$17,328($708-$2,475 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $244 to $678 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,010 to $5,994 for first class
Lodging: $206 to $506 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $610 to $1,098 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit New York for a week is$9,908-$32,022($1,415-$4,575 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $488 to $1,356 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $4,020 to $11,988 for first class
Lodging: $412 to $1,012 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $854 to $1,757 per night for a preferred vacation rental
New York Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in New York is much higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in New York due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
New York Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Hotel Price
Prices are based on New York hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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Percent of rentals
There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in New York.
Flight Costs to New York
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $1,170 average in late July to a low of $688 in mid to late September. Median flight price is $638. These prices are based on millions of flights. For New York our data includes 1,129 originating airports, and 152 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to New York from an airport like Savannakhet (ZYL) in Sylhet (Bangladesh) for an average $10,541 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) in Washington, DC (the United States) at an average of just $146.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Worldwide Flight Prices
Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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Departure Day Prices
Return Day Prices
The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Tuesday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In New York, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $482, so you can easily save about 70% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around New York can easily cost $510 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $34 per person. Private tours can cost $1024 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.