How To Visit New York On A Budget

Last Updated on 19th July 2024

This post about how to visit New York on a budget contains affiliate links.

Are you planning a trip to NYC but looking to do it as cheap as possible? My New York on a budget guide includes everything you need to know about doing NYC on the cheap!

New York City is infamous for being one of the most expensive cities in the world, both to live in and to visit as a tourist. However, that doesn’t mean to say that you can’t take advantage of a fair few budget hacks to make your visit as affordable as possible.

In my guide below, I’m sharing all my top tips for planning a cheap trip to New York City, including the cheapest way to travel in New York, as well as the best cheap things to do New York City so that you can enjoy a super fun (and affordable!) trip!

For more budget travel tips for NYC, get a copy of my Ultimate New York City Travel Guide Ebook and join my FREE New York Facebook Group for even more helpful tips, tricks and advice!

NEW YORK TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
Flights: Skyscanner / Kiwi.com / Expedia / Trip.com
Accommodation: Booking.com / Hostelworld / Agoda
Transport: Flixbus / Rentalcars.com / Big Bus Tours
Activities/tours: Get Your Guide / Viator / Klook / Go City
Travel insurance: SafetyWing
Hotel reviews: TripAdvisor
My backpacking essentials: Amazon
Luggage storage: Radical Storage
New York Passes: Go City Pass / New York CityPASS
USA eSIM: Airalo

How much does a trip to New York cost?

The cost of a trip to New York varies so much depending on where you’re flying from, the time of year that you’re visiting, how long you’re spending in the city, where you’re staying, what you plan to eat and the paid activities that you plan to do.

Therefore, it’s incredibly difficult to pinpoint an exact New York trip cost. My guide below will largely focus on how to keep travel costs down once you’re actually in New York City, but I have also included a few tips about how to reduce costs of flights and accommodation to hopefully get you to NYC for as cheap as possible!

As a rough guide, here are some of the ~average~ costs you can expect for a trip to NYC:

Room in a mixed dorm for one night for one person: $50
Hotel room for two people in Manhattan for one night: $150-$200
Pint of beer/glass of wine in a standard bar: $8-$10
Americano from a local coffee shop: $3-$4
Bagel with two fillings: $6-$8
Slice of pizza: $3-$4
McDonald’s Big Mac meal: $14
Cocktail: $15-$18
Meal for two in a standard restaurant (without alcohol): $60-$80
Average attraction entry cost: $30-$50
One-way subway journey: $2.90 per person (or $34 for 7-day unlimited)

Please bear in mind that these are extremely generic average costs and will vary enormously depending on the factors listed above!

Avoid using a travel agent to book your trip

One of my top tips for visiting New York on a budget is to try and book the trip yourself, rather than using a travel agent.

Many people prefer the ease and convenience of a travel agent booking their entire trip for them, from flights and accommodation to even making dinner reservations and securing attraction passes, and I totally understand and appreciate the desire to use a travel agent to book your trip to NYC as it takes the faff and organisation away from doing it yourself.

However, I personally think that you can (almost always) book your own trip to New York for cheaper than a travel agent can. This is because travel agents will take a cut of the commission of selling you the trip and therefore, the flights and accommodation etc will likely be more expensive than if you were to book everything separately yourself.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed when it comes to booking your flights and hotel separately for your trip to NYC, here are some of my top resources for saving money on a trip to New York:

Flights: Skyscanner / TripAdvisor / Expedia / Trip.com
Accommodation: Booking.com / Hostelworld / Agoda / Hotels.com
Attraction Pass: Go City All-Inclusive / Go City Explorer Pass
Individual attraction tickets: Get Your Guide / Viator / Klook

Visit in the off season – New York on a budget

Planning a trip in the off-peak months is another one of the best ways to save money when it comes to finding the cheapest way to travel to New York.

While I’m personally a huge advocate for experiencing New York at Christmas as it’s undoubtedly one of the most magical places in the world, it is also the most expensive time of the year to visit, so if you’re looking to visit NYC on a budget, it’s a good idea to book a trip during the off-season months of January, February and March.

Of course, the weather during these months can get incredibly cold, but you will most certainly save a lot of money on flights, accommodation and even certain attractions compared to visiting in December or during the height of summer, for example.

Read my guides to visiting NYC in the off-season months here!

Stay outside of Manhattan to save money on accomodation

Another great tip to consider when planning a weekend trip to NYC on a budget is that you can save a decent amount of money on accommodation by staying outside of Manhattan.

While I would usually recommend staying in Manhattan for first-time visitors as it means that you’ll be a lot closer to the top tourist sights and attractions in the city, if you’d rather save money on your hotel and you don’t mind travelling into the city every day, then opting for a hotel outside of Manhattan can definitely help you to save money!

Here are some of the best places to stay outside of Manhattan with some recommendations for affordable hotels in these areas:

Brooklyn, NY: Ace Hotel / Pod Brooklyn / 42 Hotel Williamsburg
Hoboken/Weehawken, New Jersey: Sheraton Lincoln Harbor Hotel / Residence Inn by Marriott

Read more: 1 Day Brooklyn Itinerary

Stay in a hotel that offers free breakfast

Yet another tip to bear in mind when you’re looking to save money on accommodation in New York City is to try and find a hotel that includes free breakfast as part of your stay.

While I am definitely a huge advocate for getting out and experiencing New York’s incredible culinary scene, I do fully appreciate that eating out in NYC can be very expensive and one of the best ways to save money on food costs is to find a hotel that offers free breakfast so you have one less meal to worry about paying for!

Hotels in Manhattan that offer free breakfast:

Consider a New York City Pass to save money on sights and attractions

If you’re planning to visit many of New York’s top sights and attractions then you might want to consider purchasing a Go City Pass to save up to 50% across the city’s biggest and best attractions such as the Empire State Building, the 9/11 Museum, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Cruise, Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off tour and so much more!

There are numerous New York Passes to choose from, but my personal recommendations are the Go City All-Inclusive Pass and the Go City Explorer Pass as I think that they’re the best value for money (depending on exactly how many days you want to use the pass and how many paid attractions you plan to visit).

You can also save up to 5% on the All-Inclusive Pass and Explorer Pass with the code ADVENTURE!

To see whether a New York Pass would be worth it for your trip, head to my NYC Pass comparison guide!

Get the Go City New York Pass here!

Walk as much as possible – visiting New York on a budget

One of the best ways to ensure that you save money on transport costs in New York City is to simply avoid paying for transportation at all and of course, the best way to do this is to walk as much as possible!

New York City, especially Manhattan, is super walkable and you can literally walk from the very bottom of Lower Manhattan all the way to the top of Central Park (and much further, of course, if you wanted to!). This walk would take you at least 3 hours (and that’s without any stops or rest breaks!), but my point is, you can walk pretty much anywhere in the city.

Use the subway to travel around when walking isn’t feasible

Of course, walking everywhere isn’t always the best option, especially if you only have a few days to spend in NYC, but luckily public transport in New York City is relatively affordable, so you can still get around the city and see as much as possible without paying a small fortune to use public transport.

The cost of a one-way subway fare (and bus fare) is just $2.90 per person, so it’s not outrageously expensive and this also includes free transfers between the subway and bus services as part of one journey.

If you’re planning to ride the subway a lot during your time in New York, you’ll also be pleased to know that you only pay for the rides you take up to a cap of $34 in a 7-day period, meaning that it will never cost you more than $34 a week to use the NY subway, no matter how many times you use it (this works out at around 12 subway journeys in 7 days).

Look for affordable places to eat – New York on a budget tips

It’s no secret that eating out at restaurants in New York City can be incredibly expensive, especially when you factor in the cost of alcohol, taxes, tips and fees onto the end of the bill!

One way to reduce costs when it comes to eating out in NYC is to find more affordable places to eat such as street food carts, local bakeries or just restaurants that offer much more affordable menus!

Here are some of the more affordable places to eat in NYC:

Los Tacos No.1 (multiple locations) – less than $5 for tacos
Gray’s Papaya (Broadway/Upper West Side) – $3 for a coffee and breakfast sandwich with egg, cheese & ham, bacon, or sausage / $3.25 for a hot dog
North Dumpling (Lower East Side) – $3 for 10 dumplings
Tompkins Square Bagels (East Village) – $10 for a huge bagel that can easily be shared between two people
Empanada Mama (multiple locations) – empanadas from $4
Breads Bakery (multiple locations) – coffee from $3, pastries from $4.50
Joe’s Pizza (multiple locations) – slice of pizza from $3.50
Crif Dogs (East Village) – hot dogs from $7
Bánh Mì Saigon (Lower Manhattan) – Bánh Mì sandwich from $8
Mamoun’s Falafel (multiple locations)- falafel and shawarma from $8
Shake Shack (multiple locations) – from $11 for a burger and fries
Royale Bar (East Village) – from $15 for a burger and beer

Check out lunchtime specials at expensive restaurants

As well as seeking out some of New York’s more affordable places to eat, I would also suggest looking out for lunchtime specials at some of the city’s more expensive restaurants.

NYC’s top restaurants can be super pricey, but many of them offer lunchtime deals where you can enjoy the renowned menu of the restaurant for a more affordable price.

Some of my top recommendations for lunchtime specials in NYC include:

Sathi – lunch special of 2 entrees + rice or naan for $15.95 (menu)
Gallaghers Steakhouse – three course lunch special for $32 (menu)
Château 49 – 3-course lunch prix fixe for $35 (menu)
La Grande Boucherie – 2-course lunch prix fixe for $39 (menu)
STK Steakhouse Midtown – three course power lunch special for $45 (menu)
53 – 3-course lunch menu for $53 (menu)
Peak with Priceless – 2-course lunch prix fixe for $75 or 3-course for $88 (menu)
Gramercy Tavern – 4-course lunch menu for $95 (menu)
Balthazar – slightly cheaper prices at lunchtime (menu)

Keep an eye out for happy hour deals

With the average price of a cocktail in New York City setting you back at least $15, it’s fair to say that drinking out in NYC, especially in Manhattan, isn’t cheap!

However, there are plenty of bars, pubs, restaurants and rooftop terraces that offer happy hour deals in New York where you can take advantage of offers such as $5 beer, $7 wine, $10 cocktails and even $1 oysters in some places!

Some of the best happy hour deals in NYC include:

Mary’s – Monday to Friday, 3 PM to 7 PM – multiple mid-week deals on food and drink (menu)
John Doe – Daily, 11 AM to 8 PM – $1 oysters, $5 beer and lager, $7 wine, $7 mixed spirits (menu)
The Gray Mare – Monday to Friday, 3 PM to 8 PM – $6 draft beer, $8 wine, $10 cocktails, $7 appetisers (menu)
Fresh Salt – Daily, 4 PM to 8 PM – $6 draft beer, $7 wine (menu)
Bella Union Rooftop Bar – Monday to Friday, 4 PM to 8 PM – $7 beer, $8 wine, $8 mixed spirits, $5 Espresso Martinis on Tuesdays (menu)
STK Steakhouse Midtown – Sunday to Friday, 2.30 PM to 5.30 PM – steaks and frites from $9 and signature cocktails from $9 (menu)
The Mermaid Inn (multiple locations) – daily from 4.30 PM to 6.30 PM – $1.50 oysters, $3.50 fish tacos, $7 beer, $10 cocktails (menu)

Choose just one observation deck – New York on a budget

There are five main observation decks in New York City; Summit One Vanderbilt, Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, One World Observatory and Edge. However, if you only have a few days to spend in NYC on a budget, then you probably only need to visit one (maybe two) in order to enjoy epic views of the iconic city skyline.

If you want to enjoy incredible views over Lower Manhattan, opt for the One World Observatory, whereas Summit One Vanderbilt or the Top of the Rock observation deck at the Rockefeller Center are one of the best options for insane views of Midtown Manhattan, including the Empire State Building and Central Park.

My personal favourite observation decks are Summit and the Top of the Rock, but I’ve linked all five of New York’s observatories below, as well as my comprehensive guide that compares all five viewing decks!

Book tickets to one of NYC’s epic observation decks here:

One World Observatory – from $35
Top of the Rock – from $43.50
Edge – from $43.50
Summit One Vanderbilt – from $46
Empire State Building – from $47

Find discounted Broadway tickets

Broadway tickets for popular shows such as The Lion King, Hamilton and Wicked can sell for hundreds of dollars, so if you have your heart set on watching a Broadway show while in NYC, you might be worried about spending a small fortune on tickets.

Thankfully, there are several ways in which you can obtain discounted tickets for certain Broadway performances, including via the TKTS Booth in Times Square (you will need to queue up on the day of the performance to get these tickets, which might not be the best option if you’re short on time), or via discounted ticketing websites such as Broadway Roulette, TodayTix, BroadwayBox or Playbill.

Take advantage of free museum days/discounts

New York is home to dozens of fantastic museums and while many of them do charge an entry fee, there are certain museums that offer free days/hours and there are even a few museums in the city that are completely free to visit at all times!

The American Folk Art Museum is always 100% free to visit and they welcome walk-ins as well as the option to reserve a free ticket online in advance.
The National September 11 Memorial Museum offers free admission Mondays, every Monday, between 5.30 PM and 7 PM. You will need to head to the 9/11 website on the Monday morning of your intended visit at 7 AM to try and secure a free ticket. The 9/11 Memorial is completely free to visit and you do not need a ticket to visit.
The Whitney Museum of American Art offers free entry every Friday evening between 5 PM and 10 PM, you must reserve tickets in advance on the website even though they are free. They also offer free admission on the second Sunday of every month (tickets are totally free, but you must reserve them in advance).
General admission to the Guggenheim Museum usually costs $30, but they offer a “pay what you wish” incentive on Mondays and Saturdays from 4 PM to 5.30 PM.
The Morgan Library & Museum offers free admission on Fridays between 5 PM and 7 PM. Tickets are completely free, but you must reserve them online from one week in advance.

Read more: 30 Best Museums In NYC

Take advantage of the many free outdoor spaces

If you’re visiting NYC in the warmer months, you’ll definitely want to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and spend some time in the city’s vast green spaces such as Central Park, The High Line and Washington Square Park.

Even if you’re visiting New York in the winter months, you can still enjoy some of the city’s best parks such as Bryant Park where you’ll find the awesome ice rink and Bank of America Winter Village!

Here are just some of the best free outdoor spaces and park areas in NYC:

Central Park
Bryant Park
Washington Square Park
The High Line
The Battery
Little Island
Prospect Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Madison Square Park
Tompkins Square Park

Best cheap/free things to do in NYC

In a city as expensive as New York, it can be easy to assume that every single thing costs money, but thankfully, that’s not quite the case as there are plenty of free/cheap things to do that can help you enjoy NYC on a budget!

Here are just a few of my top recommendations of the best free/cheap things to do in Brooklyn and Manhattan on a budget:

Opt for the free Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
Watch the sunset from Brookfield Place and enjoy the views across the Hudson River
Experience Times Square at night
Stroll through Greenwich Village/West Village
Pay your respects at the 9/11 Memorial
Admire the architecture at Grand Central Station
Wander around Chelsea Market

New York on a budget – conclusion

I really hope that you’ve found this guide about how to visit NYC on a budget useful and hopefully it’s given you plenty of tips and tricks for saving money in a city as expensive as New York!

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