The honest headline
New York City regularly ranks among the most expensive cities in the world for visitors, and the budget advice that suggests you can "do New York on $100 a day" is either very old or assumes you're sleeping somewhere truly grim and eating every meal from a cart. The numbers below are realistic for 2025–2026.
Accommodation
| Tier | Per night (rough range) |
|---|
| Hostel dorm / pod hotel | $60–120 |
| Budget private room / 2-star hotel | $150–250 |
| Mid-range hotel (most visitors) | $250–450 |
| Upscale / boutique | $450–800+ |
Add taxes (NYC hotel tax runs around 14.75% plus a fixed fee per night) to any headline rate.
Food
| Meal type | Per person |
|---|
| Bodega / cart / slice of pizza | $5–12 |
| Casual sit-down (no alcohol) | $20–35 + tip |
| Mid-range restaurant with drinks | $60–100 + tip |
| Fine dining | $150–300+ + tip |
Getting around
A single subway or bus fare is $2.90, and the OMNY weekly cap (equivalent to the old 7-day unlimited MetroCard) kicks in automatically at around $34 worth of rides. For a week-long trip with daily sightseeing across the city, budget $34–40 for transit. Taxis and rideshare add up quickly — use the subway for most trips.
Attractions
| Attraction | Adult ticket (approximate) |
|---|
| The Met (suggested, not required) | $30 |
| MoMA | $30 |
| Empire State Building (86th floor) | $44–60 |
| Top of the Rock | $40–50 |
| Statue of Liberty (general) | $24 |
| Brooklyn Bridge walk | Free |
| Staten Island Ferry | Free |
| High Line | Free |
Rough daily budgets
| Style | Per person per day (excluding accommodation) |
|---|
| Tight | $70–100 (street food, free attractions, subway) |
| Comfortable | $150–200 (one sit-down meal, one paid attraction) |
| Easy | $300+ (mid-range dining, multiple attractions) |
