This post is about how to visit NYC on the cheap.
We list dozens of ways that you can enjoy all thatthis city has to offer even if you are on a shoestring budget.(en español) (auf Deutsch). Let's start saving money!
- Finding Price Cuts Online
- Free Museums and Attractions
- Save on Sightseeing Tours
- Eating, Drinking, and Nightlife on Budget
- Affordable Accommodations
- Get Cheaper Broadway Tickets
- Price Effective Shopping
- Budgeting For Your Trip
Be sure to check our comprehensive list of things to do in NYC.
Also, take a look at our free,pay-what-you-wish walking tours.We offer over 30 different kinds of tours - walking toursof a specific neighborhood or a combination of several areas.
We also havefood tours,night tours, bike tours, andghost tours.
For those who like to explore on their own at their own pace, we even havedozens ofself-guided toursas well asGPS-enabled audio tours.
FINDING CONCESSION BEFORE YOU ARRIVE
When reviewing the below concessions, you may find it helpful to have a breakdown of where your money will go on your trip to NYC.
Our post How Much Does It Cost To Visit New York City? looks at the main expenses of a trip, such as food, accommodations, attractions and activities, and transportation.
Tourist Attraction Concession Passes
Even before you arrive in New York, look into purchasing a tourist pass.
Depending on which pass you buy, you could save as much as 55% on the cost of attractions that are likely on your must-see list.
See our guide, Which is the Best Tourist Pass to Buy?to compare what is available and if a pass is right for you.
Likewise, many companies offer bundles that combine their boat and bus tours with popular NYC attractions.
- Which New York Boat Tour or Cruise is Best?
- Which New York Bus Tours Are Best?
Our post on choosing the best times to visit NYC, which includes a section on the cheapest times, may be useful to you.
TIP: You may find our post on, How Many Days is Enough to Visit NYC? helpful when planning your trip.
Take a look at our suggestedbudget itineraries for 1, 2, and 3 days in NYC as well.
Also, check Groupon andLiving Social for price cuts on tours, tickets to shows, meals, top attractions, and more.
Getting to New York City
You can find cheap flights to New York Cityif you know the tricks on when to book, what days to travel, and where you can find deals.
Before you arrive, take a look at our posts ontransportation to and from New York City's airports.
- JFK Airport
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
- Newark Airport (EWR)
It's important to look in advance because you are likely to need to buy a subway card to get into the city.
If you want to save money on cellphone costs and Wi-Fi service, our posts,Which SIM Card to Buy?andWhere to Find Free WiFi, will help you out.
Getting around NYC
Once you are here, you will want to save some money getting around.
See our detailed post,How to Get Around New York Citywhich covers traveling by public transport (subway,bus, bike, boat, ferry) and taxi, Uber, car, and, of course, your feet.
Before buying a subway card, read our post on which MetroCard is best for you.
Our guide to navigating the New York City subway systemwill make your subway rides easy and even fun, and download one of thesefree subway appsbefore you get here.
If your luggage is weighing you down before you can check in or after you check out of your hotel, see our post Inexpensive Luggage Storage in New York City.
TIP:For the best free boat ride of yourlife, ride the famous Staten Island Ferry! The skyline views of Lower Manhattan are jaw-dropping. You also pass Liberty Island and Ellis Island so you'll have close-up views of the Statue of Liberty.
For other ways to get great (and mostly free) Manhattan skyline views, click here.
FREE MUSEUMS AND ATTRACTIONS
With plenty of free museums and attractions, one could keep themselves busy in New York City for a week or more without spending a penny.
Before you pay full price for anything, look at our comprehensive guide to free museums and attractions as well as free activities in NYC.
Also, check Groupon andLiving Socialfor offers on tours, tickets to shows, meals, top attractions, and more.
Again, look at the many options for tourist passes.
They include so many of the city's tourist attractions, museums, and other activities, you really could save a bundle.
Museums and Institutions
You will be amazed by how many museums offer free admission in New York.
Even those that are notset aside for special hours or days when entrance is free. The best of them isFree Fridays at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
Some museums are technically free, but they just don't advertise it.
You don't need to pay the full price, which is a suggested donation.
You can donate any amount of money to gain entry to their main exhibit halls. This could be huge savings for families!
Have a look at ourlong list of always-free museums. The post also includes which museums are 'suggested donations', and have free days or free hours.
Attractions and Other Activities
Start saving by taking a look at our post on getting deals on New York City attractions.
Here are a few offers to get you going!
- Learn how to get10% off per ticket to the Empire State Building, save$5 on Top of the Rock Tickets,and get $6 off each One World Observatory(Freedom Tower) ticket.
- Get10% off ticket prices with Big Bushop-on-hop-off or15% off Grayline and CitySightshop-on, hop-off tours.
- Save up to40% on admissionto the Intrepid Sea, Air + Space Museum.
- Get 20% off admission tothe Bronx Zooor pay what you wish on Wednesdays.
For even more affordable attractions, see our post,Free Things to Do in NYC, as well as our post on free activities in NYC.
FREE AND LOWER PRICE SIGHTSEEING TOURS
Of course, we would love for you to join us on one of ourpay-what-you-wishtours. But you have many other options too.
Below are some articles we have written about many ways to sight-see for free or at a concession.
- We have a vast array of downloadable and freeself-guided tours, as well as many GPS-enabled audio tours.
- Seethe city from the waterfor free, or as close to free as possible. Our post,New York Boat Tours, tells you how.
- Take a hop-on-hop-off bus for a convenient way to explore the city. Click hereto get20% off ticket prices with Big Bus.
- For other bus tours, read our informative post on Which New York Bus Tour is the Best? We compare cost and quality.
- Sightseeing by bike. NYC is very bike-friendly. You can rent a bike and explore on your own or join a guided bike tour.
- Get 20% offbike tours of Central Park and Brooklyn, as well as the cost of rentals by using the promo codeuse code FTBF.
- You can take afree tourof many of New York City’s most famous landmarks like the Federal Reserve, Grand Central, and Federal Hall.
- Get a concession on a Helicopter Tour! Our postprovides tips on how to get offers on chopper rides.
TIP:Before booking a tour, note that many sightseeing tours are included for free in severaltourist passes.
EATING, DRINKING, AND NIGHTLIFE ON A BUDGET
Eating
New York City is famous for its delicious inexpensive cuisine (if you know where to go).
We do, and our post on New York Food has dozens of listings for every type of food.
To get you started, see our most popular food posts:
- Best Pizza in NYC by Neighborhood
- 15 Best Bagels in New York City
- Soul Food in Harlem
- Cheap Eats in NYC
- New York Restaurant Week
- Inexpensive Restaurants in Chinatown
For an affordable way to taste a variety of New York flavors, try one of ourpay-what-you-wishfood tours.
Also, always check outLiving Social, Groupon, or Restaurant.com for deals.
TIP: Tips are not included in your food bill and the New York waitstaff expects a tip. Read ourProper Tipping Etiquettepost so you don't get yelled at by a disappointed waiter!
Drinking
Here are our suggestions-- straight, no chaser.
- Free Brewery Tours and Beer Tastings
- Guide to Bars in NYC
- McSorley's Old Ale House
- Best Pub Crawls and Bar Tours in NYC
- Happy Hour in New York City
- Historic New York City Bar Tour
- 10 Rooftop Bars with Great Views
Nightlife
In addition to getting a meal or grabbing a drink to occupy your night on a budget, take a look at our Things to Do at Night in New York City.
There, you will find a section with free activities. Throughout the post many other things to do at night are affordable.
Here are just a few suggestions:
- Laugh a lot for free or almost free! Our post Stretching Your Dollar at the Best NYC Comedy Clubs will show you where to go.
- Try ourself-guided tours, as well as our many GPS-enabled audio tourswhich are good for any time, day or night.
- If you are here in the summer, NYC has so many free goings-on, like open-air movies, free live music almost every night, and special events like Shakespeare in Central ParkandFree Concerts in Central Park at Summerstage. See our post on Things To Do in Summer.
- Go to a museum! As mentionedabove, most museums offer free hours. Often, those free hours are in the evenings.
- See free plays and music in an incredible outdoor setting at Little Island, located next to the equally spectacular High Line Park.
- Take a free night walking tour.We offer several different tours, including Midtown Manhattan,911 Memorial and Brooklyn Bridge, andCentral Park. We also offer aSunset on the High Lineand Dark Side of the High LineTour. During the holiday season, we offer aHoliday Lights Tourand anNYC Christmas Movie Tour.
See our comprehensive posts,What to Do at Night in New York City, Free Things to Do in NYC, and Things to Do in NYC for many more budget-friendly ideas.
WHERE TO STAY IN NEW YORK ON A BUDGET
Believe it or not, it’s possible to find great New York budget hotels as low as $80 per night for a clean, comfortable hotel room in a prime location.
In our "Where to Stay in NYC" post, we list budget options in each of NYC's main hotel districts based on feedback from our Facebook group members.
These additional posts will also show you how.
- Inexpensive Hotels in New York City - an extensive list of hotels (with details, reviews, and pictures) with reasonable prices in many neighborhoods around the city. Our top 3 choices are:
- Chelsea Pines
- Hampton Inn Times Square
- Hotel 31
- Hostels in New York- There are not as many hostels in NYC as there are in major cities around the world, but our post includes the best of them. Our top choices are:
- TripAdvisor Best Value Hotels- Top 30 affordable hotels in NYC. You can book here as well.
- Living Socialoften has great deals.
- Air B+B- Stay with local guests in your private room or even rent an entire apartment for yourself. Prices are comparable or less than hotels.
TIP: For something a little less conventional but a huge money saver to be aHouse Sitter- watch someone's house (and sometimes pets) for free while they are away.
They also offer our guests a 10% off on membership fees when they use the promo codeFREETOURS10at checkout.
CHEAPER BROADWAY SHOW TICKETS
If you are planning to take in a Broadway show, you don't have to pay for an arm and a leg.
With patience and our insider tips, you can savequite a bit.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Our post onGetting Cheaper Broadway Show tickets through TKTSis an essential read.
Also, read our post on gettingcheap tickets for Broadway shows, Rush offer tickets,and Broadway lotteries.
If you are here in the summer months, don't forget about free tickets to Shakespeare in the Park.
TIP: If you are considering purchasing a tourist offer pass, the New York Pass entitles you to up to 10% on Broadway shows.
PRICE EFFECTIVE NYC SHOPPING
New York City is a top world destination for shoppers. It's easy to spend all your travel money on top-shelf designer clothes.
However, shopping can be both fun and affordable. Follow our advice on how to save big in shopping in the Big Apple.
- Our post, Cheap Shopping in New York Citycovers retail sales, sample sales, department stores, designer resale, and consignment stores as well as thrift and second-hand shops.
- Visit apremium clothing outlet. The most famous is Woodbury Commons, but there are two others that are also quite excellent.
- Consider taking one of our pay-what-you-wishNew York Shopping Tours. Let an expert shopper take you to where the secret savings are!
BUDGETING FOR YOUR TRIP
Below is a snapshot of the overall costs for two types of travelers for 3-day and 7-day trips (not including airfare or shopping).
For a complete explanation of these costs along with helpful tips on saving money, see our poston how much it costs to visit New York City.
A BudgetTraveler is someone who wants tospend as little as possible but still get a lot out of New York City.
This means staying at very inexpensive accommodations (most likely hostels in a shared dorm room), not dining at full-service restaurants, and spending money on just a few attractions.
A Moderate Traveleris someone who is flexible with the amount of money to spend.
This means staying atmid-range accommodations in a convenient location, eating some meals out, and spending money on some of the best attractions in New York City.
Budget Traveler
3-day trip (per person)
- Food $60
- Accommodations $135
- Attractions and activities $150
- Transportation $17
- Total $362
7-day trip (per person)
- Food $140
- Accommodations $315
- Attractions and activities $300
- Transportation $33
- Total $788
Moderate Traveler
3-day trip (per person)
- Food $150
- Accommodations $600
- Attractions and activities $375
- Transportation $50
- Total $1,175
7-day trip (per person)
- Food $350
- Accommodations $1400
- Attractions and activities $745
- Transportation $70
- Total $2,565
See the complete post on budgeting for your tripto NYC.
