Dying to visit New York City but scared by the cost of doing anything but breathing while you’re there? Here are my top tips for planning the perfect trip to NYC on a budget.
#1: Stay in the outer boroughs
Apologies in advance for the Blair Waldorf terminology. Finding a hotel or AirBnB in Manhattan can be hundreds of dollars more expensive than staying in Brooklyn for a weekend. I’d recommend choosing a Brooklyn AirBnB near a metro station that takes you straight into the heart of the city if you’re dead set on exploring Manhattan. When my boyfriend and I visited for Christmas in 2021, we chose this charming studio in Greenpoint which was just a block away from the subway.
#2: Resist the temptation of bottomless brunches
Another reason my boyfriend and I opted for an AirBnB over a hotel was access to a kitchen. Our studio actually didn’t end up having a kitchen, so we settled for buying bagels for breakfast each day. Typically when I am exploring a new city and know I’m going to be spending money on eating out, I opt for accommodations that either provide breakfast or a way to cook your own. Grab a carton of eggs and maybe a breakfast protein at a nearby deli, a fresh batch of bagels from a bakery, and make your own breakfast each morning to save a few extra dollars.
#3: Support small businesses
Since most tourists are drawn to the big name restaurants or those lucky enough to be located by attractions like Central Park or Times Square, these places are known to jack up their prices for admittedly sub-par food. I’d suggest staying off of Yelp and using social media to research great places to eat before your trip.
Let’s face it: is Eataly really worth it? We found a dreamy Lebanese cafe by our AirBnB. Our lunch at Cafe Alula on our first day in New York was arguably one of the best meals of the entire weekend.
#4: Walk
This one may sound obvious, but as Americans, we often shy away from walking places because we are so used to giant, spread out metroplexes that require a car to get anywhere. New York City is arguably the most walkable city in America. While I would almost never consider walking more than a mile in Dallas where I live, no walk in Manhattan will be boring. My boyfriend and I made multiple hour-plus treks, such as from Central Park to Lower Manhattan.
Walking helps save money on transportation costs, and makes it easier to discover hidden gems for eating or attractions. And, most importantly, enough walking might make you hungry enough for an extra $1 slice of pizza.
#5: Consider an unlimited subway pass
If you want to see a lot in the city, there isn’t always time to walk everywhere. There is very little that could convince me to pay for an Uber in New York City while it’s light out — I’m a huge proponent of subways and other public transportation both for cost and environmental reasons. But instead of tapping your credit card each time you board, consider an unlimited seven-day metro card.
For just $33, you get unlimited access to every subway in all five boroughs, which made a ton of sense for our trip since we were staying outside of Manhattan and planned to do a lot of adventuring all over the island. This gave us free range to ride the subway as many times as we wanted without worrying about charges since the unlimited pass was already a sunk cost (I dragged my boyfriend from Hell’s Kitchen back down to Nolita on our last night for another cupcake at the bakery we had discovered the day before).
You can purchase an unlimited pass at any metro card kiosk once you get to the city.
#6: Don’t waste money on views
Tourist traps are probably stopping you from a successful trip to NYC on a budget. Is it really worth it to pay $35 for a few minutes of that view of the city from The Edge? Maybe not. It’s incredible how much cities will charge just to climb up somewhere and look.
While there are obviously some incredible views in the world worth scarfing up some change for, not everything is the top of the Empire State Building. My boyfriend and I loved the High Line, which was once an elevated railroad but is now filled with parks and greenery. It gives you an incredible view of the city for free and is open daily from 7 AM to 10 PM. Other great viewpoints that cost $0 include the Staten Island Ferry and the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.
#7: Take advantage of museum discounts
I love art. If I’m going somewhere with a famous museum, I will put in the time and money to make sure I get to tour it. But if you can be more strategic about timing your visit to New York City, you can pinch a few pennies and still see world-famous artworks.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers “pay as you wish” admission for residents of New York and students of neighboring states. The Guggenheim offers free entry to everyone on Saturdays from 4 PM to 6 PM. The Museum of Modern Art is free on Fridays from 4 to 8 PM. Other museums typically offer student discounts (you might need a .edu email or a student ID to prove it, but hey, those last a bit after graduation don’t they?).
Do you have any tips for taking a trip to NYC on a budget? Comment your best penny pinching hacks for the city that never sleeps!
