14 North American cities by price: Backpacker Index for 2011
- 27 Jan, 2011
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Completing our trip around the world comparing travel costs, here’s the North American Backpacker Index for 2011, which contains some surprising results. We’ll next put them all together so it will be easy to see which cities and regions are truly bargains and which are better left to the rich.
The interesting thing about North America, and particularly the United States, is the pricing of hostels seems to have as much to do with how many there are in a city as it does with real estate prices. During the peak summer travel period New York City does tend to be the most expensive place to find a hostel bed, but during the rest of the year there are bargains to be found, for example.
So below you’ll find out list which includes two cities in Mexico, three in Canada, and nine of the most popular tourist cities in the USA, in order from cheapest to most expensive, based on our “typical set of backpacker expenses” for an average day.
How the Backpacker Index works
For this comparison we are trying our best to compare apples to apples, so we chose a “basket of goods” that stays the same, and figured out the current price for each item, and then translated the total into US dollars. Prices for most things are fixed and certain, but prices for a “budget lunch” or a pint of beer can vary depending on whom you ask. Still, our estimates are based on a lot of research, and should be very close if not right on.
Costs for each city
- One night in the cheapest bunk at the least expensive hostel with a good location and good reviews
- Two public transportation rides per day
- One paid/famous attraction per day (Every city is loaded with free things to do for budget-conscious travelers, but here we take the average cost of a major attraction in each city for each day.)
- Three “budget” meals per day.
- Three cheap, local beers each day as an “entertainment fund.” Non-drinkers might have dessert and coffee or attend a local music performance instead, so this is a general benchmark that should be proportional for each city.
Price of Travel’s North America Backpacker Index for 2011
1 – Mexico City, Mexico (cheapest)
No surprise at all that Mexico City (and any other non-resort city in Mexico) would be the cheapest in the region. This sadly-overlooked city is a great bargain and the tourist district is far nicer and more friendly than most imagine. Also, the weather is much milder than most people would expect, as long as you avoid the rainy season.
- Currency: Mexican peso
- Cheap/good hostel: Bed & Breakfast Mexico – 127/night
- Transportation: 6
- Meals: 120
- Drinks/Entertainment: 54
- Attractions: 50
- Daily Backpacker Index: MXN357 – US$29.70/day
>>>Mexico City prices and weather
2 – Cancun, Mexico
As of now Cancun is the only Mexican resort town we cover, and it’s an unusual place for budget travelers since the main hotel district is actually on the expensive side and the bargains tend to be in the town, which is admittedly less appealing. Most other Mexican beach resorts on the Pacific are kinder to the backpacker set in terms of accessibility of cheaper resources.
- Currency: Mexican peso
- Cheap/good hostel: Backpacker Hostelling Center – 130/night
- Transportation: 12
- Meals: 288
- Drinks/Entertainment: 105
- Attractions: 30
- Daily Backpacker Index: 565 – US$47.00/day
3 – Las Vegas, USA
Those who can avoid gambling, or at least those who can avoid losing money, can actually stretch their money in amazing ways in Las Vegas, with actual hotel rooms sometimes as low as US$10/night. It’s all about where you stay in this town, and those staying in the Downtown area or northern part of the Strip will have many good budget options for food, drinks, and entertainment at low prices.
- Currency: US dollar
- Cheap/good hostel: AAE Casino Wild West Las Vegas – 9/night
- Transportation: 3.50
- Meals: 26.40
- Drinks/Entertainment: 6.00
- Attractions: 10.00
- Daily Backpacker Index: US$54.90/day
>>>Las Vegas prices and weather
4 – New Orleans, USA
A genuine travel bargain once you arrive, New Orleans has affordable accommodation plus fantastic food and drinks that are cheaper than most other large cities, even at some of the fancier places. The Bourbon Street area is really a bargain for nightlife and such, but there are good deals almost everywhere in the Big Easy.
- Currency: US dollar
- Cheap/good hostel: India House Backpackers Hostel – 17/night
- Transportation: 2.50
- Meals: 20.40
- Drinks/Entertainment: 6.00
- Attractions: 10.00
- Daily Backpacker Index: US$55.90/day
>>>New Orleans prices and weather
5 – Los Angeles, USA
Due to its ridiculously spread-out nature, transportation can be a problem in Los Angeles if you are intent on seeing many different things, but at least finding budget meals and drinks is rarely difficult. Those who mainly want to see the beach and other outdoor sights can really save money, but the big theme parks all cost a fortune.
- Currency: US dollar
- Cheap/good hostel: Duo Housing Los Angeles – 17.50/night
- Transportation: 3.00
- Meals: 18.00
- Drinks/Entertainment: 9.00
- Attractions: 10.00
- Daily Backpacker Index: US$57.50/day
>>>Los Angeles prices and weather
6 – San Francisco, USA
It’s a bit surprising to see San Francisco so high on this list, but the city has quite a few good hostels that are reasonably priced outside of the busy summer season, which keeps overall costs down. There are also plenty of great free attractions, so the city can be quite reasonable with the right strategy.
- Currency: US dollar
- Cheap/good hostel: San Francisco International Hostel – 13/night
- Transportation: 4.00
- Meals: 20.40
- Drinks/Entertainment: 12.00
- Attractions: 10.00
- Daily Backpacker Index: US$59.40/day
>>>San Francisco prices and weather
7 – Washington DC, USA
Many things in Washington DC are quite expensive, but fortunately there are many decent hostels competing and keeping prices down. Even better, nearly all of the museums in the city are free, so this is the only city other than London that we assigned a zero price for Attractions, giving visitors a bit more to spend on food and drinks.
- Currency: US dollar
- Cheap/good hostel: DC Hostel – 17/night
- Transportation: 3.20
- Meals: 27.60
- Drinks/Entertainment: 12.00
- Attractions: 0.00
- Daily Backpacker Index: US$59.80/day
>>>Washington DC prices and weather
8 – Montreal, Canada
For Americans, Canada had always been a bargain, until recently when the currencies became more or less equal. Still, Montreal is a wonderful city that has plenty to see and enough budget options for most backpackers, so even at this exchange rate it’s worth a visit.
- Currency: Canadian dollar
- Cheap/good hostel: La Maison du Patriote – 16/night
- Transportation: 5.50
- Meals: 22.80
- Drinks/Entertainment: 9.00
- Attractions: 8.00
- Daily Backpacker Index: CAD61.30 – US$61.92/day
>>>Montreal prices and weather
9 – Honolulu, USA
Unlike anywhere else in the Hawaiian Islands, Honolulu itself makes it possible for a budget traveler to stay within a reasonable budget. It’s obviously not the same as sipping margaritas on a lonely beach at an exclusive resort, though it’s still pretty damn nice even staying in a hostel in this large city.
- Currency: US dollar
- Cheap/good hostel: Polynesian Hostel Beach Club – 21/night
- Transportation: 4.50
- Meals: 21.60
- Drinks/Entertainment: 9.00
- Attractions: 10.00
- Daily Backpacker Index: US$66.10/day
>>>Honolulu prices and weather
10 – New York City, USA
This one is definitely a surprise since NYC has a reputation of being one of the world’s most expensive cities. Truth is, there are now so many hostels in Manhattan and elsewhere that good deals are easy to find outside of the busy summer season. Also, the compact nature of the place makes finding cheap meals quite easy, which isn’t true of some of the spread-out cities. See our recommended hotels and hostels in New York City list for great choices that are all usually quite cheap.
- Currency: US dollar
- Cheap/good hostel: The Wanderers Inn West – 19.50/night
- Transportation: 4.0
- Meals: 16.80
- Drinks/Entertainment: 15.00
- Attractions: 15.00
- Daily Backpacker Index: US$70.80/day
>>>New York City prices and weather
11 – Vancouver, Canada
Another Canadian city that is still plenty worth a visit even though it’s not as cheap as it used to be, Vancouver is just about as pleasant as a city can get as long as you avoid the gloomy winter months, and even then it’s still pretty nice.
- Currency: Canadian dollar
- Cheap/good hostel: Cambie Hostel – Gastown – 24/night
- Transportation: 5.00
- Meals: 19.20
- Drinks/Entertainment: 10.50
- Attractions: 15.00
- Daily Backpacker Index: CAD73.90 – US$74.44/day
>>>Vancouver prices and weather
12 – Chicago, USA
Most things in Chicago are cheaper than in New York City, but there still aren’t too many hostels yet, so finding bargains can be tough. Fortunately, the city center is very compact and easy to visit, and many of the interesting ethnic neighborhoods are also close by and easy to reach.
- Currency: US dollar
- Cheap/good hostel: H.I. Chicago – 28/night
- Transportation: 4.00
- Meals: 21.60
- Drinks/Entertainment: 9.00
- Attractions: 12.00
- Daily Backpacker Index: US$74.60/day
13 – Toronto, Canada
Toronto has plenty going for it, as perhaps the nicest and cleanest huge city in North America, but some things here have really become expensive, including public transportation. The city center is compact enough to walk it though, and the nightlife district is one of the best in the world, so there’s no reason to stay away.
- Currency: Canadian dollar
- Cheap/good hostel: Canadiana Backpackers Inn – 21/night
- Transportation: 6.00
- Meals: 22.80
- Drinks/Entertainment: 12.00
- Attractions: 15.00
- Daily Backpacker Index: CAD76.80 – US$77.58/day
Miami Beach (but not necessarily the nearby city of Miami) has really transformed itself into more of a luxury playground in the past two decades, so it’s not too surprising that it’s a bit tough of the backpacking set. Finding cheap meals and drinks can be a challenge, though it’s still a wonderful place to visit if you can fit it within your budget.
14 – Miami Beach, USA
- Currency: US dollar
- Cheap/good hostel: South Beach Hostel – 24/night
- Transportation: 4.00
- Meals: 25.20
- Drinks/Entertainment: 15.00
- Attractions: 12.00
- Daily Backpacker Index: US$80.20/day
