New York City has a reputation for being very expensive, and especially as a place to sleep it deserves that reputation. But once you have that handled you can actually get by on a fairly low budget, especially if you spend time away from the cheesy Times Square area. Do yourself a favor and choose from our recommended New York City hotels and hostels, where you’ll have a few great choices instead of a huge list of uncertain ones.
The famous attractions are expensive but a few of them are not well suited to most visitors and the city is jammed with free and cheap things to do. If your time is short you should consider doing one of the Circle Line cruises, which are the fastest way to see most of the famous buildings as well as the best close-up view of the Statue of Liberty on every cruise. For those who want to see all the most famous sights in a short time, we break down if the New York Pass is a good deal.
Drinking in NYC is expensive but if you self-cater with some beer or wine before you go out it keeps things from getting out of hand. Great and cheap meals are quite easy to find as long as you get out of the main hotel districts. Check out our cheap New York City tips for information on keeping costs down.
