The cost of life in New York is quite a bit higher with hotels, accommodation, food, transport and sightseeing. For a European citizen, New York is more expensive than most European cities. For example, the cost of an average restaurant meal in New York is about $20-$30. Additionally, hotel prices in New York can start from around $150-$200 per day, depending on the area and the amenities each hotel offers. However, your travel budget depends on time you will visit New York and how much money you plan to spend on sightseeing, shopping and entertainment.
New York travel guide
It’s a good idea to do some research and plan your trip in advance to decide how much money you’ll need. The following New York travel guide will help you a lot in order not to get discouraged and at the same time save enough money when being in New York. Thus, you will be able to allocate money from your budget to enjoy other activities, experiencing unique experiences that few attempt.
New York travel guide
#1 Visa
To begin with, we will refer to the visa, for which you do not need to go to an agency, nor to buy it yourself online, since you don’t even need it! Holders of a Greek passport only need an entry permit for New York, the so-called ESTA, which is issued immediately and easily. It costs only $21/person and to publish it, click here.
#2 City Pass for Sightseeing
New York has an abundance of attractions, so at least 6-7 days are required to cover the basics. If you pay for each attraction individually, it will cost you a lot. Typically, admission to museums and skyscrapers starts from around $30, going up to $50-60. So, if you don’t move more methodically, you will spend a lot of your travel budget. Let’s see what options are available:
- If you want to see everything, you can buy a City Pass online for $250/person, with which you basically prepay all the attractions at a much better price. You will find the link here.
- If you still don’t want to see everything, like us, you have the option to buy a City Pass with fewer attractions. There are packages with 3 or 5 attractions. You can choose which ones are best for you. The City Pass of 3 costs approximately $90/person and the City Pass of 5 costs $139/person. You will find more information about the packages here.
For the above purchases, use Revolut card to which you will have transferred some amount for this purpose. Thus, you will save quite a bit on the foreign exchange commission.
#3 Free pass on Sightseeing/Museums
New York is a big city with lots of possibilities for fun and exploration. You can find many free attractions such as museums and parks and enjoy activities without having to spend a lot of money.
Before you decide and book a City Pass that meets your needs, learn about the ones you can enjoy FOR FREE.
- Τhe Statue of Liberty: South of Manhattan there is the Staten Island Ferry Terminal Bar. From there the boat that takes you to Staten Island leaves every half hour or so, literally passing in front of the Statue of Liberty. The ride is FREE and of course you can stay in Staten Island for a tour and go back the same way.
- Roosevelt Island Tramway: Take the Roosevelt Island Tramway to see New York from above for FREE. Using only the subway card (more information below), you will have the opportunity to enjoy New York from above, but also an easy way to go to Astoria.
- Manhattan Public Library: Great library that offers a FREE guided tour of the library reading room on certain days and times. Pass by during the morning hours to book the day and time of your tour. It’s on the 2nd floor.
P.S.: This library was used for the needs of the film “The day after tomorrow”, where glaciers hit New York.
New York travel guide
In New York, many museums offer free admission to tourists, including:
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- American Museum of Natural History
- New York Transit Museum
- National Museum of the American Indian
- Studio Museum in Harlem
In some museums, free entry is only available on certain days or times of the day, so we recommend checking the museum websites for details. Also, note that some museums ask for a voluntary contribution from visitors, while others ask for a fixed ticket.
#4 Μoving by means of transport
As in any country, in New York, it is recommended to buy individual tickets for your movements. Each ride costs $2.75/person. Arriving at the airport, therefore, it is in your best interest to buy the 7-day travel card at a cost of $34/person.
You can buy this card only when leaving the airport, at a kiosk. Be careful, because we couldn’t find it anywhere to be sold in New York. If your delivery in New York takes longer, you can buy a card from the machines, which are everywhere, the 10-day unlimited travel card or the monthly one.
For the issuance of the “METROCARD” card you are charged an additional $1. So if you intend to renew your card, don’t throw it away! For more information about the «METROCARD» you will find
For more information about the «METROCARD» you will find here.
To move around with transportation, you will need two applications. With Transit you will find exactly which means of transportation you will have to choose and from where, while NYC Subway provides information about the subway. If again, you wish to download an application, Google Maps results are more than helpful.
#5 Food budget options
The cost of food in New York City is quite high compared to other cities in the United States. For example, a mid-range price for a meal at a chain restaurant in New York City is about $15-25 per person, while a dinner at a more expensive restaurant can cost about $50-100 or more per person. In addition, prices may increase depending on the alcohol you order, which is usually quite expensive in New York City. The most budget-friendly food options are burgers, pizzas, and bagels, which are the quintessential symbols of New York City. We have identified two food chains where we have eaten several times. The first is Shake Shack burgers, a particularly popular chain in New York City that emphasizes the use of fresh, organic, and local ingredients. The other chain is Ess-a-Bagel, known for its variety of bagels as well as cream cheese flavors. In both cases, you will have a satisfying meal for $10-15 per person.
#6 Shopping Souvenirs
You may not have plans to lift an entire discount village, but you’ll definitely want to get a souvenir, like a magnet or an authentic Yankees basketball cap. Prices can easily get out of hand if you simply buy from the first store you find in Times Square. As an indication, a magnet in the stores around Times Square costs 8 to 9 dollars. The cheapest magnets and souvenirs can be found on the famous Brooklyn Bridge. You’ll definitely cross it, so keep in mind that only there will you find magnets for $2 and $3. Remember to have cash with you, as they are only sold by street vendors. As for Yankees caps, a genuine one starts at $35 and goes up to $45 to $80! Luckily, we didn’t buy them in the first few days at the tourist shops, so we discovered that there is an entire discount stand in their original store. So, we got a genuine one for $15 and of course we were celebrating with joy!
#7 Luggage Storage
Because you want to make the most of your time in New York, storing your luggage is crucial. So if you need to store your luggage for a few hours, the most affordable option of all is Radical Storage You have the option to store it at one of their 82 locations in New York for $6.90 per day, per bag.
Just remember that all prices listed in New York do not include taxes. For any purchase you make, you should calculate an additional 9%.
#8 Local sim & Data
Internet access is essential and usually local sim and GB packages cost quite a bit. For example at the airport we found a sim with 12GB for $60 that lasts 2 weeks (phone number and mobile data). So the most economical option is to buy an e-sim, as long as you have a mobile phone that accepts it. You can buy the GB you want at a very good price, in over 200 countries. Install the application and activate it in advance by following the steps. So, when you reach the destination country, it is automatically activated. To download the application and buy the e-sim, click here.
Attention: If you intend to rent a bike to get around the city (it has great bike paths) you will also need to buy a local phone number. To our surprise, we found that we couldn’t use the bike rental app as it was asking for a US number. So we ended up renting from a private company by paying a lot more. This is the link for the most economical site we found for bike rental.
#9 Travel Insurance
Very important and you should not miss it in any of your travel destinations. Especially in America where everything is expensive, you wouldn’t want to have to pay for your health care in case of need. There are many companies where you can buy both health and travel cancellation coverage. If you need more information about how we book travel insurance packages, contact us, here.
We hope that the above New York travel guide will help you in organizing your trip to New York and save you money in order to enjoy at least 3 must see attractions!
Read more here: 3 must see attractions in New York!
