Yes, You Can Enjoy New York Without Going Broke — Here’s How
Before you assume that you can’t visit New York on a budget, I’d like to remind you that the median income of New York City is $41,000.
Across the five boroughs, your Joe-Schmo New Yorker works a blue-collar job, makes $40k, and enjoys their city. The median household income is $79k.
You can have an incredible time visiting New York on a budget.
I knew I needed to write this article a few months ago when I was on a flight from New York to Barcelona, and I was sitting next to a Spanish couple, and I asked them about their trip. They told me it was great, but they couldn’t believe how everything was expensive: the hotels, the drinks, the coffee, the tickets for everything. They asked how anyone could live here.
“Well, there are two New Yorks,” I told them. There’s the New York of most New Yorkers, and there’s the New York of the professional + upper classes and tourists.
I gave them a few tips to spend less next time, but then I reflected on this more. What guide would I give to those wanting to visit New York without spending an absurd amount of money?
I moved to New York in 2019. I was a college student and I had to coast off of savings from my gap year. Over the years, I’ve found my fair share of cheap and free spots, and today I’ll share my knowledge and tips.
Where to Stay
You can save on food, drinks, and tickets, but your biggest expense will be where you stay. That’s why it’s important to start here, as we’re talking about the difference in hundreds of dollars.
If you get a good deal on accommodation, you’ll also have more freedom elsewhere.
Parts of the City to Look In
Skip Downtown, Look Uptown
You’re not going to have an affordable time below 96th Street in Manhattan.
The median rent in Manhattan is $5,000. You just won’t unless you’re staying with a friend.
Turn your attention uptown.
Check Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood. These are great neighborhoods. They have good transit access, they’re walkable, with great food and lots to do.
You’ll still be in Manhattan, but at a fraction of the cost, and you won’t be surrounded by tourists.
The Outer Boroughs
Uptown will still be more expensive than most of the outer boroughs.
Another way to save is by staying outside of Manhattan altogether. Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx all offer better lodging prices, though the trek into Manhattan might be longer depending on where you stay.
Although the “trendy” parts of Brooklyn will be outrageous too.
Why I Recommend Queens
Queens is the best food borough. Nowhere else in the city (or arguably the world) will you find such a diverse and authentic range of cuisines.
When we say “New York is a melting pot,” we’re talking about Queens. It’s the world’s borough.
Try to stay near a subway stop, and you’ll have good connectivity into Manhattan.
In Queens, you’ll see a side of the city that’s more real, interesting, and affordable.
What Types of Housing to Look at
Even hostels in New York have gotten outrageously expensive.
I’m looking at IH Hostel on the Upper West Side, and a bed in a room with 13 other people costs $96 a night.
So the typical “budget” options won’t work for New York.
You can check hotels, but even in the outer boroughs, you’ll be hard-pressed to find something for less than $200 a night.
AirBnbs Where The Host Lives
New York City has cracked down on Airbnb rentals because landlords were converting their apartments into short-term rentals, taking them off the housing market and increasing housing costs.
However, you can still book a room in somebody’s home.
This is my favorite way to travel anyway. It means you’ll have a chance to meet and chat with a local and get specific recs for that neighborhood.
You’ll still be looking at over $100 a night in most cases, but at least you’ll have a private room.
HomeExchange, TrustedHousesitters, Couchsurfing
Next, there’s the category of options where you can stay for free.
Couchsurfing is not what it was in 2012, but it still exists. HomeExchange is emerging, so I would look there. It’s a similar idea where you let people stay in your home while you travel and then you stay in other travelers’ homes.
TrustedHousesitters is where you stay somewhere and in exchange watch someone’s pet. I signed up for it for a year and didn’t have success in cities like New York. The sits in New York got filled with applications within hours, and they select those with the most reviews. For m,e it only worked in rural places. So if you’re not already a member, I don’t think it’s worth it.
I’ll call it out as an option for you to explore, though.
Sublets: Craigslist and FB Marketplace
If you’re staying for a month or longer, now you can get better deals because you’re open to the possibilities available to sublet a room.
Avoid Touristy Shit: The Not-To-Do List
If you want to save money and have a better experience, skip the tourist traps. A lot of the “must-see” attractions in New York are expensive, overcrowded, and underwhelming.
Skip the Statue of Liberty Tour
Frankly, I would skip the Statue of Liberty altogether. I just think there are better things to do in New York. But if you really want to, don’t pay for it.
It’s a long, expensive process for something that looks better from a distance.
If you want a great view of the statue without spending money, just take the Staten Island Ferry. It’s free and gives you a solid view of the harbor and Lady Liberty herself.
Even better, go to Governors Island instead.
Governors Island is cheaper, less crowded, and more fun. It’s a short ferry ride away with open green spaces, walking paths, food trucks, art installations, and some of the best skyline views of Lower Manhattan. You can rent bikes, lie in a hammock, or just wander around.
Don’t Pay for a Times Square Experience
You can walk through Times Square for free.
It’s chaotic, loud, and full of flashing lights. But beyond snapping a quick photo, there’s really no reason to linger or spend money there.
The restaurants are overpriced. The shops are tourist traps. New Yorkers avoid this area unless they’re going to a Broadway show or passing through on the way somewhere else.
Skip Expensive Tours
You don’t need a double-decker bus tour or a pricey walking guide to explore New York.
Almost every neighborhood is walkable and full of free or low-cost things to discover on your own.
f you want guidance, there are plenty of free or pay-what-you-wish walking tours you can find online.
Focus on the Real City
Instead of spending money trying to tick off a list of tourist attractions, spend your time exploring neighborhoods. Walk down side streets. Visit a random coffee shop. Sit in a park and people-watch. The beauty of New York is in its everyday life, not just the landmarks.
Hidden Gems of What To Do
Don’t Listen to Me: Find What You Love
What makes New York a world-class city is that you have almost every culture, interest, and sub-group co-existing. If you love a niche type of food, or music, or artwork, or whatever, you can find it in New York.
So go find that.
Research the stuff you love most. What do you love that other people where you live think is weird? Find that in New York, and you’ll find people who also love that.
Often, that stuff is more affordable too, because it’s run by locals, for locals.
So don’t pull from my list if none of this is what you’re looking for.
With that said, I’ll provide some suggestions.
Governors Island: Great Views of the Statue of Liberty
A lot of people don’t realize Governors Island even exists, but it’s one of my favorite escapes in the city. It’s an island in the harbor with parks, food trucks, art installations, and unbeatable views of Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.
Weekend ferries before 11:30 AM are free. Otherwise, the round-trip fare is just $2 for adults, $1 for seniors, and free for kids under 12.
Rent a bike, have a picnic,and see great views of the Lower Manhattan skyline. There’s a little beach that’s technically closed but… I used to go there a bunch.
Comedy: Off the Beaten Path
If you want to see comedy in New York, skip the big names. Skip Comedy Cellar, skip Gotham Comedy Club, unless you’re okay paying $50 a head with a drink minimum.
The best comedy in the city is happening at smaller shows, in basements, on rooftops, and in bars. You’ll see rising stars and sometimes even big names dropping in to work out material.
Here are a few I recommend:
- Tuesdays at the Red Room (above KGB Bar in the East Village). I highly recommend this if you’re in New York on a Tuesday night.
- The Tiny Cupboard (Bushwick, rooftop shows in summer)
- Union Hall (Park Slope, Brooklyn)
I saw Marcello Hernandez (now on SNL) perform for $10 at the Red Room in 2022. You never know who’s going to blow up next.
Off-Broadway, Not Broadway
Broadway tickets are expensive. Even discounted ones will run you over $100. But New York has incredible theater happening Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway—often for $20–$40.
Music: Every Genre, Every Night
Whatever kind of music you love, New York has it happening somewhere tonight.
When I moved here, I got into punk and hardcore and would catch shows at Gold Sounds in Brooklyn for $10–$15, cash at the door.
But beyond that:
- Check Eventbrite for free or cheap shows
- Search Bandsintown to find what’s happening while you’re here
- Look at smaller venues like Elsewhere, Baby’s All Right, Mercury Lounge, or Bowery Ballroom.
A lot of shows are cheap. Do some googling and looking around Eventbrite.
Partying: Pre-Game at Apartments
Drinks in New York are expensive. A cocktail will easily set you back $15–$20. A beer is $8–$10. That’s why the “pre-game” is a staple of city life.
If you’re going out, link up with friends (or new friends) and have drinks at someone’s apartment first.
If you want to skip bars altogether, there are plenty of late-night spots that don’t revolve around drinking: karaoke rooms, bowling alleys, ping pong clubs, and food markets open past midnight.
One of my personal favorite cheap nights out is Barcade, where $5 in coins will get you hours of playing Donkey Kong.
Parks
The parks are one of the best free experiences in New York. They’re where the city breathes.
- Central Park: Yes, it’s touristy, but it’s worth it. Walk north of 72nd Street to avoid crowds and find the quieter, more natural areas.
- Washington Square Park: Pure chaos in the best way. Street performers, chess games, students, tourists, and locals all mixing together.
- Prospect Park: If you’re in Brooklyn, this is Central Park’s cooler, less touristy cousin. Designed by the same team, but with more of a neighborhood vibe.
- Fort Tryon Park: Up in Upper Manhattan, near the Cloisters. Incredible views of the Hudson River, peaceful trails, and way fewer people.
- The Highline: It’s become a hit for tourists. It’s free so I’ll add it to the list. Personally I find it a bit overrated, but it’s cool.
- Pelham Bay Park: A deep cut. Pair it with a meal at City Island.
Museums: Free or Cheap Entry
Most museums have some kind of free or “pay what you wish” time.
If you’re flexible, you can see world-class art for a fraction of the price—or nothing at all. Don’t “buy” tickets ahead of time.
- The Met: Suggested admission for non-NYC residents, but technically, you can pay less.
- Museum of the City of New York: Free on Wednesdays
- MoMA: Free Fridays from 4–8 PM.
- The Whitney: Pay-what-you-wish on Fridays from 7–10 PM.
- Brooklyn Museum: Free first Saturdays every month (except January and September).
Another hack: Go with a New Yorker. Some museums let city residents bring a guest for free or discounted admission.
Used Bookstores
New York is the literary capital of the English-speaking world, and the citiy’s collection of used bookstores reflects that.
- The Strand: Go to the basement.
- Mercer Street Books: When I walk into this bookstore, I feel like I’m living in what New York used to feel like.
- Unnameable Books (Prospect Heights, Brooklyn): Small but perfectly curated.
- Book Thug Nation (Williamsburg, Brooklyn): Great selection of used lit and philosophy.
Art Galleries Are Usually Free
If you’re into art, skip the pricey museums and wander the galleries instead. Most galleries in Chelsea and the Lower East Side are free to enter.
Bonus Ideas
A few other gems that don’t fit neatly in a category:
- Roosevelt Island Tramway: Costs the price of a MetroCard swipe and gives you an amazing aerial view of the city. You get the views you came for without paying for it.
- Ride the subway towards the end of the line: Take the F to Coney Island, the A to Rockaway Beach, or the 7 to Flushing. The journey itself is part of the experience. Get off wherever you feel called to and just walk around and see where the New York City Gods take you.
- Walk the bridges: The Brooklyn Bridge is famous but packed. Try the Williamsburg Bridge or Manhattan Bridge for fewer crowds and better skyline views.
Food: Spend Your Time in Queens
If you’re coming to New York for the food, spend your time in Queens.
It’s hands down the most diverse borough, and you’ll find authentic food from all over the world, often at prices you won’t believe.
Queens isn’t about fancy restaurants with white tablecloths. It’s hole-in-the-wall spots run by people cooking the food they grew up with.
And bring cash, because a lot of the best places are cash-only or offer a discount if you pay in cash.
You absolutely have to make a trip to the Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue subway stop. Within a few blocks, you’ll find Colombian bakeries, Ecuadorian ceviche spots, Nepali momo carts, Bangladeshi sweets, and Tibetan noodle shops.
Another essential area is Flushing’s Chinatown.
This is the real Chinatown these days.
You could spend your whole trip eating in Queens and barely scratch the surface and you won’t regret it.
Weekday Lunch Deals
A lot of restaurants, especially in Manhattan, offer weekday lunch specials where you can get the same meal for less.
This is especially true at sit-down spots like ramen shops, sushi restaurants, and even some steakhouses. If you’re eyeing a place that’s pricey at dinner, check their lunch menu.
Your Friend, The Bodega
A bodega is the term for the corner stores with strange names that you’ll see everywhere.
- They’re great for quick meals like a bacon, egg, and cheese on a roll, a chopped cheese, or a deli sandwich.
- The bodega is where New Yorkers get their coffee. And it’ll cost you $2 to $3, not $5 to $7 like the fancy coffee shops.
Transportation: Don’t Underestimate the Buses
You know about the subway, so it’s hardly worth even mentioning. What you may not know is that NYC has over 300 bus routes.
You get free transfers from subways to buses and vice versa. You can tap your credit card or phone to pay on all City buses and subways now.
Use your phone to tell you the best route and trust it. Even locals can’t keep up with what’s under construction on weekends these days.
Citi Bike: It Has Gotten Pricey
Citi Bike is great if you live in New York and have the yearly pass. It’s a great deal for residents. It’s not a good deal if you’re visiting. It might even be cheaper to get a shit bike on Facebook Marketplace and use it while you’re here, then sell it when you leave.
The Cheapest Way to Get to NYC From The Airports
Of course, this depends on where you’re coming from. But I’ll talk about the cheapest option to get into the city from all New York airports.
Newark Airport: Local Bus + PATH Train
First, avoid Newark if you can. It sucks and it’s the furthest on transit.
This option won’t come up on Google or Apple Maps, but the best, cheapest way is to take a local bus to Newark Penn Station, then transfer to a PATH train.
(Yes, it’s called “Newark Penn Station,” not to be confused with New York’s Penn Station.)
This will cost $2. Bring $1 bills for this. When you get out of the airport, look for where the local buses come. Many of them will go to Newark Penn Station.
Then take the PATH train from Newark Penn Station to New York. This train goes to the World Trade Center, or you can transfer to a train that goes through the West Village and Chelsea.
This will not be the fastest route. But it’ll get you there for less than $5.
An NJ Transit train is almost $17, and a direct bus with a private company is usually $20+. Plus, with the PATH and the local buses, they both have good frequency, so it’s a reliable route, just not a fast one.
JFK: You’re Stuck with the Airtrain… Unless You’re Super Hardcore and Take the Q3 Bus
Before you can take the subway, you have to take the AirTrain to either Jamaica or Howard Beach, which costs $8.50, then you have to pay for a subway fare on top of that.
You can take local buses to the terminals, but it’s a big hassle. Once, I took the Q3 from JFK to the F train at 179th st. It’s about a 2-hour trip, but it will only cost you a subway fare ($2.90 at the time of writing).
LaGuardia: Easiest and Cheapest if You Can Fly Into LGA
From LaGuardia Airport, depending on where you’re staying, you can take the M60 bus that goes directly to Harlem or the Q70 bus that goes to the Roosevelt Ave/Jackson Heights subway station. The latter bus exists solely for airport shuttle service, and it’s free. If you do this, plan on eating in Jackson Heights!
Amtrak + Buses Are Easier + CHeapier
Amtrak drops you at Moynihan Train Hall, which is attached to Penn Station. Buses like Greyhound and MegaBus usually come into Port Authority at 42nd St. From each of these hubs a subway swipe will get you anywhere.
Since you’re a budget traveler, you may be interested in my guide on the Greyhound Bus.
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