New York City hotels, while expensive, often are much smaller and simpler than travelers expect. While you won't spend much time in your hotel, it's important to understand what your room and hotel experience will entail in NYC.

In this episode, we'll cover:

1. Average hotel prices
2. Taxes & fees to be aware of
3. Room size & what to expect for (the lack of) amenities
4. The Airbnb situation
5. Pro tips to maximize your NYC hotel experience

1. The Price of a Bed in NYC

• Average Range: $250–$400 depending on neighborhood (Times Square = highest)
• Budget [think hostel-style] ($115 +) vs. mid-range ($225+) vs. luxury ($500+++)
• Weekdays (cheaper) vs. weekends, and seasonal swings matter (Jan & Feb are often the cheapest time)

2. Taxes & Fees: The Hidden Cost

• Base rate is never what you pay — 14.75% in combined state/city taxes + $3.50/night flat fees
• Real-world example: one traveler's fees came to 29% of their room cost
• Even the fees get taxed on top of each other
• Pro tip: always check the total before booking, not just the nightly rate
• Some hotels add in resort fees, mandatory daily fees for food/drink, etc.

3. Room Size & What to Expect

• NYC rooms average ~300 sq ft — and that includes the bathroom and closets
• Micro-hotels can go as small as 60 sq ft
• Elevator overload is real — older buildings, high occupancy, long waits
• What you won't find: microwaves, pools, hot tubs (rare exceptions exist), very small mini fridges (or none at all)

4. The Airbnb Situation

• Local Law 18 (Sept 2023) essentially banned short-term rentals — listings dropped from 22,000 to under 7,000 overnight
• Side effect: hotel prices went up ~6–7% as a result
• Visitors coming from other cities expecting Airbnb as a budget option will be caught off guard

5. Tips for Doing It Right

• Bag storage: hotels will hold your luggage for free, tip the porter
• Skip hotel breakfast — go get a bagel or hit a diner
• Pools and hot tubs exist but are the exception, not the rule
• Book at least a month out for better pricing

You'll Have to Check It Out - Pig and Khao

At Pig and Khao on the Upper West Side, their head chef Leah Cohen pays homage to her Filipino upbringing with a variety of Southeast Asian dishes and flavors.

The portions, as part of their family-style meal, are MASSIVE. And the vibes are laid-back, perfect. 👌

Don’t skip the crab fried rice!

Check out Pig & Khao here.

PS- It's part of Chase Sapphire's dining credit program. Learn more & sign up here.

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While New York City is home to some of the best restaurants and cuisine in the world, the price of eating out can come as a shock to many visitors.

In this episode, we're going to explore the real cost of eating and drinking in New York City and give you some tips to save money and budget effectively for your meals while visiting New York City.

Let's do it. 👇

The $19 -> $30 Pasta Bill

A very common experience is walking past a restaurant in New York City and seeing something like fettuccine Alfredo for $19. You may think to yourself, "Wow, that's actually pretty fairly priced."

After eating your pasta and possibly adding on an iced tea, you go to pay, and that $19 pasta has suddenly turned into $30...

For many travelers, the sticker shock of eating out in New York City can come as a real surprise. And this becomes especially true when eating at sit-down restaurants where the "true cost" never equals what you actually see on the menu.

The longer we live in New York City, the less we are shocked by food prices, but that is only a sign of our own succumbing to the sadness that is restaurant prices in America's most diverse food city.

Average Prices at Restaurants in New York City

While the true costs can vary widely, we're going to give you a breakdown of common price ranges to expect at sit-down restaurants in New York City. Here's what you'll often find for food prices in NYC:

• 10-$25 per appetizer
• $20-35 per entrée
• $8-15 per dessert

And here are average alcohol costs at restaurants in NYC:

• $9-12 per beer
• $12-16 per glass of wine
• $15-25 per cocktail

The biggest factor that can make what seems like a cheap meal very expensive is the hidden costs of eating out in the city. ⤵️

Hidden Costs of Restaurant Dining in NYC

While a $20 pasta can feel somewhat fair, the challenge is that the price you see on the menu is never what you'll actually pay.

There are two reasons why bills at New York City restaurants always end up inflating beyond what you were expecting:

1. Tax
2. Tipping

At all New York City dining establishments, you will pay an 8.875% tax on your bill. There is no bargaining with that; that is just how it works. Unlike many other countries and large cities across the world, restaurants in New York City do not bake tax into the cost you see on the menu.

Additionally, New York City tipping culture, and America as a whole, has a direct expectation that you will tip when dining at a sit-down restaurant.

What Should You Budget for Eating Out in New York City?

🥯 Breakfast will, on average, cost $10 to $30. The $10 range is for something like a bagel, whereas the $30 range is more for a sit-down breakfast restaurant or a diner.

🥗 Lunch will, on average, cost $15 to $30. The $15 range is for something like a bowl or salad at a fast-casual place, and $30 is more if you opt for a sit-down restaurant.

🍽️ Dinner will likely be your most expensive meal of the day. Dinner will, on average, cost $30 to $60. The $30 range is for meals where you might just get one entree, and the $60 range is for meals that include appetizers and/or dessert.

Of course, it is very easy to go well above any of these ranges, but these are realistic numbers for you to expect when eating out in New York City.

Overall, you should plan to budget around $50 to $125 per person per day for eating out in New York City.

You'll Have to Check It Out - Brooklyn Bread Cafe

• Phenomenal bacon, egg & cheese that always has crispy bacon
• Tasty sweet options like chocolate or french toast bagel
• Perfect for before 9/11 Museum, the Statue of Liberty, or FiDi explorations

Want even more NYC insights? Sign up for our 100% free newsletter to access:

• Dozens of Google Maps lists arranged by cuisine and location
• 50+ page NYC Navigation Guide covering getting to & from airports, taking the subway & more
• Weekly insights on top spots, upcoming events, and must-know NYC tips

Get started here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rebrand.ly/nyc-navigation-guide