The Cost of a Trip to Boston
A trip to Boston for one person usually costs between $101 and $673 per day and $201 to $1,345 for two people. This is a wide range of costs, and the daily average per person from our data is $255 per person. This average includes food, accommodation, sightseeing, and local transportation expenses contributed from other travelers. Prices can vary based on travel style and activities. While the overall price for a trip to Boston is dependent on your personal travel style and the specific places you visit, if you book standard accommodation and travel with an average level of convenience, then your budget should be somewhere close to this average cost. Later in this article, you can find a breakdown of travel expenses by category, plus a general price range of accommodation and activity costs for your visit. Also, the prices for individual attractions and hotels may vary, but generally fall somewhat close to the price ranges described in this article.
How much money should you budget for your trip to Boston?
Budget travelers to Boston often spend around $101 per day. This usually includes a stay at a hostel and meals at affordable restaurants around town. Many budget travelers also prefer free activities over those that cost too much money. If you have a bit more money to spend, you should budget around $255 per day. This average includes a mid-range hotel and more meals in restaurants, along with a higher budget for entertainment and activities. Luxury travelers should plan to spend around $673 a day which includes higher-end accommodations, restaurants, tours, and activities. For more details, see our average travel costs for Boston here.
Average Daily Costs, Per Person, by Category
| Budget | Mid-Range | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation1 | $62 | $166 | $463 |
| Local Transportation1 | $14 | $37 | $106 |
| Food2 | $20 | $49 | $112 |
| Water2 | $2 | $2 | $2 |
| Entertainment1 | $13 | $33 | $79 |
| Souvenirs1 | $42 | $119 | $373 |
| Communication2 | $16 | $16 | $16 |
| Living Expenses2 | $36 | $88 | $205 |
| Alcohol2 | $11 | $27 | $62 |
| Tips and Handouts1 | $5 | $5 | $5 |
How much does a weekend trip to Boston cost?
Travelers spend, on average, $764 per person on a three-day trip to Boston. This includes sightseeing, hotels, food, and local transportation. You can stick close to this average price by staying at mid-range hotels and eating at mid-level restaurants, while also paying for some entry tickets to popular attractions. If you wish to travel cheaper, it's possible to find lower-cost accommodations, eat at less expenive restaurants, and find more free activities. It's also common for many visitors to have a much higher travel budget, as many high-end hotels and restaurants can be found around town.
Boston Harbor
How much does a five day trip to Boston cost?
With five days in Boston, you can expect to spend about $1,273 total, not including transportation to and from the city. It's possible to stay close to this daily average by booking mid-range hotels, eating at normal restaurants, and paying for some entry tickets to popular attractions. It's possible to find lower-cost accommodations, eat at less expenive restaurants, and find more free activities if you want to spent less money.
How much does a one week trip to Boston cost?
Most visitors spend between $705 and $4,708 for a one week trip to Boston, with the average being $1,783. This includes sightseeing, local transportation, food, and hotels. One week is enough time to have a more in-depth experience in Boston. Also, one week allows you to be more flexible with your time and money, so you can potentially save money on some aspects of your trip while spending more on others.
Hostel Prices in Boston
With more than 5 hostels in Boston, the average price is $55 per night for a dorm bed. The cheapest hostel costs $35 and the most expensive is $95. Usually popular with younger travelers, hostels are a great way to save money while also being social. But not all hostels are the same, and we've analyzed the prices of both dorms and private rooms to find the average prices and best places to stay. You can see more details about the hostel prices in Boston here.
Here are a few sample prices from popular hostels in Boston.
- $35 for a dorm bed at HI Boston in Boston
- $61 for a dorm bed at Backpackers Hostel & Pub in Boston
- $95 for a dorm bed at Meco Hostel in Boston
Hotel Prices in Boston
The average price for a hotel room in Boston is $233 per night. This average is based on our detailed analysis of available hotels in the area. If you want to save money, or if you're planning a more luxurious trip, it's important to look at hotel prices based on the overall star-rating as well as guest reviews. Also, prices can vary by location and amenities. You can see more details from our analysis of hotel prices in Boston here, and below is a breakdown of hotel prices by star-rating.
Hotels by star rating in Boston
| Rating | Number of Hotels | Average Hotel Price |
|---|---|---|
| 5 stars | 9 | $512 |
| 4 stars | 48 | $246 |
| 3 stars | 55 | $233 |
| 2 stars | 9 | $123 |
| No rating | 1 | $160 |
Should you do a tour in Boston?
You'll find a wide range of guided tours in Boston and many visitors enjoy the convenience of having an expert guide leading them through the chosen activity. Tours range in price from $5 for the Self-Guided Boston Christmas Tour to $680 for the A Journey Through Time: a walking/driving tour of Boston.
- Beacon Hill: Small Group Tour of Civil War Boston:$35
- Salem Kids Slightly Spooky Tour:$16
- 1 If By Land Walking Tours:$45
- Back Bay: Small Group Tour of Women's Rights Boston:$35
- Classic Boston: Iconic Local Food Tasting & History Tour Downtown:$115
- Boston Seafood & Freedom Trail Walking Tour:$172
- Private Boch Center Wang Theatre & Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame Tour:$182
- Public Innovation Trail Tour in Cambridge:$20
More for Boston
If you're planning a trip to Boston, Massachusetts, check out these other informative travel guides.
How much does a trip to the United States of America cost?Is the United States of America Expensive?Is Boston Expensive?Is Boston Worth Visting?
We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.
1 Categories averaged on a per-item basis.
2 Categories averaged on a per-day basis.
For example, the Food2 daily average is for all meals for an entire day, while Entertainment1 is for each individual purchase. Thus, the overall daily average cost is not a summation of the individual categories.
