Cost per day · United States
Boston on $75, $200 or $550 a day
How much does Boston cost per day? Budget travellers get by on about $75 a day, mid-range trips run around $200, and luxury starts near $550 — accommodation, food, transport and activities included.
That makes Boston the 5th most expensive of 100 cities for a mid-range trip — see all 100 ranked.
America's revolution started here, and the Freedom Trail walks you through it, past Paul Revere's house and the Old North Church. Beacon Hill's brick lanes, Harvard across the river, Fenway Park and a harbour full of lobster and oysters make it the most walkable big city in the United States.
Boston's hotels are among the dearest in the US, but the city itself costs little: the Freedom Trail, the Public Garden, Harvard Yard and the harbourfront are all free, and the T and the airport bus are cheap.
✈️ How to Get There
🗺️ What to Do
The two-and-a-half-mile trail of the Revolution with a guide in colonial dress
Get tickets on Tiqets →The Aquarium, the Prudential Skywalk and two more on one pass
Get tickets on Tiqets →Throw the tea overboard yourself on a replica ship in Fort Point Channel
Get tickets on Tiqets →🏨 Where to Stay
Large, modern Hostelling International house in the Theater District
Compact rooms and bunks near the Common and Chinatown
Small, playful rooms and a lively bar in the Theater District
Sample 3-Day Itinerary
Day 1: The Freedom Trail ~$50
Day 2: Cambridge ~$40
Day 3: Beacon Hill and the harbour ~$45
Walk the Freedom Trail yourself with the free red line on the pavement. The Silver Line from Logan airport is free. A lobster roll from a market counter beats a sit-down one at half the price.
Mid-range buys a Back Bay or Seaport hotel, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Gardner, a game at Fenway, a harbour whale watch and oysters at the Union Oyster House.
✈️ How to Get There
🗺️ What to Do
Throw the tea overboard yourself on a replica ship in Fort Point Channel
Get tickets on Tiqets →The oldest ballpark in the majors, the Green Monster and the press box
Get tickets on Tiqets →Out to Stellwagen Bank for humpbacks and finbacks, April to October
Get tickets on Tiqets →🏨 Where to Stay
The country's oldest continuously operating hotel, where the Boston cream pie was invented
Design hotel in Downtown Crossing, a block from the Common
Luxury hotel inside the 1851 Charles Street Jail on Beacon Hill
Sample 3-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Revolution ~$200
Day 2: Art and baseball ~$260
Day 3: Whales ~$230
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is free if your name is Isabella. Book Fenway tickets early for a Yankees series. Whale watching from Long Wharf runs April to October.
Luxury Boston is a Public Garden-view suite, a private sail in the harbour, Harvard with a professor and a tasting menu at O Ya.
✈️ How to Get There
🗺️ What to Do
The Aquarium, the Prudential Skywalk and two more on one pass
Get tickets on Tiqets →Dinner on the water with the skyline and the harbour islands
Get tickets on Tiqets →The island of shingled villages and beaches, with transfers from Boston
Get tickets on Tiqets →🏨 Where to Stay
Waterfront hotel under a great arch on Rowes Wharf
The old Ritz-Carlton on the Public Garden, restored, with a rooftop restaurant
Back Bay tower with a high spa and city views
Sample 3-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Old Boston ~$1200
Day 2: Harbour islands ~$1400
Day 3: Cape and islands ~$1100
The Newbury and the Four Seasons One Dalton face the Public Garden and the Back Bay skyline. A private yacht in the harbour islands is the summer treat. O Ya's omakase is the city's most celebrated meal.
About Boston
Humid continental: warm summers (26–28°C), cold snowy winters (-2 to 3°C) with nor'easter storms. Autumn is crisp and bright.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -2° | -1° | 3° | 9° | 15° | 20° | 23° | 23° | 19° | 13° | 7° | 1° |
| 11d | 10d | 11d | 11d | 11d | 10d | 9d | 9d | 8d | 9d | 10d | 11d |
| low | low | low | mid | mid | high | high | high | high | high | mid | mid |
The T (subway and trolleys) covers the city and Cambridge, and the Silver Line runs free from the airport. Downtown is compact enough to walk; Bluebikes are everywhere.
A travel eSIM gets you online the moment you land in United States — data plans start at $4 — no roaming bill, no queue for a local SIM, and nothing to swap in and out of your phone. Install it before you fly.
Victorian brownstones on a grid of filled-in marsh, with Newbury Street's shops, Copley Square and the Public Garden at its foot.
Best for luxuryFederal-era brick houses climbing from the Common to the State House dome, with antique shops on Charles Street.
Best for luxuryThe oldest neighbourhood: Paul Revere's house, the Old North Church and a hundred Italian bakeries and trattorias.
Best for midrangeRebuilt docklands with glass towers, the ICA museum, oyster bars and the newest hotels.
Best for midrangeAcross the Charles: Harvard and MIT, Harvard Square's bookshops and cafés, a few stops on the Red Line.
Best for midrangeThe largest Victorian rowhouse district in the US, with Tremont Street's restaurants and slightly lower prices.
Best for budget- ✓Tip 18–22% at restaurants
- ✓Walk — the city is small and the streets are older than the cars
- ✓Try the chowder white and thick, the New England way
- ✓Carry cash for the old North End places
- ✓Learn that "wicked" means "very"
- ✓Book Red Sox tickets ahead for a Yankees series
- ✗Order red Manhattan clam chowder here
- ✗Wear a Yankees cap anywhere near Fenway
- ✗Try to drive downtown; the streets follow old cow paths
- ✗Pronounce Worcester the way it is written ("WUSS-ter")
- ✗Expect the T to run late — service ends around 1am
- ✗Stand on the left on escalators
Travel Insurance for Boston
Travel insurance is strongly recommended for any trip to Boston. Safety is rated One of the safest large US cities. The usual big-city care applies late at night around Downtown Crossing and on quiet stretches of the T. — even in safe destinations, unexpected medical emergencies or trip cancellations can be costly. Make sure your policy covers emergency medical treatment, hospitalisation, trip cancellation, and emergency evacuation.
Visa note: Visa Waiver Program: most European, UK and Australian visitors need an approved ESTA before flying; others need a B1/B2 visa.. Some countries require proof of travel insurance as part of the visa application.
Get travel insurance for Boston →FAQ: Boston Travel Questions
Is Boston safe to visit? ▾
One of the safest large US cities. The usual big-city care applies late at night around Downtown Crossing and on quiet stretches of the T.
When is the best time to visit Boston? ▾
May–June and September–October; October brings New England's autumn colour. Summer is warm and busy; winters are cold and snowy. Humid continental: warm summers (26–28°C), cold snowy winters (-2 to 3°C) with nor'easter storms. Autumn is crisp and bright.
How much does a trip to Boston cost per day? ▾
- budget: $75–$130/day
- midrange: $200–$360/day
- luxury: $550–$1200/day
Do I need a visa to visit United States? ▾
Visa Waiver Program: most European, UK and Australian visitors need an approved ESTA before flying; others need a B1/B2 visa.
How do I get around Boston? ▾
The T (subway and trolleys) covers the city and Cambridge, and the Silver Line runs free from the airport. Downtown is compact enough to walk; Bluebikes are everywhere. Boston has a metro system. Taxi base fare ~$4. Day pass ~$11.
Is tipping expected in Boston? ▾
Tipping is expected: 18–22% in restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.
What currency is used in United States? ▾
The local currency is USD, and the official language is English.