When you think of New York, the words ‘budget’ and ‘trip’ don’t spring to mind.
It’s not exactly the cheapest city in the world. In fact, it’s one of the most expensive, the third most expensive in Numbeo’s Cost of Living Index in 2024, to be precise.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t visit the Big Apple without spending an absolute fortune. You just need to be a little savvy about it — and get yourself a good pair of walking shoes.
I recently spent 72 hours in the city that never sleeps and learned some unexpected saving tricks, as well as finding food spots and attractions that’ll get you the most bang for your buck.
After exploring Manhattan, I’ve created a daily itinerary that won’t break the bank. Here’s how to spend a day in NYC for under $50 (roughly £39)…
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Breakfast at Ellen’s
During my trip I stayed at the Riu Plaza Times Square (rooms from £112 per night), which meant I was in an ideal location to explore Midtown.
From the hotel it was a 10-minute walk to Ellen’s Stardust Diner, an iconic NYC institution. The diner is home to the world-famous singing waitstaff, who perform musical hits as you eat.
They say it’s the cheapest way to enjoy a Broadway show in the city, and they’re not wrong.
The trick is to get here early, as it gets busy and you’ll have to queue for a while if not. Arrive by 8:30am on a weekday and you’ll breeze through the doors.
One of the cheaper breakfast dishes is the short stack of pancakes (you get two) served with maple syrup. It costs $15.50. To this you can add extra toppings but you’ll be paying more — bananas and strawberries are an additional $3, while two eggs and bacon or sausage is $8.
A cup of coffee or tea at Ellen’s will set you back another $5, taking the total to $20.50.
Cost: $20.50 (plus tax)
A mid-morning ramble
From Ellen’s, you can walk off your breakfast by exploring the surrounding area.
The diner is a six-minute walk from Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center, and from there you can window shop your way along 5th Avenue until you hit Central Park.
Once you reach Central Park, you could easily spend a few hours exploring the 843-acre space.
Highlights include Bethesda Terrace, Bow Bridge, Strawberry Fields, the Alice in Wonderland statue, Shakespeare Garden, the Central Park Carousel, The Ramble, The Boathouse and Belvedere Castle.
Cost: Free
Cheap and cheerful lunch
For lunch you’ve got a couple of options. If you’re enjoying your time in the park and don’t want to leave, you could grab a pretzel from a food cart, prices for which start around $4.
A top tip courtesy of a local tour guide named Ellen (from Big Apple Greeter) is to only buy food from carts where prices are clearly advertised.
According to Ellen, street vendors are required to display prices by law, but some don’t and sneakily try to charge tourists a higher price.
If you are finished with the park and ready to explore more of the city, head back towards Midtown. Follow 8th Avenue down to Liberty Bagels, which takes about 30 minutes (if starting from the corner of 8th Ave and W 59th St). Along the way, you’ll pass Broadway and Times Square.
Liberty Bagel is a popular spot which claims to be the home of the rainbow bagel. I ordered a toasted plain bagel with Birthday Cake cream cheese ($5), plus a tea ($2.75).
The standard bagel price here is $1.95 and it’s the type of cream cheese you add that ultimately determines the cost.
A plain bagel with plain cream cheese is $4.30, but if you want something more fun, they’ve got just about every flavour you could imagine, from Oreo cream cheese to Jalapeno, Maple Bacon and Blueberry (+$3.05 each).
There are a handful of tables outside so you can sit and enjoy your bagel while people watching like a true New Yorker, or take it to go and get in some more sightseeing.
Cost: $7.75 (plus tax)
An afternoon of culture
Continuing with the sightseeing, you’re in a prime position to either head to Chelsea and walk The High Line and browse Chelsea Market, or you can stay close and swing by Bryant Park, the New York Public Library and Grand Central Station. You’ll also be able to see the Empire State and Chrysler building in this area.
The library is a stunning building plus the gift shop is fab for finding unique souvenirs.
There’s also plenty to see in Grand Central — be sure to look up at the spectacular celestial ceiling and see if you can find the tiny black spot that shows how dirty it used to be when smoking was allowed in the station.
On the lower floor of the station, you’ll find the Whispering Gallery, where you have to stand in one corner and whisper to the person in the opposite corner.
It’s right by the Oyster Bar, which Ellen said is very expensive. However, we’re in luck: she recommends going and ordering the Clam Chowder ($12.45) if you’re on a budget. This way you get the experience of eating there for a fraction of the price.
Cost: Free (unless you go for the chowder…)
Dinner
No trip to New York would be complete without a slice of pizza, so that’s what we’re doing for dinner.
Joe’s Pizza is a famous spot as it’s been featured in several Marvel movies and shows, including Spider-Man and Jessica Jones. It’s also been visited by numerous celebs, with pictures of everyone from Kim Kardashian, to Selena Gomez on the wall inside.
There are several locations around the city, but at the Broadway branch slices start from $4.50 for cheese, and $5.50 for one topping such as pepperoni.
The pepperoni pizza was delightful, and really hit the spot, plus the slice was huge so only the one was needed.
There are additional toppings on the tables in shakers, including chilli flakes and Parmesan cheese, so you can customise your pizza to your liking at no extra cost.
Cost: $5.50 (plus tax)
After dinner rooftop drinks
If you’re after incredible views without paying for attractions like Top of the Rock or The Edge, book yourself in for rooftop drinks.
My personal favourite spot is Daintree rooftop and lounge. It’s a hotel bar that boasts unforgettable views of the Empire State Building and the twinkling NYC skyline.
For those that don’t drink, the bar has a seasonal mocktail menu with beverages from $14 each, or seasonal cocktails from $18. Glasses of wine and prosecco also start from $14, while beers are $10.
It’s particularly amazing at sunset, and at night the rooftop is illuminated by glimmering fairy lights.
If the weather is a bit chilly, don’t panic as the inside bar also boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, meaning you don’t miss out on the view.
If you can’t get in here, try Starchild Rooftop bar and terrace at Civilian hotel, a hidden gem near Broadway that also offers impressive skyline views, and has a secret disco bathroom.
There’s a daily happy hour for drinks, starting from $7 and downstairs in the hotel, you can find props and costumes from iconic shows like Wicked and Kinky Boots, making it a must-visit for theatre lovers.
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Cost: $14 (plus tax)
Grand total: $47.75 (£36.90), plus tax
*Disclaimer* All prices are subject to New York State sales tax. The City Sales Tax rate for food and beverages sold by restaurants and caterers is currently 4.5%
For those that aren’t keen on so much walking, or aren’t able to do so, you could easily cut out some of this out by taking the Subway at any point. A single journey is $2.90.
If you’re staying for a few days, it often works out cheaper to buy a seven-day unlimited Metrocard, which is $34. This also allows for bus transfers so you can explore more of the city.
More money-saving tips and tricks for a New York trip
You don’t have to spend thousands on flights
Flying to the States can be incredibly expensive, but for this trip we used low-cost, long-haul airline Norse Atlantic Airways.
Prices for Economy flights from London Gatwick to JFK start from £188. While Return Premium Economy flights start from £517.
The cheapest and easiest time to visit the city is January and February, as it gets colder after Christmas and not as many people want to visit. You’ll also be able to get discounts on hotels at this time.
Looking for a unique way to explore the city? Consider booking a tour
For foodies who want to explore somewhere a little different, consider A Man And His Sandwich, run by Ben Gollan.
Ben offers sandwich tours around different parts of the city, with prices from $75 per person. It’s not the cheapest, but you certainly don’t go hungry, with enough food to keep you full most of the day. All the food is included in the price, and you stop at several unique locations along the way. He’s also happy to tell you all about his local haunts, so you can eat like a local and avoid expensive tourist traps. I tried The New York Sandwich Tour in the East Village and was blown away by the places he showed us, even discovering my new favourite burger spot along the way.
For those who don’t have the cash to splash, try the aforementioned Big Apple Greeter. All the tours are completely free, run by volunteers from the city who want to share the inside scoop.
During my trip, a tour guide named Ellen took us to the Bronx, where she shared some of her favourite spots, including Mike’s Deli where I had the most unreal Eggplant Parmigiana ($12).
Can’t afford to see a show? Go Off Broadway
The difference between Broadway and Off Broadway? It’s all to do with the number of seats a theatre has. Off Broadway the theatres are smaller, meaning the tickets are cheaper, but there are still some fabulous shows to be seen. I saw Drag The Musical which is currently showing at the New World Stages until the end of April — it was a real hoot. Tickets start from $39.
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